Rates and Terms
The agreement under which we conduct research for our clients is included within this website, at Terms of Service. Payment information and options can be found at our Ordering & Payment section.
As an overview, our rates and pricing will vary by the type of research project, degree of difficulty, and expertise required. We provide appropriate discounts for volume clients.
Generally, we require a retainer (an advance payment against fees) or pre-payment of services from new clients.
The fee schedule below is for our most commonly requested services. Please contact us for a written quote.
- Research rates will range from $65.00 to $85.00 per man hour (PMH)
- Additional Researchers are $50.00 to $65.00 PMH
- Research is billed in fifteen (15) minute increments
- If required, Masters or Doctorate level researchers and specialists are available and can bill up to $400 PMH
- Mileage is computed at $0.65 per mile or $40 per hour, whichever is less, exclusive of underlying travel related costs (e.g. airfare, cab, hotel are extra)
- Depending upon our schedule, we can sometimes provide next-business-day, same-business-day, or weekend/holiday service. Next-business-day service is billed at 150% of standard rates. Same-business-day and weekend/holiday service is billed at 200% of standard rates.
National Archives, Kew
Bibliothèque Nationale de France
Our minimum research billing time per project is two (2) hours excluding travel time. Travel time and mileage are calculated to/from our local Researcher's base (i.e. we have researchers available in New York, London, Paris, Washington DC, and proximate to other research facilities), in addition to all mileage incurred during the research project. Sales taxes, database charges, express service, purchasing/photocopying/scanning documents, are charged as incurred. Special administrative requests are not included in the hourly rate or service fee. Unless otherwise requested, all reports, invoices, pictures and document scans are provided to our clients electronically through the Client Section of this website. Day rates are available for extended daily research assignments. Project and not-to-exceed billing rates are also available.
Expert witness deposition and testimony fees and arrangements are negotiated separately on a case-by-case basis.
Unless otherwise agreed, invoices for research services and related expenses are issued monthly within 15 days after the close of each month. All invoices are due and payable within 15 (15) days of receipt. Invoices thirty (30) days past due will be charged interest at the rate of 1.5% per month (annual rate of 18%). Invoices sixty (60) days past due will be referred for collection.
National Archives, Kew
Bibliothèque Nationale de France
Archives Nationales Françaises
How Do I Begin?
If you decide to have us do your research project, the first step is to call 800-At-DD214 (800-283-3214) or 646-530-8767 or e-mail us with your research project. We will discuss with you via e-mail or telephone the exact topic and scope of your research needs. During this interview, we will ask you questions to make sure that we understand exactly what information you need and in what depth, how soon you need the results, and the level of detail that you require. We will also need to know what the cost limits for our time and other resources that you wish to use. It is very important to define the scope, time frame, and other aspects of a search in order to assure that the project results meet your expectations.
We will then e-mail you a preliminary estimate or budget of the likely cost, by task, of your research project, including fees and expenses, and a preliminary plan for handling the research, as well as a formal research agreement with payment options.
Once we have established a working agreement, we will get to work on your project. Unless we have further questions or you have additional information for us, we will not bother you. For long term or on-going projects, we will be in touch with you as needed.