Internal audit fees

Consulting fees continue to be driven down in the Big 4 and second tier firms and the partners need to cut costs to maintain profits.

The result is higher turnover of staff on client projects, and inefficiency in the firms' internal processes.

In the hay days of Sarbanes-Oxley, the firms could charge blended rates of $250 an hour and up. Now, clients are realizing that the blended rate, even from large firms-should be in the neighborhood of $130-$150. If client's are paying above that, they're likely overpaying.