Historical Background
The consulting industry in Nepal received new opportunities and challenges from early-seventies when government departments started using private professional to provide services in small scale engineering projects. Since then, though the industry is in a continuous path of growth, the parallel support from the concerned quarters of the formulation of appropriate polices, regulations and environment for healthy development could not take place.

Thus, in order to protect the interest of consulting industry of the country, the Society of Consulting Architectural & Engineering firms, Nepal (SCAEF) was registered with the then HMG/N on November 20, 1990 under the collective endeavor of the professional consulting firms. The Government has recognized SCAEF as the National Body on August 15, 1996 and has designed Ministry of Physical Planning and Works as "Line Ministry" to look after the interest of SCAEF and its member firms on February 22, 2005. The Public Works Directives (PWD), January 2002, published by the then HMG/N requires the consulting firms to be registered with the professional societies mandatory for getting short listed to participate in proposal submission.

The Goals of SCAEF is a non-government organization established with the broader goals to develop the consulting industry in Nepal.
> By contributing to nation building through the provision of skillful and professional services.
> By safeguarding the professional rights, interest, privileges and duties of the consulting profession.

The objectives of SCAEF are to:
(a) encourage the development and upliftment of the business and professional interest of Nepalese Consulting firms.
(b) Create a conducive atmosphere for healthy competition amongst consulting firms.
(c) Create a situation conducive to greater participation by Nepalese Consulting in development projects within Nepal and abroad and lessen Nepal's dependence on foreign consultants
(d) Enable small firms to render consulting services in large scale projects through joint ventures, and
(e) Setup affiliation with international societies and associations.

courtesy: scaef.org.np