F.A.Q. | Email Q&A

1. Does iBridge offer staff supplementation consulting, project consulting, and permanent placement services?
Yes. iBridge offers three separate lines of services including staff supplementation consulting, project based consulting, and permanent placement services within the I.T. industry. It should be noted that iBridge works with a wide variety of technology platforms across these three service offerings, however it does not offer services outside of the Information Technology disciplines.

2. What technology platforms does iBridge work with?
iBridge currently works with each of the major application and internet development tools across each of the primary operating system platforms that include Windows, UNIX, and IBM Mainframe. In conjunction with these variant systems, iBridge commonly supports each of the major database platforms that are commonly used today including: MS SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, Informix, and DB2. iBridge also supports a wide range of web and middle tier products, servers, and tools that function in various system architectures.

3. Does iBridge have a standard right-to-hire policy for staff supplementation consulting assignments?
Yes. iBridge does have a standard right-to-hire policy that it offers to clients that regularly work with iBridge on staff supplementation projects. iBridge understands that for those clients who regularly utilize iBridge staff supplementation consultants, that there will occasionally be interest in bringing an iBridge consultant onto their permanent staff for strategic reasons.

4. What types of clients does iBridge currently work with?
iBridge currently works with the majority of the Fortune 1000 companies located in the St. Louis metropolitan area that regularly utilize I.T. consulting services. iBridge also works with a select group of middle market companies that have a growing need for I.T. services and that offer a professional and stable work environment for our employees.

5. How does iBridge add value to its customers?
iBridge commonly adds value to its customer by relieving them of the significant time burden associated with identifying technical candidates for consulting or permanent placement positions, reviewing dozens of resumes, and having to conduct multiple in-person interviews. At iBridge we also add value to our customers through our employee retention and career development programs that help ensure that each iBridge consultant is well trained and motivated to fully fulfill their project commitments. Lastly, because we are a locally owned company that focuses heavily on customer service, we are a very flexible organization that is able to quickly respond to our client’s needs and requests without having to gain approval from a remote corporate office!

6. How do the iBridge sales and management teams interact with their customers?
Each iBridge customer has a dedicated contact person that is responsible for managing the relationship and the day-to-day needs of that customer. Each iBridge contact person is empowered with the authority to address client requests in a timely manner. Additionally, each iBridge customer and employee has regular contact with iBridge’s Executive Management group, and may contact them directly at any time for additional support.

7. Does iBridge have a documented interviewing and hiring process?
Yes. iBridge does have a documented and proven employee interviewing and hiring process that consists of five phases that include:

• Identification & Pre-Screen Interview
• Technical Interview
• Face to Face Interview
• Background / Reference Check and Drug Screening
• Pre-Client Interview Prep

This comprehensive five phase process ensures that each candidate will speak with at least three separate iBridge employees or managers on four separate occasions, therefore significantly improving the odds that each candidate is “truly qualified for and comfortable with” both iBridge’s hiring standards and our client’s performance expectations.

8. Does iBridge check professional references and perform background checks and drug screening for new employee candidates?
Yes. iBridge does check professional references from each new employee candidate prior to extending them an official offer, and does perform a criminal, employment, and educational background check prior to hiring each new employee. Additionally, each new employee is required to pass a pre-employment drug screening, standard background check, and is required to adhere to iBridge’s documented drug policy throughout their tenure of employment with the company.

9. Are all iBridge consultants hired as full-time employees?
Yes. All iBridge consultants (both salaried and hourly) are full-time W-2 employees of the company. We hire only the most qualified professionals available and offer them full-time employment, benefits, training, and a challenging career! We generally do not hire 1099 or independent consultants, and we do not hire our professionals on a project-to-project basis, as we are firm believers that the only way to build a quality consulting practice is by surrounding ourselves with the best and brightest for the long-haul!

10. Does iBridge hire Independent or 1099 consultants?
No. Generally we do not hire independent or 1099 consultants unless we are asked by a client to hire such a person on an exception basis.

11. Does iBridge offer its employees benefits?
Yes. All iBridge employees have access to a full complement of insurance and retirement benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life/AD&D insurance, flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care expenses, and a company 401K and Profit Sharing Plan. All full-time eligible employees are able to enroll in their respective benefit programs effective the 1st of the month following their start date.

12. Does iBridge offer bench time to its employees?
Yes. At the discretion of iBridge management, we offer bench time to those employees who have chosen the salaried compensation plan and those who have proven to be valued-added hourly employees when unforeseen breaks occur between projects. Each bench time situation is evaluated on an individual basis by iBridge management, and bench time parameters are set based upon management’s discretion regarding the situation. It is important to remember that iBridge has a long-term employment philosophy, and is committed to caring for its valued employees over the length of their careers!

13. Does iBridge have an employee retention program?
Yes. iBridge has a multi-faceted employee retention program that involves performing semi-annual performance reviews, annual performance based compensation reviews, the support of an in the field technical mentor, and the development and management of a career development and training program for each employee. Additionally, iBridge takes a hands-on approach to supporting its consultant employees in the field, and promotes an open door policy that allows each employee direct access to the iBridge Executive Management team.

14. Does iBridge provide for technical training and career development?
Yes. All iBridge employees are eligible to receive I.T. training reimbursement for approved local training courses and self-paced training materials that promote professional or technical knowledge growth. Additionally iBridge works with each employee to develop a custom career development plan that incorporates a technical training component to insure that long-term career growth is achieved.

15. Does iBridge support technical Certification Programs?
Yes. iBridge supports the pursuit of each of the major industry Certification Programs such as MCSD, MCSE, Java, PMI, Oracle DBA, Sun, Cisco, etc., and pays for approved training materials and pre-approved Certification Exams that are passed.

16. Do iBridge consultant employees have regular access to members of the management team?
Yes. iBridge has an open door policy that promotes interaction between the company management team and each employee. To promote company involvement and teamwork, members of the iBridge management team regularly visit each employee in the field and plan group employee events such as team lunches, monthly happy hours, the annual Holiday Party and Summer Event, and various ad-hoc professional sporting events to which the company regularly takes its value-added employees who have contributed to the company beyond the regular call of duty.

17. What is iBridge’s growth rate in relation to its local competitors?
Through our unique common sense and customer service based business philosophies, iBridge has grown at a phenomenal rate of 1,000+ percent since inception and was recently recognized as one of the Top 50 I.T. Consulting Firms in the St. Louis metropolitan area by the St. Louis Business Journal! We fully expect this trend to continue, and plan to grow by more than 3+ times the industry average for the foreseeable future!

18. How can I contact iBridge directly?
You can contact iBridge’s Director of Business Development directly using the following contact information:

• Phone Number: (314) 872-5644
• E-mail Address: gschwarz@ibridgesolutions.com
• Fax Number: (314) 872-5650
• Address: Two City Place Drive, Suite 195
  St. Louis, MO 63141

19. How do I get to the iBridge corporate offices?
In St. Louis, from Olive and Highway 270 go East to the intersection of Olive and New Ballas.

Turn left (North) onto New Ballas and proceed through the first stop sign to the CityPlace Dive stoplight (the Two CityPlace building is on the right corner).

Turn right onto CityPlace Drive and park in the garage or the flat lot that are directly across from the Two CityPlace building.

Proceed past the elevators, turn left and go to the end of the hallway to Suite 195.