Offer Architecture
Category: offers Sources: trace-summary-services-icp-competitors-background.md Confidence: high Last Updated: 2026-07-30
Offer Overview
Trace has five service lines that form a clear progression from diagnosis through execution to ongoing responsibility. All are fixed-fee (except retainers which are monthly). Laboratory and certification-body fees are always separate, approved in writing and passed on at cost without markup.
1. Route Finder — £495
Who it's for: Startups and product teams that have never taken a protective product through testing and certification before.
What it is: A five-working-day diagnostic that maps the likely testing and certification route before major commitments are made.
Deliverable: A clear, costed route and decision plan covering:
- Likely testing and certification route
- What the product needs to demonstrate
- Relevant standards, tests and documents
- Available vs missing evidence
- Decisions needed before testing starts
- Sequence of work and dependencies
- Expected third-party costs
- Technical, timing and commercial risks
- Next steps and ownership
What it is not: A certificate, test result or guarantee of certification.
Role in the offer ladder: Entry point. Low-commitment first engagement. Designed to give first-time buyers enough understanding to commit budget intelligently.
2. Testing and Certification
Who it's for: Clients whose route is understood and who need help preparing, coordinating or managing the work.
Pricing:
| Scope | First product | Subsequent products |
|---|---|---|
| Full route | £1,350 | £900 |
| Technical documentation set | £850 | £500 |
| Testing coordination | £250 | £200 |
| Certification coordination | £250 | £200 |
What Trace does: Define and coordinate testing, prepare technical documentation, review reports, prepare certification submissions, manage questions and query rounds, track evidence and actions, hand over an organised route.
What Trace does not do: Issue certificates or control the certification decision.
3. Range Review
Who it's for: Established or inherited ranges where the connection between products, reports, certificates and claims is unclear.
Pricing:
| Range size | Price |
|---|---|
| 1 product | £495 |
| 2–10 products | £950 |
| 11–20 products | £1,600 |
| 21–30 products | £2,300 |
| 31–50 products | £3,200 |
| 51+ products | Individual quote |
Deliverable: An ordered action plan showing what is usable, what is missing, what creates the greatest risk and what should happen next. A practical management view, not an unprioritised spreadsheet.
Role in the offer ladder: Diagnostic for established businesses. Often the starting point before a retainer.
4. Retainers
Who it's for: Brands needing continuing technical responsibility without immediately recruiting a complete in-house compliance function.
Pricing:
| Level | Monthly price |
|---|---|
| On Call | £750 |
| Technical Oversight | £1,500 |
| Technical Operations | £2,500 |
| Compliance Partner | £3,750 |
| Retained Client Technical File add-on | £650 |
What Trace provides (varies by level): Ongoing technical advice, evidence and document oversight, product-change review, testing and certification coordination, technical-file maintenance, action tracking, internal-team support, recurring compliance planning.
Key distinction: A retainer is a defined responsibility schedule, not unlimited consultancy hours. Normally begins with a Range Review.
5. Team Training (Provisional)
Who it's for: Organisations needing their people to make better product, evidence, testing and documentation decisions.
Provisional pricing:
| Programme | Price |
|---|---|
| PPE Compliance Foundations | £750 |
| PPE Product Compliance in Practice | £1,500 |
| PPE Technical Documentation Workshop | £2,500 |
| Connected Team Training pathway | £5,000 |
Approach: Practical and product-led, not simply an information session. Does not train participants to issue certificates or make independent conformity-assessment decisions.
Status: Prices remain provisional until preparation, delivery effort, participant limits, learning outcomes and follow-up requirements are finalised.
Offer Ladder Summary
Route Finder (£495) → Testing & Certification (£850-£1,350) → Range Review (£495-£3,200+) → Retainer (£750-£3,750/mo) → Team Training (£750-£5,000)
Entry via Route Finder (startups) or Range Review (established businesses), progressing to ongoing retainer relationships.