Put the RFP Down

PUT DOWN THE RFP
Beta!

How to save your sanity and help yourself AND
your clients lead happier and more fulfilling lives.

Drupal Experts For Non-Profits
Discover • Plan • Design • Build • Support

Friday, August 13, 2010

MY NAME IS ADAM

I’m a Partner / Business Development
I’m a recovering responder to RFPs.
(this is where you say “Hi Adam”)


“He who fails to plan,
plans to fail.”
Old Italian Proverb


FANCY TECHNICAL TERMS
RFP
Wikipedia says: A Request for Proposal (referred to as RFP) is
an early stage in a procurement process, issuing an invitation
for suppliers, often through a bidding process, to submit a
proposal on a specific commodity or service.

Discovery
The process of investigating, developing and implementing a
plan for your website needs. Deliverables could include
wireframes, sitemap, feature specifications, user interviews,
personas, etc and most importantly,
f o r f l ag
a Drupal Implementation Plan. l at
er


WHO IS THIS FOR?

Smoother Sales Process Smoother Vendor Process
Better Drupal Sales Better Drupal Website
Better Client Relationships Better Vendor Relationships
Save Time Save Time
Save Sanity Save Sanity


WHO IS THIS NOT FOR?

If you have a flawless & If you are required by law to
automated estimation process write an RFP and have no way
that requires little analysis. to edit the process.

If you have a pre-cog on staff If you find budgets exploding and
who can read a clients future ever lowering expectations to be
thoughts. tons of fun.


WHO SHALL WE BLAME?

THE
PROCESS!

I’M NOT A SORCERER
RFPs are not going away.
RFPs can be useful.
RFPs are NOT evil.
But, most RFPs,
in the Drupal community,
currently waste
EVERYBODY’s
time, money and energy.


Official Boring Bullet Point Slide
WHY RFPS ARE AWESOME
(ACCORDING TO WIKIPEDIA)

• Informs suppliers that your company is looking to procure and
encourages them to make their best effort.
• Requires the company to specify what it proposes to purchase.
If the requirements analysis has been prepared properly, it can
be incorporated quite easily into the Request document. for f lag
l at
er
• Alerts suppliers that the selection process is competitive.
• Allows for wide distribution and response.
• Ensures that suppliers respond factually to the identified
requirements.


ADVOMATIC BUILDS
DRUPAL SITES FOR GOOD CAUSES

LOTS
OF EM


WE’VE WRITTEN A TON OF RFP
RESPONSES IN OUR DAY

50+OF EM
We won 5 RFP bids in 5 Years

TIME DEVOTED TO RFPS

1-3 3-5 10-40
WEEKS STAFF HRS
PER RFP PER RFP PER RFP
ALL FOR
FREE!

1
OUR OLD RFP PROCESS
I find an RFP
or a lead 2
sends one. Julie Analyzes, Does Free
Discovery, Passes Developers a
Vague Feature Specification

3
Developers, Themers & Sysadmins Analyze, Do
Free Discovery, Guesstimate Client Needs, Write
A Technical Plan & Estimate, Pass Back to Julie

4 Julie reformats, adds PM, QA, and Contingency.
Contingency adds 33% to bottom line of project so client
isn’t surprised later. We then approve and send our honest
and forthright 30 page proposal to client.

OUR OLD RFP PROCESS

5

X
Proﬁt!

OUR OLD RFP PROCESS
RFP
5A We make it to final round of discussions with client.
Executive sees our prices which is 33% higher
FAIL than competitors. They go with competitor.
Then scope balloons and they get mad at them.

5B

RFP
We get the gig. After going through a proper
discovery process, we discover that their needs

AIL
are far beyond what the RFP said.
F Then scope balloons and they get mad at us.


This made us sad.
The process was clearly fundamentally broken,
and worse, it was making Advobaby cry.

Ad Sad
vo
ba
by

We had our worst sales quarter EVER.
We were almost at rock bottom.

Almost.

ROCK BOTTOM
Came disguised as two seemingly different RFPs.

Long Vague They were Large Very
State Education distributed Technical Well
Drupal Retheme everywhere Thought Out
RFP possible. RFP


ROCK BOTTOM

RFP possible. RFP
d
Detaile
Vague N on-Dru
pal

Sp e c Sp e c


ROCK BOTTOM

RFP possible. RFP
d
Detaile
Vague
Awk Wel Dr upal
war
RFP
For
d N on- houg
and
l t
ir re h
mat easy c t out
Sp e c
leva
nt l w/ S pe to
ang do c read
aug ume
e nt


ROCK BOTTOM

RFP possible. RFP
d
Detaile
VaForure
RFP g
Largewa
Awk Wel Dr upal
d N on- houg
and
l t
Budget at
ir re m Large ht out
nt e c w/
easy c
Spe to
Sp langauge
leva
do c read
Budget t
ume
n


ROCK BOTTOM

RFP possible. RFP
d
Detaile
VaForure
RFP g
Largewa
Awk Wel Dr upal
d N on- houg
and
l t
Budget at
ir re m Large ht out
nt e c w/
easy c
Spe to
Sp langauge
leva
do c read
Budget t
ume
n

m
e d f ro
F l ag g l ie r. . .
e ar Allows for wide distribution and response.

ROCK BOTTOM

RFP possible. RFP
d
Detaile
VaFor+d
9va0 mart w/
RFP gue
Largewa
50+
Awk Wel Dr upal
N on- houg
and
l t
Budget
ir re
Large ht out
t la c
easy c
Spnoesnesuge
s p n ga
Spe to
le
Re ReBudget read
do c
spons n
ume
es t

m
e d f ro
F l ag g l ie r. . .
e ar Allows for wide distribution and response.

THE EXTRAPOLATION

90+ 50+
Respo
Responses nses

+
3 4 40
WEEKS STAFF HOURS
PER RFP PER RFP PER RFP


THE EXTRAPOLATION
(MY TOTAL GUESTIMATE)

90+ 50+
Respo
Responses nses

+
1-2 2-6 ?
HRS PER STAFF PER WEEKS OF
PROPOSAL PROPOSAL INTERNAL
DEBATE


SAD RFP MATH

80
UNBILLABLE
90
PROPOSALS
HOURS TO READ
1-2%
CHANCE
90
DIFFERENT
OF WIN IDEAS & BUDGETS


OMG, WHAT DO I DO NOW?

A B C


OPTION C WITH LESS RAGE
C

I found the problem.
(Like a billion firms before me.)


l ly t ly
*ge ne ra *cu r re n

DRUPAL RFPS ARE ANNOYING
They are bureaucratic.
They interfere with best practices.
They are ineffective.

RFPs sound great, mean well, but
their results don’t help, and in
some cases can hurt final product.


WHY EVERYONE LOSES

Spends untold hours Spends untold hours
on gig they most reviewing too
likely will not get many proposals

Gives away Places focus on
ideas for free budget over quality

Makes discovery Expectations ruined
assumptions resulting in when discovery
inaccurate estimates changes scope

THE COMMON THREAD
DI SCOVERY



WHAT I DISCOVERED
ABOUT DISCOVERY IN RFPS
*sometimes provided by client (from 2-75% of the time)

Project Overview User Research*
HELLO
my nam
e is

Feature List* CL IENT Competitor Analysis*

Technical Plan* Design Comps*

Wireframes*


COMPLETELY UNSCIENTIFIC CHART
% Chance of Vendor providing accurate estimate
% of Clients who provide discovery deliverable with RFP
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

rch
t
w

es
an

s

ysis

n
Lis

omp

atio
vie

am
Pl

eea
nal
ture
ver

cific
cal

refr

C

rR
or A
ign
hni
O

Fea

Wi

Spe
Use
Des
ject

Tec

etit

pal
Pro

mp

Dru
Co

Muy
Possible Discovery Deliverables Im po rt an te

WEB DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
t
Im p o r t a n n
pp e
Th i ng s H a
H e re

? ? ?
Dis Te W De Qu Sit
cov ch ire ve alit eL
ery nic f ram lop yA au
al ing me nch
Plan nt ssu
nin & & ran
g De Imp ce
sig lem &
n en Se
tat rve
ion rT
est
ing


WEB DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
t
Im p o r t a n n I have anywhere from
pp e
Th i ng s H a 2-70% of the information
H e re
you need. Please tell me
how much this will cost?

? ? ?
Dis Te W De Qu Sit
ery nic f ram lop yA au
al ing me nch
Plan nt ssu
nin & & ran
g De Imp ce
sig lem &
n en Se
tat rve
ion rT
est
ing


IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?
t
Im p o rt a n n
pp e
Th i ng s H a
H e re

? ? ?
Qu Ex Te Dia Tr Cu
est am st gn ea re
ion ine & ose t
An
aly
ze


IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?
t
Im p o rt a n n
pp e
Th i ng s H a I have a stomach
H e re ache. How much will the
surgery cost?

? ? ?
Qu Ex Te Dia Tr Cu
est am st gn ea re
ion ine & ose t
An
aly
ze

As a patient, do you want your Doctor missing 30%-50% of
the information they need to give you a proper diagnosis?

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

YOU CAN CALL ME DR. DEVELOPER
t
Im p o rt a n n
pp e
Th i ng s H a
H e re

? ? ?
Dis Te W De Qu Sit
ery nic fra lop yA au
al min me nch
Pla g& nt ssu
nn & ran
ing De Imp ce
sig lem &
n en Se
tat rve
ion rT
est
ing

As a client, do you want a vendor bidding missing
30-50% of the information they’ll need for accuracy?

YOU CAN CALL ME DR. DEVELOPER
t
Im p o rt a n n
pp e
Th i ng s H a Please figure out what I
H e re need for a website before I
tell you what I need.

? ? ?
Dis Te W De Qu Sit
ery nic fra lop yA au
al min me nch
Pla g& nt ssu
nn & ran
ing De Imp ce
sig lem &
n en Se
tat rve
ion rT
est
ing

As a client, do you want a vendor bidding missing
30-50% of the information they’ll need for accuracy?

WHY EVERYONE LOSES

Spends untold hours Spends untold hours
on gig they most reviewing too
likely will not get many proposals

Gives away Places emphasis on
ideas for free budget over quality


HOW EVERYONE CAN WIN

STOP STOP
RESPONDING WRITING
TO RFPS RFPS


WHAT IF I ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY
HAVE TO DO AN RFP?
Find a way to make the process work for you.

Break it into two phases. Do a Discovery RFP. Take those
deliverables and then do a Development RFP.

Remind your decision makers that quality of work saves money in
the long run.

Build relationships with Vendors you trust. Lean on them for
advice on how to approach your leadership.


I’VE BEEN RFP FREE
FOR 6 MONTHS
WOOT!!


OUR NEW RFP PROCESS
A client send us an RFP.
We tell them we don’t respond to RFPs.


OUR NEW RFP PROCESS
I have
an RFP. A client send us an RFP.


OUR NEW RFP PROCESS
I have
RFPs tend not to We’ve found that scope and
be accurate in budget can change dramatically if
determining cost. you don’t do Discovery first.

We can’t estimate project
costs until after you go
through a proper discovery
phase with a Drupal shop.


OUR NEW RFP PROCESS
I have
RFPs tend not to We’ve found that scope and
be accurate in budget can change dramatically if
determining cost. you don’t do Discovery first.

We recommend talking to We can’t estimate project
your peers and find a Drupal costs until after you go
firm that you trust to engage in through a proper discovery
a Discovery phase with. phase with a Drupal shop.

If you’d like to see what we can do, After a flat rate Discovery phase
we’d gladly sit down with your decision with us, we’ll provide you with a
makers and walk you through our process Drupal Implementation Plan and an
with previous clients. We can give you estimate. You can then take that plan
vague ballpark costs. elsewhere for bids, or hire us!


HOW VENDORS CAN WIN
Get paid to diagnose. Your expertise is valuable.

Encourage potential clients to scrap the RFP
process, and engage in a discovery process.

Instead of writing proposals, write case studies,
and show potential clients your process.

Take all the time you would be spending writing
proposals you are guestimating, and fix bugs in
Drupal instead.


HOW CLIENTS CAN WIN
Don’t write RFPs. If you must have some formal
process in place, write an RFQ (Request for
Qualifications).

Only send your RFQ to a few vendors that you trust
or were referred to. Better to get 6 great proposals
then 90 of all shapes and sizes.

Find a vendor within your budget, whose process
makes you the most comfortable, who has expertise
in your specific industry and hire them just to do
Discovery.


WHAT IF I’M TOO SMALL OR
NEW TO SAY NO?
Make sure that the potential client will add to your credibility.

Make sure that they will improve the street cred of your portfolio.

Make sure they will help your bottom line.

Don’t just send a proposal, get to know the client. Try to find an
advantage that will make your proposal stand out.


IT’S THAT SIMPLE
QUESTIONS?


RESOURCES
Blair Enns:
http://www.winwithoutpitching.com/
Becoming the Expert
The Manifesto

Advoblog:
Web Dev for Noobs
Discovery and UX Design


THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Adam Mordecai
Partner / New Business Development

How’d I do? Let me know:
http://www.advomatic.com/NoRFP
mordecai@advomatic.com

Twitter: @advomatic & @advodude
FB: http://facebook.com/advomatic


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