While this is often not part of a company’s business model, hiring external bioinformatics consultants to handle or help with research and software development needs can be an effective strategy that you can use to gain a competitive edge in a fast-evolving market. Disclaimer: I offer bioinformatics consulting services.
External consultants may offer a variety of benefits to companies, including access to specialized expertise and cutting-edge technology. They bring in fresh ideas and perspectives that may not yet be present within the organization, and they can often provide a level of objectivity that internal teams cannot. As consultants often work with a wide range of clients, giving exposure to different industries, technologies, and business models, they have experience and knowledge different to the internal teams. This way they might offer solutions that may not be immediately apparent otherwise.
External bioinformatics service providers provide companies with a level of flexibility and scalability that may not be possible with an internal team. For example, if a company needs to quickly ramp up its research and product development efforts to meet a deadline or take advantage of an opportunity, onboarding new permanent staff will take too long.
This model can also be more cost-effective than maintaining a larger internal team. Companies can avoid the overhead costs associated with hiring, training, and managing employees. Additional costs like healthcare, insurance and pensions are left to the consultant to worry about.
At the same time you as the employer have to keep an eye on ensuring that there is consistency in the work by providing the external specialist with clear guidelines or asking them to define the guidelines for you. You also will have to ensure continuity of the products and skills to meet the company’s long-term goals. In this respect it is important to request documentation, ask for training of internal staff and/or ensure you can set up follow-up contracts with the external service provider.
In oder to address concerns about confidentiality or intellectual property if sensitive information is shared with outside parties, Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) should be set up before sharing information. You should also engage with the consultant beforehand to establish a level of trust. If the “chemistry” is not right between the two parties, look elsewhere. Previous clients, the personal network and the business model of the consultant give additional insights. A registered consulting company (Limited, GmbH or similar) provides an additional level of trust.
The benefits of using external consultants in general and specifically for genome research and development of bioinformatic software often outweigh the risks. By leveraging the expertise and resources of external service providers, companies can accelerate their innovation efforts, stay ahead of the competition, and ultimately drive growth and success in today’s fast-paced business environment.
