Is it reasonable for a client to expect automated test scripts as project deliverables?

Question

Our company is currently halfway through a software project with a consulting firm. As someone who will be taking ownership of the project after the consultants finish, is it reasonable for our company to ask the consultants to write automated test scripts and pass them on to us?

Answer 1

It is reasonable to negotiate for having automated test scripts as a deliverable, but it is not reasonable to expect to get them if they were not explicitly included in the (initial) agreement.

Unless the project is explicitly being executed under a development method that implies automated testing, such as TDD, or you negotiated for delivery of the scripts up front, you can't presume that the consultancy firm is using (or even creating) scripts for automated testing.
If you realize at a later date that you would like to have such scripts as a deliverable, you must negotiate a change to the project scope with the consultancy firm and accept that this will likely have an impact on the schedule and the costs of the project.