how to choose partners for web projects: understanding the rfp process

Choosing the Right Partner for Your Next Website or CRM Project:Holding Hands Before You Get Married#14NTCpartner

Paula JonesEric MagnusonDavid MintonMarcy Rye

Slide *CHOOSING THE RIGHT PARTNER FOR YOUR NEXT WEBSITE OR CRM PROJECT

Serving Nonprofits, Strengthening North Carolina

www.ncnonprofits.org

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

Building smarter websites since 2001.

Who are you?

Your experience with RFPs?

● Ready to do first?● Have done one?● Have done many?

Overview

● PART 1: Preparation● PART 2: Resource allocation● PART 3: RFP elements● Tips & Tricks

Part 1: Preparation

IMAGE: WIKI COMMONS

Planning for success

● Create a short list

● Know your audience

● Identify goals

● Define success

● Define budget range

● Determine timeframe

Create a short list

IMAGE: WIKI COMMONS

How to find your people

● order takers vs partners

● get referrals

● meet in person

● ask & listen

● consider an RFI

● identify priorities

Know your audience

IMAGE: WIKI COMMONS

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?

Identify goals: strategy vs tactics

IMAGE: WIKI COMMONS

How to identify goals

● look at the mission

● survey stakeholders

● group prioritization / agreement

● strategy vs. tactics

● SMART goals

Tactics

● don’t need to include in RFP unless

● should follow from goals

● don’t be trendy

Define success

IMAGE: HUFFINGTON POST

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)

Possible metrics (website)

● page views & visits

● membership registration

● contact form submissions

● online orders/donations

● sharing

Possible metrics (CRM)

● user adoption

● outcomes reportability

● process

automation/efficiency

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

Define budget range

Size of budget affects:

● technological approach

● level of customization

● level of integration(s)

● ability to plan for future

expansion and costs

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

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.

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.

Schedule

Plan time for:

● Deployment

● Design, Development

● Planning content/data migration

● Selection process

● Submission process

● Creating your short list

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

Part 2: Resource Allocation

Who is doing the work?

Your choices

● You● Paid staff members● Volunteers/interns● Freelance/individuals● Agencies/firms

Pros● No additional cost● Readily available

Cons● Opportunity cost● Do you have the necessary skills?

Paid staff

Pros● No additional cost● Readily available

Cons● Opportunity cost● Less scalable than freelance or

agency

Volunteers/interns

Cons● Less stable than freelance or agency● Less scalable than freelance or

agency

Pros● Free or cheap● Augment internal

capabilities

Freelance/individuals

Pros● Less expensive than agency● Augment internal capabilities

Cons● Less stable than agency or firm● Less scalable than agency or firm

Agencies/firms

Pros● Stability● Technical capabilities● Scalability

Cons● Most expensive

Who runs the project?

Project management

● Improves efficiency

● Lowers costs● Reduces chance

of failure● Improves chance

of success

Tips: Management

● More decision makers lead to longer and more expensive projects!

● Provide single points of contact for project production workers.

Part 3:Drafting an RFP

RFP Process

● Writing an RFP● Selecting firms to approach● Comparing vendors

“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

Vendor informationWithout, responses are just a guess.

Vendors need to know

● Functionality● Constraints● Schedule● Budget● Decision making criteria

Functionality

● Specific functionality● Public vs. private content● Third party integration● “Must haves” vs.“Nice to haves”

Constraints

● Technology requirements● Hosting requirements● Security requirements● Organizational requirements

Schedule

● Timeline for selection process● Desired start date● Desired launch date

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

Selection criteria

● Price?● Schedule?● Technical experience?● Samples of similar work?● Company infrastructure?● Geographic location of vendor?

Qualification Questions Comparing apples to apples.

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

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.

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.

Vendor selectionA good decision is based on more

than numbers.

Which ones?

● Ask your peers● Attend conferences (like NTC)● Do web searches● Review websites similar to yours

How many?

● Does your organization have a minimum bidding requirement?

● Ideally 3–5● If really unsure, consider Request

for Information (RFI) to narrow number

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

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?

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.

It Doesn’t End HereNo website or CRM lasts forever.

Conclusion

● Planning is essential● Understand the pros and cons of

resources● Make the most of RFP process

What did you think?

Evaluate this session!Or, search by session title at www.nten.org/ntc/eval

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Thanks!@wiremedia

@designhammer@pgjones00

@exp_sf

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