To operate successfully in the challenging field of advising government and large corporate clients on high value projects, a company as well as its consultants must demonstrate a number of attributes. Some of these directly relate to the consultants' abilities and experience. However there also needs to be a common set of core philosophies.

• Respect from both client organisations as well as any IT industry suppliers that are involved is paramount. This respect can only be earned by a demonstrated track record of performance in similar projects.
  
  
• A reputation for integrity and ethical behaviour is a key ingredient in ensuring that there is trust from both the government agency as well as their IT suppliers.
  
  
• An understanding of the costs to all parties of bidding for contracts and the costs of their subsequent administration is an important element in building workable deals.
  
  
• And finally, there must be a genuine desire to want to see the contract deliver good results at a fair price. Only then is the agreement between client and supplier one that will withstand the tests of time.

ValueSourcing consultants have no biases or prejudices. They are selected for their familiarity with IT management issues, usually gained working with IT suppliers. They must also have a very good understanding of the workings of large bureaucracies - either private or public sector - and therefore of the demands, stresses and pressures under which their employees work.

Each ValueSourcing consultant knows that good IT contracts and projects don't just happen, but that there is much hard work by both parties to set up that win-win relationship.