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Frequently asked questions about working with Reid Product Development:
For more information about how we work, see articles.
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How do you charge?We provide excellent performance at a fair price. We do not charge for introductory discussion of your objectives or for mutual structuring of work orders. We avoid quoting "fixed price" for engineering development projects, unless the work is exceptionally well-defined and relatively free of uncertainty. We generally work at time & materials (T&M). Our fee schedule is well-established, but not disclosed over the Internet. Our T&M estimates are for your budgeting and scheduling. We strive to adhere to estimate, but bill at actual. If purchase orders stipulate a "not-to-exceed" amount and unforeseen challenges arise, we reluctantly trim quality to remain within budget. "Typical" projects at Reid Product Development range $20K-80K (tooling excluded). Projects are generally scheduled, funded, performed, and invoiced phase-by-phase. Projects commence upon authorization, typically via a formal purchase order referencing our proposal or via an authorized countersignature on our proposal. Start-up clients generally pay on retainer. Well-established clients with good credit enjoy N30. We modestly surcharge on sub-contracted services, materials, and travel expenses. This covers our administrative cost and risk. We do not accept referral fees or commissions, nor do we offer them. Ethics dictate that we hold the client's best interest paramount in any recommendations we make. Likewise, prospective clients are referred to us on our merit. |
Who gets rights to the intellectual property?Except for original records of our work (which we retain in archive), our policy is to assign to you (our client) all right, title, and interest to work which we perform on your behalf. Such assignment of ownership can be stipulated to you in written contract. We deliver project documentation at major project milestones. We convey prototypes and other tangible property (funded by you) upon conclusion of key project phases. We support your legal team in securing and defending your intellectual property rights resulting from our work. |
At whose facility is the work performed?Most of our project work is performed at Reid's product design facility in Los Angeles, California, one mile south of Santa Monica Airport. Our facility is equipped with CAD, technical library, and prototyping workshop. Work sub-contracted to associates in the firm's Project Partners Network SM is usually performed at their facilities. Some tasks are best conducted at the client's facility. Examples are client team interfacing, manufacturing process integration, and formal design reviews. Hardware integration and testing, depending upon their nature, are often performed at the client's facility. Reid and his associates always interact courteously and professionally with client personnel and vendors. |
Will you sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)?We generally will. It's a decision we make carefully on a case-by-case basis. We are effectively limiting our pool of future clients in return for the prospect of having you as a client. Likewise, we'll recuse ourselves if we perceive a conflict with a previous client. Hence, we look for the NDA to have: |
Which computer aided design (CAD) system do you use?We use several mechanical CAD systems, including SolidWorks TM 3-D mechanical CAD software. |
How much it will cost to prototype my product?In estimating the Detailed Design Phase, we typically include line items for fabricating, assembling, and testing of functional engineering prototypes. |
How much will it cost to manufacture my product?Our estimates of your product's marginal unit cost and non-recurring expenses (NRE) are refined at each phase of the development project, becoming progressively more accurate. The quotes we solicit from vendors in the final Pilot Production Phase are the most accurate. |