RFP Buzzword bingo

Thijs van der Vossen, 15 May 2006, 15:39 in ruby on rails and business, last updated 15 May 2006, 15:47 (edit).

We recently received a two page REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL for a ‘Social Network Site’:

[…] has developed a concept that requires the development of a niche social network solution, incorporating some of the most innovative features of Web 2.0: RoR, Social Networks with extensive search features, Web Services, Blogs, Tagging, Photo Management, RSS, Internal Messaging, etc. Users are able to sign up, create a profile with pictures and personal data, set preferences and demographic information. This site differentiates itself from the other social networks by providing innovative features in a specific niche.

[…] would like the site to contain the following features.

  • User Registration
  • User Profile Setup
  • User addition to a Network
  • Photo management
  • Ability to post personal blogs
  • Ability to comment on a members profile
  • Messaging capabilities
  • RSS integration
  • Ability to search the social network with varying search parameters
  • External partner data feed and integration through SOAP/XML API’s
  • Extensive niche specific features (further details in Phase 2).

Based on this information, we were asked to ‘provide a detailed estimate with breakdown by task (description of task, duration, total number of hours, etc.). ’ and to ‘a timeline for completion of the project (start date, completion date, milestones)’. Within 5 days.

Maybe I’m being arrogant here, but I don’t see how someone can realistically expect a developer to write a fixed time, fixed budget proposal based on this game of buzzword bingo. Can you?

Comments

  1. Gokhan 142 days later: (delete)

    What I do not like of this kind of proposal request is;

    They put you to write the project details free so they save time and energy. We should charge for this kind of proposals because we plan and think details for them with our vision and experience.

    Probably they will take details and hire another developer to do project and leaving us with frustration.

    just my humble pissed of opinion.
    Gokhan

  2. barry harrison 569 days later: (delete | show email)

    I agree! The last time we received a request like this we suggested to the potential client that the best way to proceeed would be for us write a functional spec that worked out the details. They could use it to get accurate and complete fixed budget proposals.

    But they refused to pay for this work so they hired somebody else.

    I don't know how anybody can come up with fixed prices if they don't know what is expected.

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