When RFID got its first big push, courtesy of major retail and Department of Defense mandates, consulting firms were called in, not only to help customers understand what the technology is and how it works, but also to determine what the business case might be for its use. Companies implementing RFID are using large consulting firms in two ways. They act as integrators and project managers, and they also help develop their clients’ long-term planning. Now, according to ABI Research, the next phase in this process is beginning in earnest: the staffing and organization of consulting groups targeting vertical markets. According to Erik Michielsen, director of RFID and ubiquitous technologies, this strategy makes perfect sense because RFID is not a “one-size-fits-all” solution: different industries and applications have very different needs. The ABI Research report, “RFID Integration Services Market,” includes models for RFID verticals and applications. It assesses compliance initiatives and spending for trial, compliance and full scale RFID implementations, and includes profiles of all the leading players in the field.