A consulting company setup budget should separate company formation from the cost of delivering the proposed advisory services. For a Bali practice, the budget may include professional fees, company capital, premises, software, staffing, insurance review and the cash needed while invoices remain unpaid. The final scope depends on what the firm actually sells.
Build the Consulting Company Setup Budget From Deliverables
Describe the paid outputs first: strategy advice, research, marketing management, technology advice or another specialist service. Do not treat the word “consulting” as a complete business classification. Different deliverables can create different licensing questions, staffing needs and contractual responsibilities.
Identify whether clients buy a report, implementation support, a recurring retainer or access to a particular professional. A firm selling ongoing operational support may need a different working-capital model from one collecting a deposit for a defined report.
Capital Is Different From a Setup Fee
For a proposed PT PMA, review the actual activity and structure against Articles 26 and 27 of Minister of Investment/BKPM Regulation No. 5 of 2025. The general minimum investment criterion is more than IDR 10 billion outside land and buildings per five-digit KBLI per project location, subject to the stated exceptions. The regulation separately sets placed/paid-up capital of at least IDR 2.5 billion per PT PMA unless another applicable rule provides otherwise.
These are different measures. They are not a notary fee, a provider’s incorporation price or evidence that every consulting project has the same funding requirement. Do not assume that authorized capital must equal paid-up capital or that the full investment plan is an immediate payment to the service provider.
Ask the adviser and accountant to show how the corporate capital records, investment plan and operating cash forecast relate to each other. Avoid counting the same company cash twice merely because it appears in both a funding schedule and an expenditure plan.
Separate Formation and Delivery Costs
| Budget layer | Consulting-specific items | Evidence to obtain |
|---|---|---|
| Formation | Entity documentation, professional work and administration | Written proposal with inclusions and exclusions |
| Premises | Address arrangements and suitability questions | Proposed agreement and applicable location review |
| Delivery systems | Research tools, software, secure document handling | Supplier terms and renewal dates |
| People | Founders, employees and external specialists | Role plan and proposed engagement terms |
| Cash flow | Deposits, retainer billing and collection delays | Payment terms and collection assumptions |
Model Client Billing Before Fixing the Launch Budget
List the expected billing event for each service. A signed engagement may allow a deposit, but another client may pay only after accepting a report. Keep the forecast tied to the actual proposed contract rather than assuming that booked work immediately becomes available cash.
Identify software or subcontractor spending that begins before the first client payment. Include a plan for scope changes, disputed invoices and work that cannot begin until the client supplies records. These are commercial planning assumptions, not fixed legal fees.
Consulting Company Setup Budget and Timeline Dependencies
Use milestones rather than a universal number of working days. The initial sequence should identify the service-scope decision, ownership and activity review, company documentation, the relevant registration and licensing steps, and the preparation of client contracts and accounting systems.
For each milestone, record the required input, responsible person, expected output and the next dependent task. A target date should remain provisional where foreign documents, premises information or activity-specific requirements have not been confirmed.
Example: A Retainer-Based Advisory Practice
Consider a hypothetical practice planning to advise several hospitality businesses. Its founders budget separately for company establishment, the review of its proposed services, recurring software and research subscriptions, and personnel availability. They also model the period between starting work and collecting the first retainer.
If one engagement later includes technical implementation rather than advice alone, the firm reviews the new deliverables before assuming the original activity map and budget still apply. The revised forecast records any additional specialist input, contract work and licensing questions.
Questions to Ask Before Accepting a Setup Proposal
- Which entity, ownership and service assumptions does the proposal use?
- Which company documents and licensing tasks are included?
- Which external charges are fixed, estimated or payable separately?
- Does the engagement include specialist classification advice?
- Which office, employment and post-launch tasks need a separate instruction?
- How will changes in the proposed services affect the fee and timetable?
Conclusion
A consulting company setup budget is useful when the amounts can be traced to a defined task, funding requirement or operating assumption. Establish the service scope first, keep investment and paid-up capital distinct, and connect the launch forecast to the actual billing model and unresolved dependencies.
FAQ consulting company setup budget
Does the incorporation quotation cover the complete launch budget?
Only if its written scope says so. Check the company work, external charges, premises, specialist reviews and recurring operating costs separately.
Is the PT PMA investment criterion the same as paid-up capital?
No. Regulation No. 5 of 2025 distinguishes the investment criterion from minimum placed/paid-up capital. Review the current rules and exceptions for the actual business rather than combining the figures.
Can every consulting business use the same activity code?
No universal classification follows from the company name. Map the actual services and deliverables, including any specialist work, before choosing the relevant activity.
Can the launch date be guaranteed before the documents are reviewed?
A meaningful schedule identifies its assumptions and dependencies. Missing evidence, changes of scope and authority processes can affect the proposed completion date.
References & Sources
- Minister of Investment/BKPM Regulation No. 5 of 2025, Articles 26–27
- Official OSS business classification directory
Build the funding model around the ownership and licensing stages in the company setup planning guide. Foreign-owned projects can prepare the PT PMA intake file and use the consulting code comparison to define the work that must be scoped before accepting a fee quotation.
Discuss the Scope With Bali Legal ID
Contact Bali Legal ID about our business setup services to discuss the documents, unresolved questions and work required for your actual project. Ask for a defined scope and deliverables before accepting a proposal.
Read More: Business Setup Bali for PT PMA, PT PMDN & OSS RBA Registration