Team members should have a reasonably clear idea of how much time will be involved to participate in the negotiation. Not only is time necessary for the external negotiations with other parties, but time must also be allocated for internal group meetings as well as individual study and learning. Often with citizens' groups, members have other jobs and cannot devote their full attention to the issues at hand. It may be necessary, therefore, to hire individuals who can spend the time necessary to represent the interests effectively in the negotiation. How decisions are made is one of the major differences between government resource agencies and many citizens' groups.
Agencies usually have an established decision-making process.
If the citizens' group represents a coalition of interests, or if public entities are involved, developing a process for agreement and ratification may involve extensive discussions. Representatives of such groups must be clear about their authority in the negotiation and about what might be necessary to achieve final agreement. Such concerns may impose limitations on how and when negotiations are held, who can participate, and how they should be structured. If your group makes decisions by consensus, time must be left for the negotiating team to consult with constituents. If the team represents the public, time must be allocated for public education.