No black box
How a project runs
No black box: you see the quotation, every week's hours and every invoice, and you receive all your files at the end. From 25 November 2026, every step moves into our customer portal.
From request to hand-over
Seven steps
Send your requirement
Tell us what you need and send any drawings, specifications or photos. We reply within 2–3 working days.
Receive a quotation
Our engineers scope the work: what we build, milestones, estimated hours per role and material costs. Revisions stay on record.
Accept and pay the advance
Accept the quotation and pay the advance. Clients outside India pay by international bank transfer (SWIFT).
Project starts
You get a project code and a named Project Head who is your technical contact.
Approve weekly timesheets
Every week you see the hours worked, by role and task. You have three days to approve or ask a question.
Pay every 4 weeks
Invoices come only from hours you approved, with your advance adjusted.
Project closure
Final design files, firmware source and documents are handed over to you.
Time and material
How billing works
You pay for the hours that were worked, and you see them before you pay.
Rates per role
Your quotation lists the hourly rate for each role on the project and the estimated hours for each task.
Half-hour steps
Time is recorded in half-hour units, so short tasks are billed as short tasks.
Weekly approval
Each week's timesheet comes to you with hours per role and task. Approve it, or ask a question, within three days.
Invoices every 4 weeks
A GST invoice covers four approved weeks, with your advance adjusted and a breakdown of how it was calculated.
Materials at cost
PCBs, components and testing are charged at actual cost against a materials advance; any balance is carried forward or refunded.
Customers abroad
We quote and invoice in US dollars; payment by international bank transfer (SWIFT).
Watch
Inside Blackfox: how we run an R&D project
Before you ask
Working with us
What is time and material billing?
You pay for the engineering hours actually worked, at the hourly rate for each role in your quotation. The quotation estimates the hours; weekly timesheets show the real ones, and you approve them before they are invoiced.
How much advance do you take?
Usually part of the estimated engineering cost (the exact split is in your quotation) and 100% of materials such as PCBs and components. The engineering advance is adjusted against your invoices as the project runs.
What if I disagree with a timesheet?
Tell us which week and what you would like to check. Your Project Head answers technical questions and our Admin team answers billing questions. A week is invoiced only after it is approved.
Do you sign an NDA?
Yes. Email info@bfes.co.in with your NDA before sharing confidential details, or ask us for ours.
Your first project, 10% off design and development
Have a product in mind? Tell us about it.
Tell us what you want to build and we'll send you a quotation within 2–3 working days.
The discount applies to engineering hours. PCBs, components and other materials are charged at cost.