Prolay ChaudhuryPractice Lead & Lead Solution Architect| Chaudhury, Inc.Bangalore, Karnataka, India
The situation - The client has sent you the Fixed price RFQ with an estimated project timeline with requirements. After going through the requirements, you understood that the requirements are complex and it cannot be delivered by the proposed timeline of the client.
What will you do? Accept the proposed timeline and suffer later on. Or negotiate with the client to defer the deadline by reasonable time with your findings. Saving Changes...
Prolay ChaudhuryPractice Lead & Lead Solution Architect| Chaudhury, Inc.Bangalore, Karnataka, India
The situation - Customer, has defined their requirements, but they do not have the clear idea of how the end product is going to work with these predefined set of requirements. They want us to develop the product by implementing these requirements and by seeing the working version of the product which we implemented they wish to evolve around it. They did not purposefully define the wrong timeline, but their lack of vision made them so. Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Is the RFQ the final client request or is it a stepping stone towards a RFP?
If the former, then you may have limited room to negotiate. As Dominic points out, you then have to assess the risk profile and see if it matches your organization's risk appetite.
If the latter, then use the opportunity to further clarify the requirements and schedule so as to better influence the RFP. Saving Changes...
You should reply to the RFQ with your best price along with any assumptions or qualifications you are making. It may be that what you and your estimators have seen things that have escaped the eye of the company submitting the RFQ, as well as some responders to the RFQ. By laying it on the line, you've told this potential customer that you have carefully considered the project, and that could work in your favor, either now, or later for the next RFQ.
There are other considerations. If your company is under duress, and you just need work to retain your trained staff until better economic condidtions, you could perhaps do the project at cost. No profit, but also provides the means to keep your trained staff from leaving due to lack of work. Saving Changes...
Prolay ChaudhuryPractice Lead & Lead Solution Architect| Chaudhury, Inc.Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Moreover, Secondly, what I have learned working with seasoned Program Managers/Enterprise Architects around the world that you have the every right to deny the impossible timeline even with the client. Here in India, we do not do that because of our issues.
Humbly speaking, as Dominic explained in his post very nicely that we must not under commit/over commit our strengths and weaknesses during the customer relationship building process. Balancing the equation is utmost important. Saving Changes...
