How We Engage
Choose the Right Engagement Model
Every project is different. We offer three engagement structures — each designed for a different type of project, risk profile, and working relationship. Not sure which fits? We'll tell you in the free technical brief.
Fixed Cost
Defined scope. Agreed price. No surprises.
You know exactly what you're getting and what it costs before we write a single line of code. Best when requirements are well-defined and the deliverable is clear.
Best for
- MVP and product launches with a defined feature set
- Migration projects with a clear start and end state
- Audits, assessments, and discovery engagements
- One-time integrations and platform builds
What's included
- Fixed scope document agreed before kick-off
- Milestone-based delivery and payment schedule
- Defined deliverables with acceptance criteria
- Change control process for scope amendments
- Post-delivery support period included
Projects typically scoped during a free technical brief — delivered within agreed timeline and budget.
Time & Material
Flexible scope. Continuous delivery. Full transparency.
Pay for actual time and materials used. Best when requirements evolve, you're building iteratively, or you need ongoing development capacity with full flexibility.
Best for
- Product development with evolving requirements
- Ongoing engineering and platform operations
- Exploratory AI and data projects with uncertain scope
- Long-running engagements with regular reprioritisation
What's included
- Weekly or fortnightly sprint cadence
- Transparent time tracking and billing
- Scope flexibility — pivot priorities at any sprint boundary
- Monthly billing based on actual hours delivered
- Dedicated project lead and weekly progress reporting
Typically structured as monthly retainers — minimum 3-month engagement, scaling up or down as needed.
Dedicated Engineer / Team
Your team, extended. Senior engineers embedded.
Pre-vetted senior engineers or full product pods embedded directly in your team. Best for long-term capacity needs, high-velocity delivery, or when you need specific expertise you can't hire fast enough.
Best for
- Scaling delivery velocity without permanent headcount
- Filling skill gaps in AI/ML, cloud, security, or platform engineering
- Running a dedicated product pod alongside your internal team
- Long-term technology programmes requiring consistent capacity
What's included
- Senior engineers matched to your tech stack and domain
- 7–14 day embedding timeline (from brief to productive)
- Full-time commitment — not split across other clients
- Works in your tools, rituals, and timezone
- Flexible ramp-up and ramp-down with no penalties
Engineers embedded within 7–14 days. Flexible month-to-month or quarterly commitment structures available.
Side by Side
Model Comparison
| Dimension | Fixed Cost | Time & Material | Dedicated Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Well-defined, bounded projects | Evolving scope, iterative builds | Ongoing capacity & team extension |
| Budget predictability | Fixed — agreed upfront | Variable — transparent monthly | Predictable monthly headcount cost |
| Scope flexibility | Low (change control required) | High (sprint-by-sprint) | High (redirect anytime) |
| Minimum engagement | Project duration | 3 months | 1 month |
| Payment structure | Milestone-based | Monthly actuals | Monthly retainer |
| Team allocation | Shared (project basis) | Dedicated per sprint | Full-time dedicated |
Evaluating GYSP against a talent platform or offshore dev shop?
See how GYSP comparesPricing FAQs
Common questions
Everything buyers typically ask before committing to an engagement model or signing a statement of work.
Ask us anythingDo you share pricing upfront?
Yes. For Fixed Cost projects we provide a fully itemised quote before any work begins. For Time & Material and Dedicated Team models we share our day-rate and monthly retainer ranges during the first call — no hidden fees, no surprises on the invoice.
Is the Free Technical Brief really free?
100% free, no strings attached. You submit your challenge, we deliver a brief covering architecture options, a realistic timeline, and a cost range — within 48 hours. There is no obligation to proceed and no sales pressure.
How are Fixed Cost projects priced?
We scope the project during the technical brief, define acceptance criteria, and agree a fixed price before kick-off. Payment is milestone-based — typically 30% upfront, the remainder tied to delivery milestones — so you never pay for work that hasn't been delivered.
What do Dedicated Engineer rates look like?
Dedicated engineer rates depend on seniority, specialisation, and engagement length. Rates are shared transparently during the brief. Longer commitments (quarterly vs monthly) attract better rates. There are no placement or recruitment fees — you're paying for productive engineering time from day one.
Are there minimum engagement sizes?
For Time & Material engagements we ask for a minimum 3-month commitment so we can deliver meaningful outcomes rather than a disjointed sprint. Dedicated Team engagements start at 1 month. Fixed Cost projects have no minimum — we've delivered focused audits as well as multi-year platform programmes.
What happens if scope changes mid-project?
For Fixed Cost projects, scope changes go through a lightweight change-control process — we agree the impact on timeline and cost before proceeding, so there are no unilateral increases. Time & Material and Dedicated Team engagements handle scope changes naturally at the sprint boundary — just reprioritise and we redirect.
Do you charge for travel or tools?
Most engagements are fully remote. When on-site work is required, travel costs are agreed in advance and billed at actuals with no markup. We work in your existing tooling — no mandatory platform subscriptions or licensing fees imposed on you.
Can we scale the team up or down during an engagement?
Yes. Dedicated Team engagements are designed to flex — you can ramp engineers up during high-velocity phases and scale back without penalties. For Time & Material engagements, sprint capacity can be adjusted at each sprint boundary with reasonable notice.
Not sure which model fits?
Tell us your challenge in a free technical brief. We'll recommend the right engagement model, scope the work, and give you a concrete plan — within 48 hours.
Get Free Technical BriefOr call us: +1 (929) 588-8364