Comparison
A dedicated team or an agency
A plain comparison of a dedicated team and an agency, each described from named public sources, with no company ranked.
This page sets two categories of support side by side on the same questions. Each statement about a category names a public source, and the sources are listed at the end of the page.
Where WE sits
Roles on the team change by notice, and WE manages the team and any subcontractors on the founder’s behalf.
The team is not a fixed promise of output. WE steers the work, and what ships depends on the scope and on your decisions.
WE is probably not the right fit if
- You want WE to run your product in production or to provide round-the-clock support.
Side by side
| Question | A dedicated team | An agency |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The team is part of the engagement. The team WE steers works on your company and on nothing else. | The GOV.UK Service Manual says a team without the skills it needs may hire third parties or contractors. |
| Who it fits | You want a team and a method to carry out the work, and you will keep ownership of the direction. | It says to buy only the skills needed and not to lock a service into a long contract with a fixed cost. |
| What it asks of a founder | You decide where the company is going. You review the work and set the direction. | It says to make sure there is a plan to pass knowledge from contractors to the rest of the team. |
Questions to ask
A dedicated team
- Who manages the people on the team, and who answers for how it is run?
- How does the team scale up or down, and on what notice?
- What does the founder review and decide at each cycle?
An agency
- Is the price fixed, hourly or set another way, and what can change it?
- Who owns the work product when the engagement ends?
- How is knowledge passed to the founder's own team?
Where each fits
A dedicated team
You can make decisions for the company and join a review at each cycle.
An agency
The manual also says to treat contractors and permanent staff as equal team members.
Definitions
- Firm-fixed-price contract
- The Federal Acquisition Regulation describes a firm-fixed-price contract as one with a price that is not subject to any adjustment based on the contractor's cost experience. Source 3
- Time-and-materials contract
- The Federal Acquisition Regulation describes a time-and-materials contract as one paid by direct labor hours at specified fixed hourly rates that include wages, overhead and administrative expenses. Source 2
Sources
- Working with contractors or third parties, GOV.UK Service Manual . Accessed October 10, 2026.
- FAR 16.601, Time-and-materials contracts, Acquisition.gov, General Services Administration . Accessed October 10, 2026.
- FAR 16.202-1, Description, Acquisition.gov, General Services Administration . Accessed October 10, 2026.
Start a readiness review
Tell WE where the company stands. WE replies to arrange a conversation and a written read of your company's timeline.
A short PDF of the charts and sources, sent by email to the address you give.
Talk to WE : A question that does not fit a form.