14. What should a bounded GEO pilot cost—and what should its scope exclude?

Ask the expert to price a decision-ready scope, not quote a supposedly universal monthly retainer.

Put to: Wil Reynolds, with procurement and the implementation owner.

Why it matters to buyers: Seer’s procurement guide explicitly asks how a supplier would respond to different timelines and what the customer can actually change. That makes delivery capacity part of the buying conversation, not an afterthought. (seerinteractive.com)

Ask: “With a hypothetical external budget ceiling of $20,000 over 90 days, what would you include, exclude and refuse to promise?”

The amount and duration are interview constraints, not market-price evidence or a recommended budget.

A good answer should cover:

• Separate costs for baseline research, monitoring, implementation and validation.
• Named deliverables, acceptance criteria and internal staff requirements.
• Which existing tools and retainers can be reused.
• Dependencies, additional usage charges, renewal terms and data handover.
• What can be learned within the period, versus outcomes that may require longer observation.
• A smaller alternative if the buyer lacks implementation capacity.

Press for: a complete statement of work and a “no new supplier” option. Ask which deliverable would be removed first if the budget fell, and why.

A pilot should not automatically convert into a continuing retainer merely because the reporting period ended.

Expert quote — pending: ____________________