Compare Pricing Options
All prices below are in Australian dollars and exclude GST. Scope and fees are agreed before work begins.
| Engagement | Best suited to | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly retainer | Regular technology leadership, planning and decision support | From $7,500 per month + GST |
| Independent review | A defined question about delivery, technology, dependency, leadership or investment | Starting price varies by review |
| Hourly consulting | A focused question or short advisory task | $200 per hour + GST |
| Advisory package | A specific assessment, document set or hiring task | Published package prices below |
A retainer is my main engagement model for ongoing work. It gives technology priorities regular attention and provides continuity as your business changes.
A review or hourly engagement can be more appropriate when you have a specific question to resolve.
Monthly Technology Leadership Retainers
Retainer pricing is best when you want regular access to senior technology advice without hiring a full-time CTO, CIO or delivery leader.
You get reserved time each month, faster access when questions come up, and a steady hand across strategy, delivery, governance and team support.
These are leadership retainers, not prepaid blocks of consulting hours.
The monthly fee reflects the level of responsibility, continuity, reserved capacity and access I provide to your organisation. It includes staying across your technology environment, understanding your priorities and risks, supporting leadership decisions and being available when issues arise.
The hours shown for each package indicate the typical maximum amount of direct involvement included each month. They are not used to calculate the value of the retainer.
Advisory
$7,500 per month + GST
Senior technology advice for leadership teams that need an experienced technology executive in their corner.
Reserved capacity: Up to 12 hours of direct involvement each month.
Best suited to organisations that have capable teams and suppliers but need independent senior guidance.
Typical involvement:
- Executive technology advice
- Technology strategy and priorities
- Independent review of major decisions
- Risk and governance guidance
- Vendor and supplier advice
- Architecture and investment review
- Monthly leadership review
- Access between meetings for important questions
Outcome:
Clearer decisions, fewer technology surprises and experienced technology leadership without employing a full-time CIO or CTO.
Governance
$10,500 per month + GST
Ongoing technology leadership and governance for organisations with multiple systems, suppliers, projects or material technology risk.
Reserved capacity: Up to 20 hours of direct involvement each month.
Typical involvement:
- Everything in Advisory
- Technology governance
- Roadmap ownership and prioritisation
- Project and delivery oversight
- MSP and supplier management
- Cybersecurity and technology risk oversight
- Policy and governance review
- Executive reporting
- Budget and investment guidance
- Regular engagement with internal and external technology teams
Outcome:
Greater control, accountability and visibility across technology without needing a full-time technology executive.
Embedded
$14,500 per month + GST
Embedded Fractional CIO or CTO leadership for organisations where technology is critical to operations, growth or transformation.
Reserved capacity: Up to 30 hours of direct involvement each month.
Typical involvement:
- Everything in Governance
- Active participation in leadership discussions
- Technology strategy ownership
- Oversight of major technology programmes
- Supplier and development-team leadership
- Technology budget and investment planning
- Cybersecurity, resilience and business continuity oversight
- Executive and board-level reporting
- Escalation support for significant technology issues
- Leadership mentoring and capability development
- Priority access for critical decisions
Outcome:
An experienced technology executive working alongside your leadership team, without the cost or commitment of employing a full-time CIO or CTO.
More than a block of hours
A Fractional CTO or CIO retainer is different from hourly consulting.
Hourly consulting is best for a defined question, review or piece of work. A retainer provides ongoing technology leadership, continuity and reserved capacity.
I stay familiar with your organisation, technology environment, suppliers, projects, priorities and risks. That means I can help leadership make decisions faster, identify issues earlier and provide continuity when technology challenges arise.
The monthly fee reflects that ongoing responsibility and availability. The hours shown above represent the maximum direct involvement normally included within each level of engagement. They are not simply prepaid consulting hours.
Need a Different Level of Support?
If the published retainers do not suit your circumstances, I can discuss a tailored engagement.
The starting point is the work you need done, the decisions you need help with and how regularly support is required.
Independent Technology Reviews
An independent review is useful when you need clarity about a particular issue before deciding what to do next.
Each review has an agreed scope. A published “from” price is a starting point; the final fee depends on the work required.
The review scope and price are confirmed before work begins. Further consulting or retainer support is optional.
Software Development & Delivery Review
From $3,500 + GST
For businesses concerned about software progress, rising costs, missed deadlines or unclear delivery.
The review examines the relevant project evidence, delivery practices, planning, technical constraints and team or supplier arrangements. You receive an independent assessment, prioritised recommendations and a founder debrief.
The scope depends on the project’s size, complexity and the decisions you need to make.
Independent Technology Review
From $3,500 + GST
For businesses seeking a broader view of their existing technology, risks and priorities.
This may be an appropriate starting point when several concerns are connected and you need help deciding what deserves attention first.
Key Person Technology Risk Review
From $3,500 + GST
For businesses that depend heavily on one developer, technology leader or external supplier.
The review assesses relevant dependencies, knowledge gaps, access and continuity concerns. Depending on scope, findings can include a dependency map, risk priorities and recommended actions.
The aim is to understand how the business can maintain important capability when a key person is unavailable.
CTO Leadership Review
From $4,500 + GST
For founders and executives who need an independent assessment of their technology leadership.
The review considers leadership responsibilities, communication, accountability, decisions and delivery in the context of what the business needs.
The agreed work includes relevant discussions and evidence, findings, recommendations and an executive debrief.
Technology Investment Review
From $4,500 + GST
For businesses preparing to approve a substantial software, platform or technology commitment.
The review considers the business case, proposed solution, scope, cost assumptions, delivery approach, dependencies and material technology risks.
You receive an independent assessment of what appears sound, what needs clarification and what should happen before you proceed.
Hourly Technology Consulting
$200 per hour plus GST
Hourly advice suits a focused question or short task that does not require ongoing leadership support.
Examples include:
- Discussing a technology decision.
- Reviewing a supplier recommendation.
- Considering an architecture or integration question.
- Working through a specific project concern.
There is a 30-minute minimum, with time billed in 30-minute increments.
I agree the task with you before starting. If it needs a more substantial assessment, I will explain whether a review or other engagement would be more suitable.
Other Advisory Packages
These packages address defined tasks. The scope and inclusions are confirmed before work begins, including any work that would require a separate quote.
Business Resilience Document Pack
$5,500 + GST
For businesses needing a practical set of operational and security documents.
Includes:
- Business Continuity Plan.
- Disaster Recovery Plan.
- Incident Report Template.
- Incident Response Plan.
- Change Management Procedure.
- Access Control Policy.
- Password and Authentication Standard.
- Backup and Recovery Policy.
The documents are tailored to the agreed business context. Implementing the procedures or testing recovery arrangements must be separately included in the scope.
Rapid Software Security Review
$2,500 + GST
For businesses seeking a focused assessment of software security concerns.
The review considers dependency risks, code quality signals and common web application security issues within the agreed scope.
You receive a summary of identified concerns and recommended next steps. It should not be presented as a comprehensive penetration test or security certification.
Proposal and Proof of Concept Review
$2,000 + GST
For a focused review of a software, website, application or project proposal, including relevant proof of concept material.
The agreed review considers feasibility, delivery concerns, gaps and alignment with business goals.
Where the decision requires broader technology due diligence, I will discuss whether the Technology Investment Review is more appropriate.
Software Architecture Health Check
$4,000 + GST
For businesses wanting an assessment of an existing application or platform’s structure.
The review focuses on relevant maintainability, performance, scaling and architectural concerns.
You receive findings and recommended improvements within the agreed scope.
Process and Procedure Review
$3,000 + GST
For teams experiencing inconsistent workflows, delivery bottlenecks or difficult handovers.
I review the agreed processes, identify weaknesses and recommend practical improvements.
The scope identifies which workflows are included and whether implementation support is required separately.
Candidate Screening Pack
$250 + GST
For businesses needing initial help assessing candidates for a technical role.
The published package includes:
- Review of up to five resumes.
- Pre-screen phone calls with shortlisted candidates.
- A short written summary of strengths, risks and fit.
The role, screening criteria and interview arrangements are agreed before starting.
What Determines the Final Scope and Fee?
For reviews and tailored engagements, the work required depends on factors such as:
- The number of systems, projects or suppliers involved.
- The questions you need answered.
- The information available for review.
- The people who need to participate.
- The depth of assessment required.
- The deliverables and timing.
I confirm the scope and fee in writing. If new requirements arise, I discuss their effect on the work and cost before proceeding.
Frequently Asked Questions
A retainer suits recurring decisions and ongoing leadership needs. A review suits a defined concern requiring an independent assessment. Hourly advice suits a focused question.
If you are unsure, a free consultation can help establish the appropriate starting point.
No. Prices are in Australian dollars and exclude GST. GST is added where applicable and shown in the quote and invoice.
Yes. It is the starting price for that review. I confirm the actual scope and fee before work begins.
Yes. Meetings, preparation, research, assessment, correspondence and follow-up work count towards the monthly allowance.
I discuss the extra work and confirm the applicable rate before proceeding. If additional support becomes a regular need, I can review the retainer with you.
The retainer agreement sets out the notice period and process for changing or ending the engagement. These arrangements are explained before you commit.
Any emergency, after-hours or specific response commitment must be expressly agreed. The retainer agreement describes the support available.
Invoices are payable within 15 days of the invoice date. The billing schedule is confirmed in the engagement agreement.
No. A review is a standalone engagement. You can act on the recommendations internally or discuss further support if it would be useful.
Find the Right Level of Ongoing Support
If technology decisions keep returning to your desk, a monthly retainer can provide a regular structure for working through them.
Tell me about your priorities, current pressures and the support your team already has. I will help you assess whether a retainer, a focused review or hourly advice fits the work.