> Engineering consulting hub: PSA software for firms, articles on T&M vs fixed price, bench cost, KPIs; sector glossary. hice.ai for 10-500 person engineering firms.

Source: https://hice.ai/en/hub/engineering-consulting
# Engineering consulting — software, articles, and glossary

Resources for engineering firms: vertical PSA with SAL milestones, pillar articles on pricing and bench cost, specialized glossary. For design studios, civil and industrial engineering.

## Dedicated platform

### Engineering consulting software that runs on chat, not Gantt charts

Stop reconciling timesheets with project plans every Friday. Ask hice.ai who's overrunning, who's free, and which deliverable is at risk — get the answer in seconds.

## What sets an engineering consultancy apart

An engineering practice has one characteristic that breaks almost every generic tool: a large share of its projects are billed on certified progress rather than on hours. That forces an honest estimate of remaining effort every fortnight, because hours consumed describe what has been spent but not what is left.

On top of that come documentation obligations and traceability. Who signed each deliverable, in which version and on what date is not bureaucracy: it is what supports a claim or a later review. A system that does not preserve that chain forces the firm to maintain it in parallel.

- Certified progress with an objective criterion and an approver
- Remaining effort estimated, not only hours consumed
- Versions and signatures preserved alongside the project
- Professional registrations and certifications with expiry dates

## Capacity and skills in scarce disciplines

In engineering, scarcity is not general: it is discipline-specific. A practice can have spare capacity and still be unable to accept a commission because the only person with a particular accreditation is unavailable. Planning on total headcount hides exactly the number that decides.

That is why the skills inventory needs level, evidence and date of last use, and why planning has to be split by discipline. The response to a gap changes too: a short peak is solved by resequencing or with an external collaborator, while a shortage that repeats quarter after quarter justifies hiring, with the real search lead time factored in.

- Capacity calculated by discipline, not only by person
- Accreditations and certifications as a mandatory filter
- External collaborators with a documented handover
- The real hiring lead time included in the decision

## In-depth articles

### T&M vs Fixed Price vs Retainer: How to Choose the Right Pricing Model

### The Hidden Cost of Bench: How to Measure It and Cut It in Half

### PSA Software for Consulting Firms: 2026 Guide

### KPIs for Consulting Firms: The 12 Metrics That Actually Matter

## Key glossary terms

## Other topic hubs