What it is
A fee quote should rest on hours and rates, with an allowance for what is not known yet. The estimator builds the quote from your own rate card and cost per hour, so you can see the margin before you commit to a fixed fee.
Enter hours by phase and level. The workbook computes standard value and staff cost, adds a contingency, subtracts a discount, adds direct costs, shows margin at the proposed fee, and compares a fixed fee you are considering with the proposed fee and its implied realization.
When to use it
- Pricing a new engagement or a renewal.
- Testing whether a prospect’s target fee works.
- Explaining a quote to a partner.
What’s inside
- Rate card by level with standard rate and cost per hour
- Hours by phase and level table
- Contingency, discount, direct cost and quote total
- Fixed fee comparison with realization and margin
Standard cited
This template follows Firm practice. It is written in our own words, except for phrases the standard requires the document to contain, with [bracketed placeholders] for client details, amounts in USD and dates as MM/DD/YYYY. Check it against the current standard and your firm’s methodology before use.
Questions
Are there default rates?
No. Rates and costs are blank inputs.
What is implied realization?
The fixed fee divided by standard value. A low figure means you are giving away time.
Should contingency be shown to the client?
That is your policy. The estimator keeps it as a separate line so you can decide.
Related templates
- CPA Fee Proposal Letter
- Engagement Profitability and Realization Analysis (Excel)
- Audit Timeline and Budget Workbook (Excel)
- Time and Budget Variance Workbook (Excel)
Last updated 11/05/2026. All free templates.