RFPs (request for proposals) are the public access cable channel of the business world. Some come in the form of a well thought-out, concise plan while others are birthed from a horrible Microsoft Word template. And then there are my personal favorites which tell you absolutely nothing of the scope of work but request a cost estimate anyway. These asshats are the Ike Turners of the bunch: "I don't wanna baby, but I'll beat the love right out of you if I have to."
For instance, here is a little beauty that I received this morning (I left out the fluff about there being a staff of several developers and where this 'start-up' is geographically located):
I love the part about "security reasons". Makes me wonder if perhaps the CIA is the real mastermind behind web 2.stupid. In either case be wary of these ultra-top-secret-web-project-Tommy Boy-ninjas and their cost snagging attempts.
Meanwhile, not five minutes had passed after another RFP (retard for president) hits the email retriever:
Oopsie. Someone went a wittle hyper with their cut-paste-click-post skills. Let's see, they "love" my work but are addressing someone else. Buddy, that might work in Tijuana but not in California. After careful review of this genius of an idea (OMG CALL RUPERT MURDOCH NOW AND READY HIS SWISS BANK ACCOUNT!) I think I'll let the Keith and Nick take this one. Good luck fellas!
Join the fray by reading through and commenting at the end.
"..but the basic idea is.."
Classic!
what an "opportunity." there's going to be a huge demand for psychic development services in the future. i cite this as only one example.
i'm taking a "wait and see" approach to determine how this affects the long tail. or the global microbrand, for that matter.
i can tell you that this isn't going to be about stock options or eyeballs. but i can't tell you any more than that. not yet. for security reasons.
r they like conceptshare.com
My favorites are those who offer to recommend my services to a friend instead of paying me actual money. Riiiight...
My personal fav are the folks that walk in your door in the middle of business hours, ask to sit down and talk about a "project I've been working on", usually with a cell phone on their belt clip, and then hit you with the "I need you to sign a non-disclosure agreement before I can share anything more."
It gives me no end of delight telling these peeps to get the hell outta my office.
Ha, I got that first one too! Even if it had been more informative I still would have trashed it—right next to my contact form reads, "I am not currently seeking employment, freelance or consulting gigs."
My problem in having received the first email was that it wasn't even addressed to me directly. It was a mass email. I'll let someone else on that mass email respond.
The fun ones I get are the requests to work on a project in exchange for equity. Because that's all I've been waiting for is an idea. Those are so hard to come by...
> The fun ones I get are the requests to work on a project in exchange for equity. Because that's all I've been waiting for is an idea. Those are so hard to come by..
I must be stupid then because I can never think of a killer idea for combining existing websites into one uber-rat-king of the social-media-portal-productity space that will be so huge it will force Michael Jackson to move back to Ireland and clip pizza coupons. I must have be absent when God passed around the TITANS OF INDUSTRY, MASTERS OF DESTINY talent to these bootstrappers living in the double-wides.
Greg,
Too funny. So on our end it was addressed correctly to Blue Flavor but accredited us with work we didn't do. _"We'd want a beautiful "Web 2.0" design similar to the one you did for Vivabit."_ which I believe Cameron did.
We've found RFPs to be pretty pointless exercise. The problem is rarely defined and the client usually has a vendor and solution already in mind.
We are pretty committed to swearing them off entirely in 2007. They take a lot of time, you only have a marginal chance of winning the work. It really just drives your overhead up with a lot of non-billable work, making the clients that didn't send you a RFP essentially pay more.
To be fair, it looks like this guy has an idea and just needs some help figuring out how to do it, but with so many bad leads coming through my inbox, it would be nice if he got the details right to know he is serious.
Aw man, I didn't get the first one. Then again, I don't have a website, so that might explain why...
> Too funny. So on our end it was addressed correctly to Blue Flavor but accredited us with work we didn't do. _"We'd want a beautiful "Web 2.0" design similar to the one you did for Vivabit."_ which I believe Cameron did.
That's awesome. I'm going to start sending out RFPs like that: "Dear BlueFlavor, we love the war you started in Iraq and the fantastic job you did on Owen Wilson's nose..."
Sounds more like RPG (rocket propelled granades) to me - randomly shot projectiles by poorly trained fools.
OMG - too funny. Looks like Brian already chimed in, but I'll add .02. The traditional RFP process is damn near a no-win situation for us. We ran the numbers and we've got a horrible track record when it comes to winning work of an RFP. Given the time it takes to address them (much more than other ways of bringing work in) we've realized that RFPs aren't really something we should be spending a whole lot of time on.
If someone really wants to work with us and feels we'd be a good fit, my advice is they give us a call and we'll talk.
Brian, what ever happened to that killer "Web 2.0" RFP busting idea you had. ;0)
I have an idea that I need help developing. I can't go into too much detail because of security issues, but it's basically a request for RFP disposal box that works something like the "deleted items" folder in your email application, BUT it will look a lot like the work you did for Cork'd.
I got the first one too, just yesterday. I had a thought to just write back an email that said only: "One MILLION dollars!"
Like Brian Fling says, though: the first query -- and possibly the second one, too -- is from someone who just wants to hire someone of quality to help him execute his ideas.
Yes, the email betrays a naivete about the process, which can be a little off-putting. But at least folks with relatively little experience in this field are finding talented designers like yourself; at least the value of good design is being recognized out there. Five years ago, someone like this might just have tried to conscript someone from a local college at a criminally cheap ratre to do this work.
I'm assuming there's no hidden maliciousness here, of course. One has to assume the best in others, or else the world becomes too grim.
Haha, I got it too (just this morning). I was IMing Brain Warren about it when he sent me the link to your post... too funny!
Khoi makes a good point about giving people the benefit of the doubt. I've had a lot of good projects fall out of somewhat "strange" initial contacts. Usually a phone call clears up whether the "strangeness" is a product of just not knowing how things work, or if a company really doesn't get it, and will be potentially difficult to work with.
So, I've almost completed my eleven page estimate. Do you think they're going to want AJAX? :)
I'm going to get a ton of work by undercutting all of Khoi's business when I reply with "900,000 dollars".
@Khoi: I tend to agree, although many if these types of RFPs, though not malicious in intent, are often attempts to get many, many quotes, from which the lowest price will be chosen. It's also not uncommon for less experienced designers to disguise themselves as potential clients, in order to get some insight into how other designers quote.
But, I do tend to agree with you concerning most cases; I'm not as jaded as I seem ;-), but things like "We'd like an e-commerce site, see Amazon.com as an example" and "the site must include Google-like search functionality" tend to activate the skeptic in me.
This is some of the best design comedy fodder in months. Keep it coming, Greg.
Someone needs to make a website to collect all these crappy RFP's and (y)our reactions to them.
/me heads to Airbag's RFP form with a top-secret, new idea for a killer website slash community
Besides the obvious laughing matters, I love how they're making a free project management tool but cannot disclose further details, presumably to not lose some kind of perceived head start to the already saturated market. Geniuses. Genii?
Another chime in on the first one, wow, hilarious!
@ Brian,
850, I win! Now time to go pick out that yacht...
@Josiah,
What problems do you have with people asking you to sign an NDA? I was just in a recent situation, I signed the NDA and the job actually turned out to be a pretty decent one. I understood why the company would ask me to sign it, they're a software company and I'm sure that in the process of reworking design I might see features they deem important intellectual property and I have no problem keeping their privacy.
Just curious as to your objections with that process...?
Lol, that first one seems to be a meme since I got it too. I've answered back that I coudn't give a quote because it still a secret that needs to be approved by the board of directors :D
What I can't believe is the fact that you are willing to pass up the chance to make some serious moolah.
Not mention that you would have yet another kick-ass, killer, web 2.0 design on the interweb. The potential exposure from these projects would instantly catapult you into superstardom.
Why someone with so much talent such as yourself would squandor these golden opportunities is totally beyond my comprehension.
Khoi is right though, emails like this obviously show a need in the market for good designers.
I think the only RFPs one has a chance of winning are the ones that you can respond to with a fairly convincing argument as to why their RFP is going to result in a doomed project.
We recently looked at one that requested heavy IA work. Then, as a postscript...that person should also do all the graphic design, build a custom CMS and purchase all the hardware to run it. Umm...
> ...at least folks with relatively little experience in this field are finding talented designers like yourself; at least the value of good design is being recognized out there. Five years ago, someone like this might just have tried to conscript someone from a local college at a criminally cheap ratre to do this work.
I disagree. Most of RFPs written like the ones posted here ask for everything under the sun for very little compensation, or what you call "criminally cheap rate to do this work." Just because they can find a contact form doesn't mean they have an idea of what good design is worth.
> I'm assuming there's no hidden maliciousness here, of course.
I don't think is malicious at all but very naive and amateur.
> What I can't believe is the fact that you are willing to pass up the chance to make some serious moolah.
Darren I think you're kidding, I hope your kidding.
> We recently looked at one that requested heavy IA work. Then, as a postscript...that person should also do all the graphic design, build a custom CMS and purchase all the hardware to run it.
Darrel, I have a similar project that I need help with. Would you mind doing it for a Twinkie and two pieces of gum?
I just got it a few minutes ago. He's definitely making the rounds.
Now I feel reeeeeeally out of it. I've not received this dude's RFP.
Random Freaky Predicament
Rediculous Foreign Panda
Relentless Friggin' Person
Radical Fighters of Pediatry
Ritualistic Fundamental Perpitrator
…okay, fine. I got nothin'.
But I *am* on the groundfloor. ;)
I wish I got so many requests that I could allow myself to reject the weaker ones. Man you guys have it great.
I'm still taking hundred buck jobs. And not much else.
I got the first one recently too. Same wording exactly. Fun times.
I almost always pass on RFPs, any company that feels the need to create an RFP to get bids is by definition too bureaucratic to be a good client. I have found almost no exceptions in over ten years of working on web goo. I got an RFP recently that had a requirement I thought was pretty funny:
- Google compatibility
Well, of course that's an extra ten grand to be compatible with Google, don't ya know.
> - Google compatibility
Well, of course that's an extra ten grand to be compatible with Google, don't ya know.
It'd be nice if you could charge for that, I've heard this plenty of times.
I wish you could say "well if your going for Google compatibility you really ought to think about MSN and Yahoo compatibility too..."
Hey, hey, have some respect. It's not just Google....it's THE Google. The best search engine on the internets.
I always respond to their rfqs with:
"I will work for free if you agree to 51% partnership in your company. I require a 130% gross profit compensation package that also includes full benefits, and pleanty of tofu and concubines. Please respond to this amazing oppertunity to work with me immediately as there is a line quickly forming for this hot oppertunity."
I got one response asking if the "130%" was negotiable.
Just remember, he cut-and-paste'd just for you. Imagine the thought and preperation made to do this. I can't wait to see this YouTube-inspired marvel! Because, judging by that request, this individual cares.
I'm not sure allot of people understand what an RFP is or more specifically how to use it to both the client and the service providers advantage. In my mind the RFP only happens AFTER there has been discourse (generally verbal) between both parties. It's a logical and formal next step to get all those ittsy-bittsy details they've been talking about done on paper. If someone is just "kicking tires" and looking for general information, but don't want to talk with anyone just yet, they should ask for a brochure.
Submitting a "proposal" of any sorts before there's been any communication is akin to ordering a bride online. It may work for some people but it's unlikely they'll have a relationship that'll last. Too much room for misunderstandings and miscommunications. Who needs it.
Funny that all of these designers read this blog, so rare to see them comment!
My favorite frustration is the person who finds out you do web design/coding/development and can think of a few simple things they'd like done (implied 'free'). Super - I'll get right on that.
Buddy, that might work in Tijuana but not in California.
what does that mean?
are implying that in Tijuana web disainers/developers are gullible?
come on Greg, get your prejudices right, Mexicans may be lazy, but we are not dumb
Hi there,
before we get into us-mex comparative studies...,
I would like to share some cross-cultural RFP
experience from PRC or Dubai...
Even with connections you will hardly pass the gate to the
decision maker (enterprise king or land lord), without delivering a tailormade P(roposal) beforehand. Your dilemma: General info will protect, but not impress AND detailed info (with samples and 4 pages cost break down etc) will impress, but not protect. Rule of the game: Never impress without protection ;-) How? Understanding the Cultural Difference, and move the business the GLOCAL way...
Be happy to work in peace, in California and in Tijuana!
The jungle is elsewhere...
Kai (from Germany)
I made a decision years ago to never, ever respond to these and I will tell you exactly why.
There are only three reasons to send out an RFP.
1) The company or person has no idea what they need and are looking for you to tell them. Lame.
2) They already have a firm in mind, but don't trust the bid so they would like you to spend a bunch of your time to help determine if it is a fare price. Totally lame.
3) They are going to make a decision based on price. Inexcusably lame.
Is there really any reason to respond to these?
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