Re: Quoting based on a very brief Brief

My very survival for the past 10 years has depended on responding honestly and accurately to RFPs by government agencies. Every RFP has had very specific criteria that the award would be based on, and although price is always a criteria, it's very seldom if ever the sole criteria. The point is demonstrating:

A) That you understand the parameters of the job
B) That you are reliable
B) That you will do the job for a fair and reasonable price
C) That the end product you deliver will be useful and of good technical quality

This means that you take a look at those parts of the RFP that aren't clear, and work with the issuing agency to clarify them. If a phrase is ambiguous, we clarify our interpretation of what it means in our proposal. That's where we win. Not by bidding the lowest... by asking the right questions and submitting proposals that give the reviewers confidence in the list above.

Don't underestimate the value of having someone on your team that is really good at estimating production timelines and costing projects accurately. That is just as important to succeeding in this business as it is knowing whether your white levels are too hot. It keeps you and your clients from wasting time and money.

If you are a creative type that has a gifted project manager, a thorough lawyer, a versatile engineer, and a trusting client on your side, life can be pretty sweet... but if you are missing any of those skills on your team, it can flip in a heartbeat.