Choosing the right environmental consultant or laboratory is considered by many to be the most critical step in a project. The right consultant can make sure your project will be environmentally sound, while the wrong one could cost you millions of dollars in cleanup costs down the road. The selection process for an environmental consultant should begin with a definition of the scope of the project to be performed as well as individual tasks that need to be completed. Choose a firm that meets your specific needs. Just because someone is called an environmental specialist doesn't mean that he or she specializes in all the services you need.
Some firms specialize in asbestos removal, while others are experts in underground storage tanks.
The next thing you should do be- fore choosing an environmental consultant is make out a list of minimum qualification criteria. Do this before you look at pricing. If you look at price alone, you may be fooled by what appear to be cost savings. Unless the exact scope of the work has been clearly defined, it is extremely difficult for a layman to evaluate competitive bids from consultants. What often appears to be an initial savings can result in an increased total project cost caused by changes in the scope of the work.