The list of web site links (URLS) and summary of each article follows:

1>> http://www.nase.org/sea_janfeb01/feature4.asp
Whatever type of business consultant you decide to hire, you need to choose carefully. And you need to know how to get the most from the consultant you select. The Institute of Management Consultancy (http://www.imc.co.uk/) offers these nine rules for choosing and using business consultants effectively.
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2>> http://www.idealist.org/is_cons/helpcons.html
part a> A good consultant, looking at your situation objectively, should be able to identify and implement the solution to the problem more quickly and efficiently than you or your staff. The trick is knowing what types of problems warrant a consultant’s services. Here are basic guidelines:
part b> Develop objectives that identify: The RFP provides basic information about your organization, and the project or problem you would like the consultant to address. The RFP should establish a general format for the proposals, which will allow you to evaluate and compare consultants equally and efficiently. The following is a proposed format for an RFP, which can be modified to fit the needs of your agency.
part c> How to manage a consultant
Insist on a work plan from the consultant Give the consultant sufficient information to get them up to speed Request that the consultant provide progress reports on the project as follows: …
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3Þ http://www.icca.org/10tips.asp
10 Tips for Hiring a Computer Consultant As business-related technology becomes increasingly sophisticated and complex, many business owners, office managers and systems operators are turning to independent computer consultants to develop high tech business solutions that keep a company ahead of the competition and ensure their operation has the tools and training needed to run smoothly and efficiently.
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4Þ  http://www.planning.org/consultant/choose.htm
Choosing a Consultant
This is a revised and edited excerpt from Selecting and Retaining a Planning Consultant: RFPs, RFQs, Contracts, and Project Management by Eric Damian Kelly, FAICP. It is Planning Advisory Service Report No. 443, published by the American Planning Association in February 1993.
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5Þ How To Hire.pdf
How to Hire a Management Consultant and Get the Results You Expect The inspiration for this manual came from a similar one developed in 1979 for the Small Business Association of New England by Stewart A Washburn CMC, FIMC, for The New England Chapter of The Institute of Management Consultants USA (IMC USA). Richard C.TenEyck CMC, FIMC, edited the initial manual for national publication. He later served as Chairman of IMC USA.
Despite numerous fads and changes during the ensuing years, no significant portion of the original content changed. This attests not only to the fundamental nature of the material, but also to the dedication of members of IMC USA to building the management consulting profession.