Contract Graphic Design Projects for Graphic Designers & Web Designers

We are developing a consumer-focused security application. It needs to look familiar (like people expect a security app should), but I would like it to be bold. We are a very small company, so we particularly want the product design to signal to the market that we are well polished and for real. Though we do not do what these products do (our feature set is different and smaller), our users will be the same kind of people who download AVG, Spyware Doctor, Spy Sweeper, and other security apps from Download. You will have the freedom to do ground-up design– from basic color palette, to application icon, and so on. Though this sounds like a great deal of work, we are a very small company and we are not averse to beginning with 2 or 3 existing product as starting points for ideas. We need you to be able to work with us to make this come together in a timely way. I would like to have direct contact with the person doing the creative work. I would prefer to work with someone in California, or the USA in general. I would only consider overseas freelancers if their portfolios are particularly strong. I would like to pay on an hourly basis (not project basis). For each daily/weekly milestone, we will discuss it ahead of time and estimate the number of hours required. Thanks!