page: Add a page for consulting

.gitignore

@@ -134,3 +134,4 @@ dmypy.json
 
 # llm
 .codex
+PLAN.md

mkdocs.yml

@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ nav:
   - Learning:
       - Overview: learning/index.md
       - Study Groups: learning/study-groups/index.md
+  - Consulting: consulting/index.md
   - About:
       - Overview: "about/index.md"
       - About OSL:

pages/consulting/index.md

@@ -0,0 +1,177 @@
+---
+title: Consulting
+description: >
+  Discuss consulting for open-source software, scientific and research
+  workflows, technical education, and community-focused projects.
+date: 2026-07-26
+authors: ["OSL Team"]
+template: main.html
+section_label: Work with OSL
+page_theme: consulting
+hero_words: ["Discuss", "Scope", "Deliver"]
+---
+
+# Consulting
+
+Open Science Labs (OSL) welcomes consulting enquiries from research
+institutions, nonprofits, companies, open-source projects, community
+organisations, and other groups working in open science and technology.
+
+A consulting engagement is formal, scoped work. Before work begins, the parties
+must agree on the intended outcomes, responsibilities, timeline, budget,
+delivery structure, and an approved contracting and payment route.
+
+## Areas of interest
+
+The following examples describe areas in which OSL is interested in
+contributing. They are not commitments that a particular service, specialist, or
+delivery schedule will be available.
+
+- **Open-source project strategy:** repository assessment, project planning,
+  contribution workflows, maintainership practices, and sustainability.
+- **Scientific and technical software:** architecture, implementation, testing,
+  packaging, releases, and maintenance planning.
+- **Research workflows:** reproducibility, data and computational workflows,
+  research software practices, and technical documentation.
+- **Documentation and contributor experience:** onboarding, contribution guides,
+  tutorials, developer documentation, and release processes.
+- **Education and mentorship:** workshops, learning materials, mentoring
+  workflows, and open-source contributor programmes.
+- **Community and programme development:** project incubation, affiliation,
+  community participation, and responsible collaboration practices.
+
+The final scope depends on the project's needs, available expertise, risk,
+capacity, and the appropriate legal and delivery arrangements.
+
+## Ways to work with us
+
+### Defined consulting engagement
+
+A defined engagement has an agreed scope, deliverables, schedule, budget, and
+review process. It may be appropriate for an assessment, implementation,
+documentation project, workshop, or other time-limited body of work.
+
+### Continuing support
+
+Some projects may need maintenance, technical advice, documentation, training,
+or community support over a longer period. Any continuing arrangement must
+define priorities, response expectations, available capacity, and how either
+party may change or end the work.
+
+### Partner-supported engagement
+
+When the work would benefit from complementary expertise or delivery capacity,
+OSL may explore an engagement involving an appropriate partner, affiliated
+project, or independent specialist. Participation is conditional on fit,
+availability, and the necessary review and approvals; it is not guaranteed.
+
+The appropriate contracting and payment arrangement will be discussed before any
+commitment is made. Depending on the engagement, OSL may coordinate work through
+an Open Source Collective (OSC)-approved agreement, participate in an approved
+collaboration, or introduce the client to an independent provider contracting
+separately. OSC does not automatically become the contracting party for
+independently delivered work.
+
+A referral is an introduction, not a guaranteed placement, endorsement,
+warranty, or promise about an independent provider's quality or availability.
+OSL may not be involved in the resulting contract, delivery, payment, or
+supervision.
+
+### Other consulting and collaboration needs
+
+The services described on this page represent the areas in which OSL is most
+interested in contributing, but they are not an exhaustive list.
+
+You are welcome to contact us if your project requires a different type of
+open-source, scientific, technical, educational, or community-focused support.
+
+Depending on the request, available expertise, and the appropriate contracting
+structure, OSL may be able to:
+
+- develop a customised scope;
+- collaborate with an affiliated project or community;
+- bring together contributors with complementary expertise;
+- explore delivery alongside a research institution, nonprofit, company, or
+  other partner;
+- connect you with an independent specialist or organisation that may be better
+  suited to the work.
+
+Partner-supported and customised engagements are considered individually.
+Availability is not guaranteed, and any formal involvement by OSL or Open Source
+Collective remains subject to the applicable review and approval process.
+
+Contact: [team@opensciencelabs.org](mailto:team@opensciencelabs.org)
+
+[Discuss another consulting need](mailto:team@opensciencelabs.org?subject=Open%20Science%20Labs%20custom%20consulting%20inquiry)
+
+## Consulting, support, and paid contribution programmes
+
+Formal consulting is different from general community support. Questions and
+discussions in OSL's public community channels are informal and provided on a
+best-effort basis; they do not include agreed deliverables, response times,
+confidentiality, or an obligation to continue support.
+
+Paid internships, fellowships, and other contributor opportunities are separate
+programmes with their own eligibility, selection, funding, and supervision
+requirements. Contacting OSL about consulting does not create a paid
+contribution opportunity, and participation in a community or contributor
+programme does not create a consulting relationship.
+
+When a request needs accountable delivery, a defined schedule, confidential
+handling, or dedicated capacity, the work should be discussed as a formal
+consulting engagement before it begins.
+
+## How an engagement is considered
+
+OSL considers each enquiry individually. An initial discussion usually covers:
+
+1. the problem, intended outcome, and people affected by the work;
+2. the repository, documentation, data, infrastructure, and relevant
+   constraints;
+3. the proposed scope, responsibilities, deliverables, and review process;
+4. technical, scientific, ethical, privacy, security, or regulatory
+   requirements;
+5. the timeline, budget, available expertise, and delivery capacity;
+6. whether OSL should deliver directly, explore a partner-supported engagement,
+   make a referral, or recommend another route;
+7. the contracting and payment structure that would need approval.
+
+An initial conversation is exploratory. No work, partnership, referral, or
+contract is promised until the appropriate parties have reviewed and approved
+the arrangement.
+
+## Start a conversation
+
+Tell us about the project, repository, research workflow, or technical problem
+you would like to discuss.
+
+You are also welcome to contact us when your needs do not fit neatly into one of
+the services described on this page. We can discuss whether OSL can support the
+work directly, develop a customised engagement, collaborate with an appropriate
+partner, or suggest another route.
+
+Helpful information includes:
+
+- a link to the repository, project, or relevant documentation;
+- a short description of the problem;
+- the outcome you would like to achieve;
+- important technical, scientific, ethical, or regulatory requirements;
+- your preferred timeline;
+- your approximate budget or funding constraints;
+- whether the work must be public;
+- whether confidential information or restricted data is involved;
+- whether you need a defined project, continuing maintenance, or another form of
+  support;
+- whether you are open to an engagement involving an appropriate partner,
+  affiliated project, or independent specialist.
+
+A complete specification is not required before contacting OSL. An initial
+discussion can help determine the appropriate workflow, delivery structure, and
+whether the request is a suitable fit.
+
+Primary contact: [team@opensciencelabs.org](mailto:team@opensciencelabs.org)
+
+<!-- prettier-ignore -->
+<a href="mailto:team@opensciencelabs.org?subject=Open%20Science%20Labs%20consulting%20inquiry" class="osl-inline-button">Discuss your project</a>
+
+[Discuss another consulting need](mailto:team@opensciencelabs.org?subject=Open%20Science%20Labs%20custom%20consulting%20inquiry)