Bad RFP Leads to Homebrew System
Author: Ben Wood, Published on Oct 29, 2013
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Comments (5)
Vasiles Kiosses
A useful process is to have a rfc, request for comment from a series of suppliers. This way you can get get an opinion of how things can be done, what types of issues may need to be addressed and many other unexpected comments not thought of. This can then be used to help build an RFP with more meat that can be then be used as criteria to evaluate proposals.
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Chris Dearing
Chief Holub would be well served by an IPVM membership before undertaking any new RF?s...
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Jason Clement
I've seen numerous bids like this, responded to a lot and won some. It usually ends up becoming a nightmare post install because the customer assumes they are getting a high tech expensive system for a low cost because they went out to bid. We always bid to meet the bare minimum of the spec and then put in an alternate for a better system we thought was more of what they wanted. Then if we won and they chose the lower bid we could always tell them we provided a cost for a better system.
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John Honovich
Thanks Jason. Users take note:
"We always bid to meet the bare minimum of the spec"
That's what users have to expect. In a competitive bid, you can't expect the integrator to anticipate needs and add them in to the base response. Why? It's suicide. They'll ensure they lose the deal.
"Put in an alternate for a better system we thought was more of what they wanted."
That's above and beyond. Good technique though to establish the right expectations and to cite if the customer becomes dissatisfied with their original 'design'.
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