Documents for a start-up business

[Mary Howe <thunder -at- IDIR -dot- NET>]

Hello everybody -=20

Next week I'm going to be talking to a potential new client about a big =
job of a kind I've never done before. These people have an existing =
business and are going to be starting another, much larger spinoff =
company.  They'll be manufacturing an entirely new product, so there's =
no model to follow for working out all the details.  They want me =
(assuming all goes well) to be in charge of all the written work =
associated with the new business.  Then in a couple of years when they =
really get into full production they'll hire a full-time writer.  So =
here are my questions:

1.  Before I go to talk to them, I want to have in hand some ideas about =
what they need, as well as questions that need to be answered before I =
submit my proposal.  My initial thoughts are that they'll need=20
        a.  a business plan,
        b.  proposals to be submitted to potential sources of financing,
        c.  ongoing documentation of procedures as the company develops
        d.  instructions for procedures to be performed by employees in the        =
  manufacturing process, and
        e.  company policy documentation.
I think they're going to need my meeting facilitation and organizational =
skills as well.  What have I missed here?  Do any of you have other =
suggestions?

2.  Can anybody recommend any reading material that would be helpful for =
this project?

3.  Am I correct in thinking I should do this by the hour, or some =
larger increment, but not by the whole job?  How about lump sums for =
each of the components?

4.  It seems likely that I'll need some help.  Any suggestions on hiring =
subcontractors?

Thanks.  This is very exciting, and I think I can do a good job, but =
it's by far the biggest thing I've done and I'm a bit nervous about it.

Mary Howe