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Why subscription-based engineering?

The goal of our subscription model is to allow for budgeted access to engineering services so that early engagement is encouraged. After the initial on-boarding meetings, a simple plan of work and regular contact “Touches”  can be scheduled for each week of the month. Progress or issues will be discussed and work will be performed as requested. This schedule is mutually beneficial: Clients benefit from easy access that can help them avoid costly mistakes; and we benefit from an increased stability and predictability in our billing. Monthly subscriptions can be paid with a personal credit card, which can further reduce accounting overhead, and working relationships and knowledge get a chance to build before they are needed. 

  • Ease of access 
  • A plan customized to your needs
  • Early engagement creates efficiency in action 
  • Small projects are accommodated 
  • Transparent pricing

What if I do not want a subscription?

When the subscription model is not a good fit, we can negotiate a specific work or  purchase contract. Please contact Paul to request a meeting. Be sure to include a short description of the work desired and the expected timeline. 

  • Typically we’ll get back to you within a day.
  • We respond to all correspondence in the order received.
  • Existing clients receive preferential treatment. 
  • We will work with you to develop a Statement of Work or a Purchase Contract.
  • A signed Service Agreement is required before work can commence.

This sounds great, but what are the trade-offs?

The strength of a subscription (budgeted timing) can also be its weakness. Typically each client’s work is distributed throughout the billing month. This means that peak increases in work demands or dynamic changes to a client’s budget might not be instantly realizable. This is usually tolerable for small projects, and larger projects can side-step the issue altogether by establishing a separate work contract.

  • Subscription hours are discounted relative to the standard Blaylock, LLC Rate Sheet. 
  • Hours do not “roll-over” month to month, but may be used to cover other billable labor. 
  • Subscription hours must be paid for before they can be used. 

What does a subscription cost?

  • There is a one time on-boarding fee of $300 for all subscriptions.
  • Subscription engineering is $75 per hour, charged in advance of work performed.
  • The smallest subscription is $375 for the first month, and $75 thereafter. This covers the account, setup, and 2 half-hour touches per month.
  • A typical subscription would be $750 for the first month, and $450 thereafter. This covers the account, setup, and 12 half-hour touches or 6 one-hour touches per month. 
  • Expenses are billed per the Blaylock, LLC Rate Sheet.

What happens if things go sideways?

Communication is key. We recognize that things happen, and will work with you to accommodate your work requests. Email is the preferred medium. At a minimum, communication should include your customer number, the change request, the desired date of activation, and the date sent. To avoid accounting or work delays, changes should be communicated at least a week before they are needed.

  • Subscriptions can be modified or cancelled at any time. Changes take effect at the next month’s billing.
  • Subscription payments exist to cover the following month’s work. At our discretion we may work in advance of billing, but these overages are not considered typical, and are not guaranteed to be available. 
  • All non-subscription time and materials (including overages) will be billed per the Blaylock, LLC Rate Sheet in effect at the time the work was performed.  
  • Subscriptions in arrears or with extended inactivity can be dropped at our discretion, and may require a new activation fee to re-establish. 

Other Details

  • Subscriptions can be written in hour increments, up to a maximum of 20 hours per week.
  • Time is used in half-hour increments for work performed at our facility including email and phone calls, and in hour increments for work performed anywhere else. Time is rounded up to the next whole increment. Time is not rolled over, and starts fresh each month. 
  • Material purchasing is not included, but may be handled under separate cover.
  • Subscriptions are written for a desired number of hours per week, but charged by the month.
  • Subscriptions are billed in the last business week of the month to cover the following month’s activities.
  • Subscriptions can be paid for by credit card, Paypal, or bank transfer.