PRICING_AUDIT_OFFERS_AND_MATRIX_2026-02

Pricing Audit: Offer Categories, Low Tier, and Full Matrix

Purpose: (1) Full audit of offers and catalog with low-maintenance vs higher-touch categories; (2) Lisa’s pattern applied to Brainforge; (3) Full pricing matrix for proposal construction.
Workflow: Proposals reference capabilities from the Service Catalog and are assembled using Named Offers (GTM campaigns we’re experimenting with). Pricing/duration notes support the agent when constructing proposals.
Date: 2026-02-23

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How offers and catalog work together

Artifact	Role
Service Catalog	Defines capabilities (what we can do). Reference when constructing proposals.
Named Offers	Go-to-market campaigns we’re experimenting with. Define structure, pitch, and price for how we take a capability to market.
Proposals	Built by mapping client need → catalog capabilities, then packaging with a named offer (or custom SOW). Duration and price come from the offer + catalog.

Offer categories (low-maintenance vs higher-touch) map to fixed vs variable pricing. The matrix below ties each offer to catalog capabilities, tier, and pricing model.

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Step 1: Full Audit — Formalize Low Tier and Offer Categories

1.1 Criteria for categorization

• Low-maintenance / easy to stand up
  Repeatable scope, known deliverables, limited back-and-forth, playbooks in place.
  → Fixed price (and candidate for low tier if price is in the entry band).

• Higher-touch / variable
  Scope varies by client, discovery-heavy, ongoing changes, multiple stakeholders, custom integrations.
  → Fixed with clear scope + change orders, or T&M / retainer.

1.2 Formal “low tier” definition

Low tier ($1K–$3K) = door-opener fixed-price band. Scope is productized and minimal hours: we deliver with playbooks, templates, or automation so we’re not doing heavy custom work. Gets people in the door; we can upsell to expected range or mid/upper from there. Does not apply to every category (e.g. Full Data Platform implementation, Full-Service Data Management, Dedicated Resource have no $1K–$3K wedge).

Band	Price range	Duration	Typical contents
Low tier (door opener)	$1,000–$3,000	1–2 weeks	Lite audit (single function, review-only); narrow assessment; one workflow or pilot-in-a-box; half-day workshop. Productized / automatable; minimal hours.
Low tier extended	$3,000–$10,000	1–4 weeks	Full per-function audit, signal recovery audit, dbt audit, short implementation pilot. Still fixed and repeatable.
Mid tier (expected range)	$10,000–$40,000	2–8 weeks	Informed by dynamic pricing model: labor + complexity. Pilots with implementation, ETL/warehouse/analytics, discovery + build start, training programs.
Upper tier	$40,000+ / retainer	8+ weeks or ongoing	Full platform builds, multi-phase implementations, retainers, dedicated resources.

When building a proposal, always point to this doc for low-tier limits and to the Dynamic Pricing Guide for expected-range (labor + complexity) pricing.

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1.3 Named offers (audit)

Offer	Catalog capability(ies)	Ease to stand up	Maintenance once live	Tier	Pricing model
Digital Ads Visibility Audit (Lite $1.5K/Standard$5K)	Data Audit & Tracking Validation (Marketing)	High	N/A (one-off)	Low	Fixed
Edge-to-Activation (Phase 0 $8K,Phase1$10K, Phase 2 $15K/mo optional)	Data Audit (signal recovery) + Data Tool/Stack (Edge, warehouse, activation)	Phase 0/1: High / Medium	Phase 2: High (retainer)	Phase 0/1: Low; Phase 2: Retainer	Fixed (phases); Retainer (Phase 2)
dbt Onboarding Accelerator ($10K audit + roadmap)	Data Audit & Tracking Validation (dbt)	High	N/A (one-off)	Low (at ceiling)	Fixed

Note: dbt Onboarding Accelerator is a campaign (campaign-launch); it behaves as a named offer for GTM and maps to the catalog’s dbt Audit variant.

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1.4 Service catalog (audit by category)

These categories are fixed. Do not add or rename them without a careful review process. Different services roll up under each category.

Catalog service	Ease to stand up	Maintenance once live	Tier	Pricing model
1. Data Audit & Tracking Validation (Marketing, Product, dbt)	High	N/A	Low (Lite $1.5K–$5K; full $5K–$10K)	Fixed
2. Data Tool Implementation & Full Data Stack (single layer or full)	Medium–High (single layer) / Medium (full stack)	Low–Medium	Low–Mid ($5K+ per layer)	Fixed (scoped) or T&M overages
3. AI Copilot Integration Sprint & Custom Context Graphs	Medium	Low	Low–Mid ($7.5K+)	Fixed
4. Full Data Platform Assessment & Implementation	Discovery: High; Build: Medium–Low	High	Discovery Mid ($15K–$25K); Build Upper	Fixed (discovery); Fixed phased or T&M (build)
8. Tech-Enabled Platform Build	Low (variable)	High	Upper ($75K–$200K+)	Fixed (scope multipliers) or T&M
9. Full-Service Data Management	N/A	High	Upper ($10K–$30K/mo)	Retainer
Training & Enablement (workshops, programs, enablement retainer)	High (workshops) / Medium (programs)	Low (workshops) / Medium (retainer)	Low–Mid ($3K–$15K; $5K/mo retainer)	Fixed (workshops/programs); Retainer (enablement)

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1.5 Summary: what belongs in the low tier (formalized)

Door opener ($1K–$3K) — Scope limits in §1.6; productized, minimal hours:

• Data Audit: Lite / “second set of eyes” (e.g. Digital Ads Lite ~$1.5K)
• Data Tool/Stack: Assessment of one layer only, no build
• AI Copilot: Single use case, one workflow
• Training: Half-day or single-session workshop

Low tier extended (fixed, $3K–$10K):

• Digital Ads Visibility Audit (Standard $5K)
• Edge-to-Activation Phase 0 (Signal Recovery Audit, $8K)
• Edge-to-Activation Phase 1 (Pilot on Core Channel, $10K) — at ceiling
• dbt Onboarding Accelerator ($10K)

Catalog capabilities that support low tier:

• Data Audit & Tracking Validation (Lite and full per function)
• Data Tool Implementation (assessment-only at $1K–$3K; implementation $5K+)
• AI Copilot Integration Sprint (single workflow at $1K–$3K; fuller sprint $7.5K+)
• Training: half-day at $1K–$3K; 1-day / multi-day $3K–$15K

Not in the low tier (fixed at higher price or variable):

• Full Data Platform discovery ($15K+),build($40K+)
• ETL, Warehouse, Product Analytics, Platform Build (mid/upper fixed or T&M)
• Retainers and dedicated resources (variable / ongoing)

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1.6 Low-tier limits by category (door opener $1K–$3K)

For each catalog category: whether a $1K–$3K door opener exists, what the scope limits are (so we can productize and keep hours low), and the expected range when scope exceeds low tier. Effort to execute is informed by the dynamic pricing model; refine with team when scoping.

Category	Has low tier ($1K–$3K)?	Low-tier scope limits / deliverables	Productization / effort	Expected range (beyond low tier)	Effort to execute (refine with team)
1. Data Audit & Tracking Validation	Yes	Single function; review-only (memo or short report); no implementation. e.g. Digital Ads Lite ~$1.5K = “second set of eyes” on channel/spend.	Templates, checklist, limited back-and-forth.	Full audit $5K–$10K per function; implementation separate.	Low for lite; medium for full audit.
2. Data Tool Implementation & Full Data Stack	Yes	Assessment of one layer or one tool only; recommendations only, no build. e.g. “Health check” or single-connector assessment.	One standardized deliverable; no custom build.	$5K+ per layer with implementation; full stack mid/upper.	Medium–high for implementation; low for assessment-only.
3. AI Copilot Integration Sprint & Custom Context Graphs	Yes	Single use case, single integration (e.g. one Slack workflow, one bot). Fixed deliverable; no ongoing.	Pilot-in-a-box; repeatable workflow pattern.	$7.5K+ for fuller sprint; multiple workflows or context graph.	Medium; scale with # of workflows / sources.
4. Full Data Platform Assessment & Implementation	No	—	Discovery is Mid $15K–$25K; build is Upper. No $1K–$3K wedge.	Discovery $15K–$25K; build $40K+ phased or T&M.	High (discovery + build).
8. Tech-Enabled Platform Build	No	—	Custom; variable scope.	$75K–$200K+; scope multipliers or T&M.	High; variable.
9. Full-Service Data Management	No	—	Retainer only.	$10K–$30K/mo.	Ongoing.
10. Dedicated Resource Retainers	No	—	Retainer only.	$16K–$40K/mo.	Ongoing.
Training & Enablement	Yes	Half-day or single-session workshop; one topic, one cohort. No ongoing.	Scripted workshop; minimal customization.	$3K–$15K for multi-day programs; $5K/mo enablement retainer.	Low for single workshop; medium for programs.

Use this table when: (1) Deciding if a discovery scope fits a low-tier offer. (2) Pricing a proposal: if scope fits the limits → fixed low-tier price; if not → use expected range and Dynamic Pricing Guide (labor + complexity). (3) Talking through effort with the team so we can refine the “Effort to execute” column and price accurately.

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1.7 Discovery → pricing: map scope to catalog and price

When you have discovery call output (transcript or scope from a lead):

1. Map scope to a catalog category (and, if applicable, a named offer). Use SERVICE_CATALOG.md and the Services Catalog audit CSV for capabilities and which services roll up where.
2. Check low-tier limits (§1.6): Does the described scope fit the “Low-tier scope limits” for that category? (Single function? Review-only? One workflow? Half-day?)
3. If yes → Quote the fixed low-tier price ($1K–$3K or the named offer in that band). No labor calc needed.
4. If no → Use expected range: break scope into components (discovery, build, test, docs, training), estimate hours by role, apply complexity multiplier. See DYNAMIC_PRICING_GUIDE.md. Price against the “Expected range” band for that category.
5. Document which category and tier you used so the next proposal can point to the same source.

Proposals should always be traceable to: (a) this doc (low-tier limits, expected range by category), and (b) the Dynamic Pricing Guide (labor + complexity when not using low tier).

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Step 2: Lisa’s Pattern Applied to Brainforge

Lisa’s pattern: Keep some work on hourly for clients who want it; move repeatable, efficient work to flat fee (and subscription where it fits). Client pays for outcome, not hours; we stay efficient without penalizing ourselves or the client.

2.1 Mapping

Work type	Lisa’s firm	Brainforge
Repeatable, efficient, well-scoped	Flat fee (e.g. review that used to take 5 hrs now takes 0.5 hr → flat fee)	Fixed price for audits, lite assessments, signal recovery audit, dbt audit, narrow-scope pilots, single-layer implementations, workshops. Low tier $1K–$3K door opener where scope fits §1.6 limits; low tier extended $3K–$10K; expected range from dynamic pricing when scope is larger.
Variable, discovery-heavy, ongoing	Hourly or subscription for complex/ongoing matters	Fixed with clear scope + change orders for mid/upper projects (ETL, warehouse, product analytics, platform build); retainer or T&M for ongoing maintenance, dedicated resource, full platform builds.
Client wants hourly	Still offered	We can offer hourly or T&M for custom or exploratory work; rate card supports it.

2.2 Rules we adopt

1. Low-tier work is fixed. Audits, lite assessments, Phase 0/1-style pilots, and short workshops are quoted fixed from the catalog/offer. No “we’ll see how many hours” for these.
2. Mid/upper projects: Fixed when scope is clear and we’ve done similar before; change-order process for out-of-scope work. T&M or retainer when scope is intentionally variable (e.g. “discovery then build” with open-ended build).
3. Retainers stay variable (hour bands or dedicated resource). Optional future: subscription-style fixed monthly fee for a defined scope of support (Lisa-style).
4. We don’t underprice variable work as fixed. If it’s high-touch or variable, we don’t force it into a single low fixed number; we use phased fixed, T&M, or retainer.

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Step 3: Full Pricing Matrix

Use this matrix when constructing proposals: choose the named offer (or catalog capability) that fits the client, then read across for tier, pricing model, price anchor, and duration. Proposals reference catalog capabilities and structure delivery using the offer where one exists.

3.1 Named offers → Catalog, tier, pricing

Named offer	Catalog capability(ies) used	Tier	Pricing model	Price anchor	Duration
Digital Ads Visibility Audit	Data Audit & Tracking Validation (Marketing)	Low	Fixed	Lite $1,500;Standard$5,000	2–3 weeks
Edge-to-Activation (Phase 0)	Data Audit (signal recovery) + stack (Edge, warehouse, activation)	Low	Fixed	$8,000	2–4 weeks
Edge-to-Activation (Phase 1)	Data Tool/Stack (Edge → warehouse → activation); Product Analytics / activation	Low	Fixed	$10,000	2–4 weeks
Edge-to-Activation (Phase 2)	Ongoing support (pipeline, connectors, runbooks)	Upper	Retainer	$15,000/month	Ongoing (optional)
dbt Onboarding Accelerator	Data Audit & Tracking Validation (dbt)	Low	Fixed	$10,000	3–4 weeks

3.2 Catalog-only (no named offer yet) — use for custom SOWs

Catalog service	Tier	Pricing model	Price anchor	Duration
Data Audit (Product Analytics variant)	Low	Fixed	$5,000–$10,000	1–2 weeks
Data Tool Implementation (single layer)	Low–Mid	Fixed	$5,000+ per layer	2–3 weeks
AI Copilot Integration Sprint	Low–Mid	Fixed	$7,500+	1–2 weeks
Full Data Platform (discovery)	Mid	Fixed	$15,000–$25,000	3–6 weeks
Full Data Platform (build)	Upper	Fixed phased / T&M	$40,000–$150,000+	3–12 months
ETL Assessment & Implementation	Mid	Fixed	$15,000–$30,000	3–8 weeks
Data Warehouse Setup & Modeling	Mid	Fixed	$20,000–$40,000	4–6 weeks
Product Analytics Platform Build	Mid	Fixed	$25,000–$50,000	6–8 weeks
Tech-Enabled Platform Build	Upper	Fixed (scope multipliers)	$75,000–$200,000+	8–16 weeks
Full-Service Data Management	Upper	Retainer	$10,000–$30,000/month	Ongoing
Dedicated Resource Retainers	Upper	Retainer	$16,000–$40,000/month	Ongoing
Training: Workshop (half/full day)	Low	Fixed	$3,000–$5,000	0.5–1 day
Training: 2-week program	Mid	Fixed	$10,000–$15,000	2 weeks
Training: Enablement retainer	Mid	Retainer	$5,000/month	Ongoing

3.3 Quick reference: fixed vs variable by category

Category	Pricing model	When to use
Low tier (offers + catalog)	Fixed	Digital Ads Audit, Edge Phase 0/1, dbt Audit, Marketing/Product/dbt audits, AI Copilot pilot, workshops.
Mid tier (catalog)	Fixed (with change orders for overages)	ETL, Warehouse, Product Analytics, Full Data Platform discovery, training programs.
Upper tier (catalog)	Fixed (scope-based) or T&M	Platform Build, Full Data Platform build.
Ongoing	Retainer	Full-Service Data Management, Dedicated Resource, Edge Phase 2, Enablement retainer.

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Links

When building a proposal, point to: This doc (§1.6 low-tier limits, §1.7 discovery→pricing) + DYNAMIC_PRICING_GUIDE.md (expected range: labor + complexity).

• Proposal (draft): PROPOSAL_FIXED_PRICE_SERVICE_TIER_2026-02.md
• Service Catalog: SERVICE_CATALOG.md
• Services audit CSV: SERVICES_CATALOG_AUDIT_MAPPED_2026-02.csv (map capabilities to categories)
• Rate card: RATE_CARD.md
• Named offers: Edge-to-Activation, Digital Ads Visibility Audit
• Campaign (dbt): dbt Onboarding Accelerator