Answers to frequently asked questions about how we work.
Actionable information about partnering with Dana K. Michel & Co. for AI Implementation.
Scope is determined during the discovery call based on the number of business units included in the assessment. Each tier includes a defined number of business units (2, 4, or 5+). A “business unit” typically refers to a program area, department, or operational function with distinct workflows and staff. If additional units are identified, they can be added individually or you may move into the next tier for better value.
Yes. Additional units may be added at $8,500 per unit. However, organizations assessing multiple units are often better served by selecting the Mid-Tier or Enterprise engagement, which includes cross-unit alignment and sequencing deliverables.
Additional Business Unit Add-On: $8,500 per unit
Organizations requiring additional units beyond their tier are encouraged to consider the next tier for better value.
Every engagement produces working documentation — not slide decks. Standard engagements include:
• Operational Workflow Audit
• AI Opportunity Matrix
• Implementation Action Plan
• Technology & Infrastructure Requirements
• Board-Ready Summary Brief
• Budget Estimate Framework
Mid-Tier and Enterprise engagements include additional governance and alignment documentation. All materials are yours to keep and act on.
No. This is a structured implementation planning engagement. We assess your operations and produce a phased AI action plan sized to your budget, staffing model, and funding cycle. You may implement independently or retain us for execution. There is no requirement to continue beyond the planning phase.
In all tiers, technology recommendations are aligned to your operational reality and funding constraints to prevent overspending or unnecessary complexity. Enterprise engagements include formal vendor evaluation criteria and governance frameworks.
We are tool-agnostic and do not receive vendor commissions.
Yes. The engagement is structured as a fixed-fee professional services contract with clearly defined deliverables, timelines, and documentation. Board-ready summaries and budget frameworks are designed to support funder review and public-sector approval processes.
Because we are mapping how your organization actually operates. This includes staff interviews, workflow documentation, opportunity scoring, and phased planning. Shorter timelines typically produce generic recommendations. This process produces operationally grounded documentation leadership can act on.
Yes. Most engagements are conducted remotely through structured interviews, documentation review, and executive workshops. On-site sessions can be arranged for Enterprise engagements where cross-departmental alignment requires it.
Traditional consultants recommend tools. We document operations, identify bottlenecks, and build an AI integration plan sized to your funding cycle and staffing model. Economic mobility is the mission. AI is the tool.
Most organizations don’t fail at AI because of technology. They fail because they don’t know where it fits inside their operations. This engagement identifies where AI meaningfully increases capacity, reduces reporting drag, and strengthens decision-making — without adding complexity or risk.
Deliverables are structured for funder review and board approval.
Fixed pricing, defined scope, documented outputs. Many clients use the final plan to support grant applications or RFP development.
You decide. Implement internally. Bring in another firm. Or retain Dana K. Michel & Co. to guide execution. There is no obligation beyond the planning engagement.
Workshops generate awareness. This engagement generates an executable roadmap sized to your budget and built for your operational reality. Awareness doesn’t change systems. Documentation and sequencing do.
No. We conduct structured interviews and workflow reviews without interrupting daily operations. Most teams find the process clarifying; it surfaces inefficiencies that were already creating pressure.
AI is already influencing workforce expectations, reporting efficiency, compliance workflows, and funder scrutiny. The question is no longer whether to integrate AI. It is whether integration will be deliberate or reactive. This engagement ensures AI decisions are aligned with mission, governance standards, and financial discipline before tools are introduced.
The AI Implementation Plan is a standalone engagement. It provides cost ranges and sequencing so the board can make informed go/no-go decisions at each phase. There is no obligation to proceed with implementation.
The engagement produces:
• Clear cost frameworks
• Defined infrastructure requirements
• Prioritized use cases scored by impact and feasibility
• Governance considerations for larger institutions
This enables responsible oversight rather than exploratory spending.
Each recommended initiative is tied to measurable operational outcomes such as:
• Reduced manual processing time
• Increased reporting efficiency
• Capacity growth without headcount expansion
• Improved data visibility
• Reduced compliance drag
The board receives clear benchmarks before any implementation begins.
The phased implementation plan is structured around funding realities.
Recommendations are sized to:
• Existing staffing models
• Current infrastructure
• Grant requirements
• Budget approval timelines
This prevents overextension and protects grant-funded programs from disruption.
The Early Partner Program is structured as a 12-month engagement. This timeframe allows for disciplined design, implementation, and integration of AI infrastructure across your organization. Early Partner terms apply throughout the engagement. If organizational priorities shift, participation can be concluded without penalty.
At the end of the engagement, your organization will have:
• Implemented priority AI initiatives
• Established governance and oversight protocols
• Built internal capacity for ongoing AI management
From there, you may:
• Transition fully in-house
• Retain light advisory support
• Or expand into additional units or initiatives
Continuation is optional.
The Early Partner Program is designed for organizations ready to move from planning to action. If implementation readiness is uncertain, the AI Implementation Plan engagement is the appropriate starting point. That engagement clarifies scope, sequencing, and investment before committing to a 12-month build cycle.
Each initiative follows a phased roadmap with defined milestones.
Leadership receives:
• Clear sequencing documentation
• Budget tracking visibility
• Adoption checkpoints
• Risk and compliance considerations
The program is structured around measurable progress, not exploratory experimentation.
Traditional consultants execute against a defined scope and exit. The Early Partner Program embeds structured oversight throughout a 12-month cycle. It includes design, sequencing, implementation checkpoints, and governance alignment. The focus is not just deployment. The focus is on sustainable integration.
The program is designed to build internal capacity. By the end of the engagement, your team will have:
• Documented AI governance processes
• Operational playbooks
• Internal knowledge transfer
• Clear ownership structures
The goal is independence, not perpetual consulting.
Implementation is phased. If funding shifts, initiatives can be paused, re-sequenced, or scaled without destabilizing the broader roadmap. This flexibility is built into the structure from the outset.
Every initiative is evaluated through three lenses:
• Operational efficiency
• Financial sustainability
• Mission alignment
AI use cases that do not strengthen mission delivery or create measurable capacity gains do not advance. Economic mobility remains the objective. Technology remains the instrument.
Board engagement is typically limited to:
• Initial program approval
• Periodic milestone updates
• Governance framework review (where applicable)
Day-to-day oversight remains at the executive level unless governance structures require otherwise.
Data governance is addressed before implementation begins. This includes:
• Infrastructure readiness
• Access controls
• Documentation standards
• Vendor evaluation criteria (where applicable)
Enterprise engagements include formal governance frameworks.
The Early Partner structure allows expansion into additional business units or initiatives once early phases demonstrate measurable impact.
The program is designed for CDCs, city agencies, and workforce institutions operating within compliance-heavy environments. Documentation, decision logs, and governance controls are built into the framework.
Because disciplined implementation requires focus. We limit the number of Early Partners to ensure leadership attention, structured oversight, and quality control across engagements. This is not a volume model.
If you’re exploring AI implementation or considering an Early Partnership, let’s talk.
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