Ericson and I really want to thank our clients for putting their trust in our visions. This recognition is a also a nod to all of them, allowing us to push our creative and concepts.

“I’d also like to thank, my wife for her inspiration, my mom and dad for always …(queue music)… and ofcourse the academy, thank you and good nigh….t…..”

outline

A Request for Proposal (RFP) is a crucial stage of the client/supplier relationship. Guidelines for an RFP are becoming common practice in the world of web-related technologies. An RFP aids in establishing a line of communication and can clarify needs and requirements of your project. We have compiled this document to assist you in creating an RFP that will adequately represent and address your needs.

An RFP should define your needs, it does not need to be a document that is laced with technical jargon that web professionals alone understand. It is our job to translate your needs into best-solution specifications. Tell us what you want in plain English, however clear that picture may be. Try to layout budgetary limitations and time constraints in this initial RFP. This helps to ensure that the proposal we present is an accurate one that responds to your RFP and let’s us know up front whether we can be of assistance or not.

One last consideration is that your RFP should contain specific criteria concerning eligibility of potential developers (i.e., Respondents must have been in business for no less than 3 years). This is a courtesy, proposals take a great deal of thought and time to prepare. Please state this clearly in the initial RFP. This will ensure that neither your time, nor the respondents is wasted.

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recommended structure and checklist

1. Overview
   A plain English description of what the project will entail. This can be summarized in a paragraph or two.
2. Company/Organization Profile
   Tell us about your organization or business. This will assist us in visualizing the context of your project. Knowledge and examples of any existing branding and similar projects – successful or otherwise – help to establish your organization in our eyes.
3. Intended Audience
   A description of the audience for your product/project. Is it specifically geared towards a certain industry? Demographics, consumers, professional community or special interest group?
4. Similar Websites
   Are there any examples of sites or products that are out there already that appeal to you or capture the essence of what you wish to achieve? Show us what you like, we’ll ask you all the necessary questions to sort out ‘Why’ or ‘What’ it is that appeals to you.
5. Samples
   Any samples of content or merchandise that you wish to present through your website will be most helpful in capturing the complete picture.
6. Technical Requirements
   A good time to communicate any technical issues that pertain to this product. Platform compatibilities and E-Commerce should be addressed here. Does it need to reside on your own web server? Do you already have hosting services in place? If you are not sure what these may be we will work with you to best determine these issues.
7. Front-End Requirements
   If there are any design specifications or branding requirements that must be met, any documentation that can be provided will be extremely helpful in keeping a proposal on track.
8. Budget and Time Requirements
   This is one of the most important aspects of any RFP. This allows us to adequately address your needs to the appropriate scale with a custom tailored proposal.

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final product

You can send us your electronic RFP via e-mail or send us a hard copy through the mail. If you want to attach it to an e-mail, make it a Microsoft Word document or a PDF file.