Well this is pretty strange.
Our district has sent out a Request for Proposals for someone to upgrade Tofino’s website. (Here is a link to the job posting; since all traces of it will likely be removed within days, here is a saved pdf of the same posting. The same RFP appeared in the most recent issue of The Westerly).
First thing weird — It was published in the Westerly on Thursday, and online on the AV Employment Centre website on Friday — but proposals have to be in by 4pm Tuesday. Doesn’t give much time for people to see it, not to mention respond to it. Especially considering two of those days are a weekend. What’s the rush? Don’t we want to advertise it properly, so we get well qualified people applying, at a good price?
Second thing weird — It gives absolutely no specs about what they actually want done, i.e. it is completely impossible for anyone to give a quote on. How much work is involved? What do they actually want done?
FYI, here is the total Request for Proposal:
The District of Tofino is seeking a Web Designer to upgrade the District of Tofino website.
Interested parties should submit a proposal that includes:
- Layout and features
- Cost (include breakdown if modular)
- Portfolio of completed projects
It’s not being advertised with enough time to ensure that qualified people even see the proposal – not to mention giving them time to review where the website’s at now, what needs to be done, and cost out and write a proposal.
Sounds like it’s a done deal. Let’s wait and see who gets the contract.
This is our Tofino Residents’ money being spent. Shouldn’t contracts like this be posted fairly, so that we as Tofino Residents get the best value for dollars spent?
3 comments
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July 11, 2010 at 1:23 pm
paul
seeing that i’ve owned a design/development company for 10+ years, i’ve seen my share of RFPs. you can’t even call what they posted an RFP though, there’s no information, no details about what they want, and nothing about how it all works with their FILEPRO system (the whole site seems tied to this application).
it smacks of “let’s pretend we asked for quotes, got none and hired the company we wanted to at whatever price it is without doing actual diligence and soliciting further quotes.” they probably have some deal with a design firm that’s mutually beneficial to them, and not as beneficial to residents…
hello shady dealings!
July 11, 2010 at 1:30 pm
Baku
It is an odd one, isn’t it? It certainly doesn’t look like the District of Tofino is serious about getting proposals for the new web design. no details, no guide lines, nuffin’!
Unfortunately us jaded Tofitians have seen this before, so it’s not surprising that we jump to conclusions.
Apply Occam’s razor, lather, rinse, repeat.
July 11, 2010 at 3:55 pm
Lorne Daniel
These kinds of so-called RFPs are frustrating for legitimate contractors. It looks like either a “we don’t know what we need” fishing expedition or a “this RFP process is just a formality so we can give it to our regular contractor” situation. Not good business practice.