Proposals, contracts and clients for web developers presentation by Ofer Cohen, from DrupalCamp Israel 2013 and JoomlaDay Israel 2013. Credit: Mike Carson, OpenSourceMatters Board Member

1. Proposals, Contracts and Clients
in the web industry
Ofer Cohen
S.D.O.C. Ltd.
OpenSourceMatters Inc.

2. @
Who Am I
oc
66
● Entrepreneur, R&D and project manager at the
start-up nation
● OpenSourceMatters Board Member
● Start with Joomla
● Continue with Drupal
● After and until Today non-CMS (Telecom
oriented)
6

3. What I will talk today?
● What types of proposals we get
● How we can maximize revenue
● How to handle project
● Why contract is important

4. Great thanks and credit!
Mike Carson
OpenSourceMatters board member

5. Rule #1
Time is Money (™)

6. There is only Rule #1
Time is Money (™)

7. Proposals

8. 3 Types of proposals
● RFI
● RFQ
● RFP

9. 3 Types of proposals
● Work for enterprise
● Work for SMB
● Work for the smallest client

10. RFI - Request For Information
● Looking for basic consultancy
● Usually client look and check the market
● What to based their project
● Useful for qualify the vendor

11. RFQ - Request for quotation
● Short document with basic info
● Check vendor quality & experience
● Check vendor efforts and costs estimation
● Not down to details
● Price focused

12. RFP - Request for proposal
● The most important
● RFI & RFQ can be included
● Vendor need to offer solutions for declared problems
● Use for competitor comparison
● Takes the most time
● Contain deadlines and requirements including Q&A

13. Pay attention I
● Most requests are not RFP
● If customer request by email - RFI
● Do not respond to any request
● Do not respond if you have less than 50%
chance
● DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME

14. Pay attention II
● How the request distributed (mail, website...)
○ References are the greatest
○ Also direct phone
● How was it received (RE: Proposal…)
● Customer have phone included?
● Customer handle questions?

15. Pay Attention III
● Opportunity to charge for consultant
● SMB - include cover letter
● Thanks and check for feedback anytime
● Most clients do not care of open source
● Clients care about solution!

16. Tips
● Corporate Corporate Corporate
● Do not wait for the last minute
● Listen to client needs
● Talk less
● You cannot do anything
● Pay attention where you put your price

17. Revenue

18. Charge for… make it recur
● Think recurring
● Maintenance & Updates
● Support
● Extensions styling
● Content creation

19. Charge for… make it recur
● Security Services
● Monitoring Services
● Backup services
● Hosting services
● SEO
● SEM

20. Project

21. Project is a project is a project
● Make roadmap
○ Make roadmap from the first proposal
● Deadlines to customer and YOU
● Identify the risks
● Do not start without PRD (at least simple)
● Make a weekly meeting! WEEKLY! FACE2FACE

22. Project is a project is a project
● Client is the boss
● Talk with the client for any issue
○ TALK!
● Do not assume on behalf the client

23. Contracts

24. Contracts
● You have more than 3 clients - get a attorney
○ Immediately!
● Attorney - business bodyguard
● If you do not sign a contract - you’re amateur
● Both parties are accountable - BUSI-NESS
● Do not make business with F&F

25. Contracts
● Contract for all of your projects (small to big)
● Do everything to *avoid* court
● If client do not want to sign - walk away
● Try to make simple contract
● Make reference to the proposal

26. Contracts
● Time, consequences for both sides
● Include maintenance technical support & SLA

27. Contracts - payments
● SHOTEF+?
● Net+?
● 10%-20% deposit - not refundable
● Make a payment roadmap (according to
deliveries)
● Pay like a amateur => Works like a amateur

28. Contracts - do not forget
● What you are doing when things go wrong
● You can fired a client

29. Conclusion

30. Simple equation
● Time is Money + Money is Important
● Time is very important

31. Thank you.
Ofer Cohen
S.D.O.C. Ltd.
OpenSourceMatters Inc.

32. More info
RFPs, Proposals, and Contracts for Web Developers
The ultimate course