First, let's understand what is a consultant
In its most basic form, a consultant is hired by another business to help them achieve a specific outcome. Businesses often hire consultants because the business themselves may lack the expertise needed or the business needs additional resources for a project. Consultants are not employees of the business, but are contracted to perform a project for the business.
They can range from finance and market consultants to technical experts such as engineering, air quality and environmental consultants.
The typical process of a relationship between a consultant and a business is:
- The business identifies lack of expertise or resources for a project.
- The business issues a request for proposal (RFP) to various consultants in the related industry. The RFP is a request for the recipient consultants to develop a proposal to complete the specified project. The business issuing the RFP will detail the project scope and schedule and sometimes any budgetary limitations.
- In many cases, businesses have established relationships with consultants and will issue a more informal RFP to the trusted consultant only.
- The consultant then develops a proposal for the project. The proposal usually includes an understanding of the scope of the project, an outline of the major tasks the consultant will complete, a schedule for completion, the project deliverables, any assumptions made for the proposal, and cost of work.
- Businesses will review the received proposals and select a final consultant to perform the work. Once a consultant is selected, the business usually is considered the "client".
- The consultant will commence the project following the details of the proposal. Throughout the project consultants will communicate with the client on project progress and any schedule or budgetary concerns.
- Once the consultant has completed the project, they will provide the deliverable to the client for final acceptance.
- The project is closed out both on the consultant and client sides.
Consultants are often paid for projects based on time and materials, but can also be paid via lump sum.
Now, here's what is specific to an air quality consultant
An air quality consultant provides advice and assistance on matters relating to air quality compliance and permitting. This can range from helping clients assess the potential impact of a project on air quality, assisting clients with compliance of air quality standards, and conducting emissions testing.
Air quality consultants come from different educational backgrounds like chemical engineering, environmental engineering and environmental science.
Just like the relationship process outlined generically for consultants above, air quality consultants undergo the same process when hired for a project.
Example projects that an air quality consultant is hired for can include:
- Develop air permit application for new manufacturing facility.
- Create air permit application for new piece of equipment an existing facility.
- Review applicability of a facility or part of the facility to a new environmental regulation.
- Conduct emissions or stack testing.
- Develop a 12-month rolling spreadsheet to track air emissions on a monthly basis.
- Create job aids to direct the client's employees on specific actions that are required by an air quality standard.
- Submit notification of construction or operation of a new process or facility.
- Perform an audit of the client's facility for compliance with an air quality standard.
- Perform due diligence of a facility that the client wants to acquire.
- Conduct air emissions modeling of a new or existing facility or process.
Air quality consultants often enjoy variety in their day-to-day work as the type of clients they serve and type of projects hired for can vary widely.
What air quality concepts are you struggling with?
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