[consulting] REVISED RFP FOR DRUPAL DEVELOPER - Deadline November 18, 2010

Thu Nov 11 19:20:30 UTC 2010

This doesn't get better. Four years of experience in the Drupal space 
has taught me to run from RFPs with fixed time lines and fixed (low) 
budgets. Moreover, I've learned to run from clients that already have an 
idea of "what should be difficult". In fact, depending on the detailed 
specs of the features you mention, some of them could be involved (e.g., 
"Conversion to Word." That's huge, right there).

My process when evaluating an RFP is to give a general, ballpark 
estimate and then build it out if the client is still interested. Based 
on what I've read in this thread, I would put this at between 2 and 300 
hrs. At 100.00 / hr that would be about 30,000, more than twice your 
maximum budget.

I'd suggest that you pare your rfp down to essential features-- enough 
to satisfy investors' minimum expectations, and let your deadline be a 
pre launch, evaluation deadline.

It's too bad. This looks like a really cool proposal.

On 11/11/2010 01:58 PM, Ken Williams wrote:
>
> hi Joel, the integration would not be with an existing site, we'll have
> to do some development there, essentially with space for news (editors),
> columns, threaded discussion, and perhaps some ad banners - fairly
> straightforward. The publishing house will be just be a basic about us,
> news, submit a proposal, and buy a book (e-commerce). I'm not imagining
> further integration with the main site beyond a tab or link to those two
> sites.
> We have to pay out all of our invoices by the middle of January, as this
> work is grant funded, hence the tight timeline. I expect us to have all
> of the basic specs by end of next week.
> The components should not be difficult:
> Home page / network news
> Member profiles (with some adaptation as speakers bureau and consultant
> database - e.g., a few more fields)
> Collaborative space (wiki functionality)
> Threaded discussions - usually about a current event or framing an issue
> An idea databank (form driven, tagged or searchable, convertabile to Word)
> Resource library (links and documents)
> Classifieds
> Connectors to our youtube station, podcasting station, and our facebook
> group (may just be gadgets)
> Donate now
> I suspect with most of these we could just set up administrative
> permissions, identify existing drupal modules, and modify as needed.
> For the interface, we have colors already, and a logo, though I might
> tweak the latter. So I think it is fast paced, but doable. We will take
> responsibility at our end for giving a master plan of functionality,
> though input would be welcome about how to add value to it.
> Best,
> Ken
> Ken Williams
> Senior Technical Advisor
> AED Center for Leadership Development &
> Director
> New Voices National Fellowship Program
> 1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW, #1049
> Washington, D.C. 20009
> 202-884-8972
> 202-884-8419 fax
> kwilliam at aed.org <mailto:kwilliam at aed.org>
> http://cld.aed.org <http://cld.aed.org/>
> http://newvoices.aed.org <http://newvoices.aed.org/>
> Want to learn about the nation's best leadership development program for
> emerging leaders?
> Watch this:
> http://vimeo.com/7168443
>
> And if you are an AED employee, visit the revamped AED Workplace AIDS
> Web site!
> http://awac.aed.org <http://awac.aed.org/>
>  >>> Joel Farris <joel at transparatech.com> 11/11/2010 11:49 AM >>>
> Ken, am I reading this correctly? $12,000 for development of a new
> Drupal site that will "fully integrate" with an existing online
> newspaper/publishing site, have user profiles + forums, and to be
> completed in only three weeks of development? (at ~$100/hr for drupal
> expertness, that's 120 hours)
>
> This can't possibly be right, can it? I mean, the technical specs alone
> would take about 40 hours to document before even beginning work due to
> the "integration" aspects of the site, and that's even before you count
> the "what does it look like" in regards to theming.
> --
> Joel Farris
> TransparaTech, Inc
>
>
>
> On Nov 11, 2010, at 7:56 AM, Ken Williams wrote:
>
>  > Note: We have changed the RFP to invite bids from developers outside
> the DC metropolitan area.
>  >
>  > Contact: Ken Williams
>  > Senior Techical Advisor
>  > AED Center for Leadership Development
>  > kwilliam at aed.org
>  > 202-884-8972
>  >
>  > Call for Proposals
>  > Drupal Portal Developer
>  > Consultant/service provider must be an advanced programmer who can
> demonstrate capacity and experience in developing scalable, enterprise
> level sites within a short time frame, and provide at least 5
> demonstration sites and client references.
>  > The portal will include both private / members only content
> (intranet) and public content (extranet).
>  > The portal will include user profiles, threaded discussions,
> collaborative spaces, document libraries, searchable databases,
> integration with an online newspaper and publishing house, and
> multi-media content.
>  > This is a fixed price agreement for development of the site. Maximum
> budget: $12,000 plus agreed upon standard expenses.
>  > No funds are available to the consultant/vendor for ongoing
> maintenance, administration, or additional development of the site
> beyond January 10, 2010.
>  > AED will hold complete ownership of the site and the contract manager
> will share all administrative privileges with the AED contract manager.
>  > Scope of work:
>  > Meet with AED staff at least 3 times between now and January 31,
> 2011. Standard approved travel expenses are covered.
>  > Participate in weekly conference calls (typically 60 minutes), in one
> in- person input meeting of the New Voices Network task force (December
> 17, 2010).
>  > Except where otherwise agreed, meet face to face at least once a week
> with the AED contract manager.
>  > Develop and deliver a memo summarizing the proposed overall
> architecture of the portal, with options for interfaces and navigation
> and a graphic representation or mapping of all functionalities.
> [Deadline: November 22, 2010]
>  > Identify and recommend Drupal Modules for integration into the
> design, with a short summary of what capacities the modules will
> contribute to the portal. [Deadline: November 22, 2010]
>  > Develop and deliver a portal that is ready to go live by January 10,
> 2011.
>  > Produce and deliver a guide for maintenance of the portal by fully
> independent administrators and for publishing by editors or content
> managers. [Deadline: January 3, 2011].
>  > The New Voices Network is a growing, nationwide community of
> progressive emerging human rights leaders. AED is a global nonprofit
> with nearly 2000 staff members, over 250 programs, and presence in all
> 50 states and over 150 countries. Visit: www.aed.org
>  > AED does not currently have a dedicated Drupal developer or vendor.
> Proposals should be no longer than 5 pages and speak to the
> consultant/vendor's qualifications, proposed strategy and capacity to
> meet the RFP requirements, and references.
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > Ken Williams
>  > Senior Technical Advisor
>  > AED Center for Leadership Development &
>  > Director
>  > New Voices National Fellowship Program
>  > 1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW, #1049
>  > Washington, D.C. 20009
>  > 202-884-8972
>  > 202-884-8419 fax
>  > kwilliam at aed.org
>  > http://cld.aed.org
>  > http://newvoices.aed.org
>  >
>  > Want to learn about the nation's best leadership development program
> for emerging leaders?
>  >
>  > Watch this:
>  > http://vimeo.com/7168443
>  >
>  > And if you are an AED employee, visit the revamped AED Workplace AIDS
> Web site!
>  > http://awac.aed.org
>  >
>  > _______________________________________________
>  > consulting mailing list
>  > consulting at drupal.org
>  > http://lists.drupal.org/mailman/listinfo/consulting
>
> _______________________________________________
> consulting mailing list
> consulting at drupal.org
> http://lists.drupal.org/mailman/listinfo/consulting
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> consulting mailing list
> consulting at drupal.org
> http://lists.drupal.org/mailman/listinfo/consulting