Professional & Organizational Development

About the University Consulting Alliance

The University Consulting Alliance comprises internal and external consultants who have organizational development expertise as well as experience with clients in higher education or the public sector. We formally vet all consultants to ensure they have the appropriate level and type of experience, and pre-approve all Alliance consultants with University of Washington Purchasing.

Benefits of working with the Alliance

Through the Alliance, POD has access to more than 50 local consultants with a variety of specialties and experience in a wide range of contexts. Our roster includes many consultants with master’s degrees and several with Ph.D.s. In addition, a large number have certifications in accordance with their specialties. Our consultation services coordinator will partner with you to find the consultant who best fits your needs, budget, and timeframe.

Our screening of consultants and handling of administrative details greatly streamlines the process for our clients. Along with having already screened and secured purchasing approval for Alliance consultants, we will set up a contract, oversee billing, and ensure the consultant is paid in an accurate and timely manner.

Fees and billing

The Alliance is a self-sustaining enterprise with essentially no UW allocations. We recover our costs by charging fees for our services, including an administrative fee of 15 percent added to all consulting contracts to cover our direct costs ($120 minimum). We strive to keep our fees at the lowest level possible, and in all cases do our best to work within any budget constraints.

Hourly fees depend on the consultant you select. Internal UW consultants are billed at $300/hour; fees for external consultants vary and may be somewhat higher.

Any contract initiated through the Alliance contains a “not-to-exceed” amount. We bill for work either post-delivery or monthly (depending on the length of the project) via the UW Internal Sales Document (ISD) process.

Getting started

Contact us to begin discussing your needs and options. Our consultation services coordinator will work with you to identify options and will provide a short list of suitable consultants from which to choose. In most cases, we’re able to offer an initial one-hour consultation or interview with potential consultants at no charge.

  • Visit this page to learn more about selecting a coach or consultant.

Once you’ve selected a consultant and the contract has been approved by the requesting department authority and returned to POD, the consulting work can commence.