Ethical dilemmastrictly editorial

March 28, 2007

Consultant bids on a project based on word count. Repeat client accepts proposal. Schedule for payments and work are set in contract. Contract is issued by funding organization. Fixed fee contract is signed. Payments are to be made by funding organization. Project is run by client. Project includes multiple documents, all parts of a whole.

Client and consultant acknowledge informally by email beforehand that work schedule will not correspond with payment schedule, and that payments will often be in advance of work. Consultant isn't comfortable but agrees because Client insists.

Work begins. Work proceeds well enough. Client is happy. Consultant is happy.

Client nags Consultant to submit invoices on payment schedule. Consultant realizes along the way that the word count on which the bid was made is far higher than what will pan out. Work is in midstream. From consultant's perspective, what's already been paid will likely be already a generous enough amount for the work done and yet to be done. Client, meanwhile, writes again, nagging Consultant for the third of four invoices.

What does Consultant do?