Engineering is generally a professional service requiring skills in mathematics, physics and design. Civil engineering involves, in addition, some chemistry.
As a professional service, engineering accepts inputs that have a large number of data points. Such data points need transaction processing for analysis and evaluation. Based on such the inputs that come from such analysis, the engineer then adapts such information and creates a description of functions, layouts, resistance points, cleavage points and other work product, typically bundled on a map, diagram or flowchart.
The tedious work of “crunching numbers” can be outsourced to qualified engineers available at lower wage rates. However, quality controls and training increase expenses and reduce cost savings.
Small service providers seeking business from public companies should consider how Sarbanes-Oxley might apply to their relationships with key customers. Under certain circumstances, securities laws could effectively block the small company seeking to develop such business.