how to choose partners for web projects: understanding the rfp process
DESCRIPTION
Choosing a partner for a Website or CRM project can be a bit intimidating. It is important to understand the RFP process and what you can do to make the process as streamlined as possible in order to find the most qualified candidates. This presentation gives insight from designers on how to improve this process and plan for success. Presentation was shown at the Nonprofit Technology Conference in March 2014. Paula Jones of NC Center for Nonprofits, Eric Magnuson of Exponent Partners, David Minton of Design Hammer, and Marcy Rye of Wire Media presented on this topic.TRANSCRIPT
Choosing the Right Partner for Your Next Website or CRM Project:Holding Hands Before You Get Married#14NTCpartner
Paula JonesEric MagnusonDavid MintonMarcy Rye
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Serving Nonprofits, Strengthening North Carolina
www.ncnonprofits.org
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Slide *CHOOSING THE RIGHT PARTNER FOR YOUR NEXT WEBSITE OR CRM PROJECT
Mission-Based B-Corp
Exclusively Focused on Nonprofits
Proven Project Methodology
900+ Projects over the Past 10 YearsDeep Social Sector Expertise
Leading Salesforce.com Foundation® Partner
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Building smarter websites since 2001.
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Who are you?
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Your experience with RFPs?
● Ready to do first?● Have done one?● Have done many?
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Overview
● PART 1: Preparation● PART 2: Resource allocation● PART 3: RFP elements● Tips & Tricks
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Part 1: Preparation
IMAGE: WIKI COMMONS
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Planning for success
● Create a short list
● Know your audience
● Identify goals
● Define success
● Define budget range
● Determine timeframe
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Create a short list
IMAGE: WIKI COMMONS
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How to find your people
● order takers vs partners
● get referrals
● meet in person
● ask & listen
● consider an RFI
● identify priorities
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Know your audience
IMAGE: WIKI COMMONS
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What does your audience want?
● internet/tech savvy?
● demographics
● why are they involved with you?
● what do they hope to gain?
● what does it mean for your project?
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Identify goals: strategy vs tactics
IMAGE: WIKI COMMONS
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How to identify goals
● look at the mission
● survey stakeholders
● group prioritization / agreement
● strategy vs. tactics
● SMART goals
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Tactics
● don’t need to include in RFP unless
● should follow from goals
● don’t be trendy
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Define success
IMAGE: HUFFINGTON POST
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Imagine the end result
● be specific
● think in terms of meeting a strategic
goal for your org
● what do you want to measure?
● minimal viable product (it’s software)
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Possible metrics (website)
● page views & visits
● membership registration
● contact form submissions
● online orders/donations
● sharing
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Possible metrics (CRM)
● user adoption
● outcomes reportability
● process
automation/efficiency
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Tips for Success
● clearly define goals
● research metrics for other organizations
● don’t lose sight of users’ needs
● plan for user feedback to influence later
development phases
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Define budget range
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Size of budget affects:
● technological approach
● level of customization
● level of integration(s)
● ability to plan for future
expansion and costs
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Budget factors:
● do you have a budget?
● total cost of ownership
● if not paying cash, opportunity costs
● flexibility of budget/schedule/scope
● how you measure success
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Tips for Budgets
● If you aren’t permitted to provide budget in your proposal, then indicate a budget above which proposals will not be accepted.
● Projects always cost more than expected — plan around priority 1 needs.
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Tips for Budgets
● Indicate who created your current website, as well as the development cost, and annual maintenance.
● Expect vendors to review your IRS Form 990, available on websites such as www.guidestar.org.
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Schedule
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Plan time for:
● Deployment
● Design, Development
● Planning content/data migration
● Selection process
● Submission process
● Creating your short list
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Tips for Schedules
● Allow enough time to review and compare your short list people
● If you think you have set aside enough time, you probably haven’t
● Projects often take 2x3 times longer than you think they should
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Part 2: Resource Allocation
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Who is doing the work?
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Your choices
● You● Paid staff members● Volunteers/interns● Freelance/individuals● Agencies/firms
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You
Pros● No additional cost● Readily available
Cons● Opportunity cost● Do you have the necessary skills?
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Paid staff
Pros● No additional cost● Readily available
Cons● Opportunity cost● Less scalable than freelance or
agency
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Volunteers/interns
Cons● Less stable than freelance or agency● Less scalable than freelance or
agency
Pros● Free or cheap● Augment internal
capabilities
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Freelance/individuals
Pros● Less expensive than agency● Augment internal capabilities
Cons● Less stable than agency or firm● Less scalable than agency or firm
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Agencies/firms
Pros● Stability● Technical capabilities● Scalability
Cons● Most expensive
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Who runs the project?
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Project management
● Improves efficiency
● Lowers costs● Reduces chance
of failure● Improves chance
of success
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Tips: Management
● More decision makers lead to longer and more expensive projects!
● Provide single points of contact for project production workers.
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Part 3:Drafting an RFP
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RFP Process
● Writing an RFP● Selecting firms to approach● Comparing vendors
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“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”
Paul Neal “Red” Adairblowout/oil firefighting pioneer
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Vendor informationWithout, responses are just a guess.
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Vendors need to know
● Functionality● Constraints● Schedule● Budget● Decision making criteria
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Functionality
● Specific functionality● Public vs. private content● Third party integration● “Must haves” vs.“Nice to haves”
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Constraints
● Technology requirements● Hosting requirements● Security requirements● Organizational requirements
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Schedule
● Timeline for selection process● Desired start date● Desired launch date
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Budget
● Without a target budget, firms will guess
● What is minimum feature set for budget?
● If you don’t know your budget, you aren’t ready for an RFP, go for an RFI instead
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Selection criteria
● Price?● Schedule?● Technical experience?● Samples of similar work?● Company infrastructure?● Geographic location of vendor?
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Qualification Questions Comparing apples to apples.
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Some questions for vendors
● Sample of past projects● Minimum/average project budgets● Do you subcontract, if so why?● Design & development philosophy● Technological capabilities● Capacity● References
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Tips: Qualification
● Schedule initial calls or meetings to allow both you and the vendors to pre-qualify each other.
● If you openly publish your RFP, don’t be surprised by the number of responses you receive.
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Tips: Qualification
● Limit the length. Saves you and the vendors significant time and effort.
● Ask specific questions to better compare vendors.
● Effort required to respond to your RFP should be commensurate with your budget.
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Vendor selectionA good decision is based on more
than numbers.
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Which ones?
● Ask your peers● Attend conferences (like NTC)● Do web searches● Review websites similar to yours
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How many?
● Does your organization have a minimum bidding requirement?
● Ideally 3–5● If really unsure, consider Request
for Information (RFI) to narrow number
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Compare vendors
● Review proposals with vendors through meetings or calls
● Ask for an apples-to-apples comparison if vendor proposals do not line up
● Everything is negotiable
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Tips: Selection
● Indicate what type of vendor created the current website.
● Was the current vendor invited to submit an RFP response?
● Why are you seeking a new vendor?
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Tips: Selection
● How many vendors have been invited to respond? What types of vendors?
● Most professionals will not provide spec work, but you should ask for samples and/or portfolio.
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It Doesn’t End HereNo website or CRM lasts forever.
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Conclusion
● Planning is essential● Understand the pros and cons of
resources● Make the most of RFP process
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Thanks!@wiremedia
@designhammer@pgjones00
@exp_sf