Often when organizations and large companies are searching for contractors for a particular project, they will write an in-depth document called an RFP, or Request for Proposal. Contractors in turn submit proposals based on requests in the RFP, essentially presenting a number of line-item services that comply with the RFP's scope of services in a manner that is clear, concise and complete, leaving no questions unanswered. The burden here lies not only on the contractor to respond adequately to the RFP, but on the originating organization to follow certain guidelines when writing the RFP in the first place. With that said, here are some issues that companies should avoid when sending out an RFP.
The whole point here is to get an accurate proposal back from a number of vendors. How can you ensure that your RFP is accurate and will result in a proposal that covers all of your bases? Follow these guidelines when writing an RFP for a web development contract.
1. Vagueness: There is nothing more annoying when the RFP confuses contractors with generality. Time is wasted calling back and forth drawing out the answers from the potential client. This leads the contractor to believe that a) the potential client is either lazy or b) unprepared, which leads the contractor to believe that this pattern will continue once a deal is made and when content is needed the same the same pattern will continue. RFPs are not always necessary, so if you have a smaller project and don't want to put the time into writing a clear and concise RFP, skip that step all-together.
If you are writing an RFP, be sure to do your homework
2. Organization: If requesting a proposal in a specific format and in specific categories, it is important to not ask for information in an incorrect section. For example, I was recently given an RFP that had asked for information on functionality in the design section and custom designing in the functionality section. If you are requesting for a specific proposal format in your RFP then be sure to do your homework and ask for information in the correct category. That way you save time and face, and neither party looks unprepared or disorganized.
3. Too Much: Asking general implementation questions is normal in an RFP. However, asking for implementation reports with step by step directions on how it will be accomplished along with the links to get the information, is asking for too much. It is suspicious to ask for too much. What is stopping a company from lying about a project so to get the correct information for their in-house web designers? This can inspire feelings of distrust right at the beginning, which is not a good way to start a web development relationship.
Doctors Orders
When writing an RFP for a web development proposal, just make sure to do your homework, be clear in your requests, and don't ask for step-by-step instructions on what will be done. Especially in a Joomla! environment, a contractor might have to give away his entire value-add in the proposal!
