Separate discovery from implementation
An assessment or strategy engagement should clarify the business problem, workflow, evidence and decision criteria. Building or integrating a system is a separate scope with different technical and operational requirements.
Ask what is included
A useful proposal states the problem, process boundary, expected deliverables, data and governance assumptions, customer responsibilities and the decision expected at the end of the work.
Treat ROI as a validation task
Be cautious of savings claims that are not connected to the current workflow baseline. A responsible engagement should identify what time, volume, quality or commercial evidence must be measured.