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Subject:RE: help on bidding a job From:"Alan Salo" <asalo -at- mmgsystems -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Mon, 15 Apr 2002 11:58:45 -0500
Jonathan W. responded to Sylvia:
<snip>
>As for quoting a flat rate or an hourly rate, if you have no
particular
>preference as to which you use, I'd suggest you ask the client which
*they*
>would prefer. They will recognise that if you quote a flat rate, you
will be
>padding it a bit in order to allow for contingencies, whereas if you
provide
>an hourly rate and a time estimate, they are taking a degree of risk
>themselves as to the total that will pay.
>You then give them what you think is a figure that will get you paid
at a
>rate you think is fair & reasonable. They then can either accept it,
reject
>it, or negotiate it. If you find that you get rejected too often,
then you
>may have to revise your estimate as to that is a reasonable rate to
charge. <snip>
Greetings-
After recently being downsized (after ten years...) I also found
myself bidding on freelance curriculum-development work for the first
time while looking for a permanent gig. On advice from a long-time
freelancer I bid the job on a fair dollar-per-hour rate (the "going"
rate for the area). The initial response from the client was a literal
e-mail "GASP" on the per-hour rate. At that I responded with an
overall project figure which he accepted with a "that's more like it"
attitude. I ended up making over $10/hour more for the project, plus
received a second contract for the same dollar amount which netted an
even better per-hour rate. They loved my work and I later added a
third contract which provided the same result.
In my case, the per-hour rate appeared over the top even though it was
for less than they eventually paid. They were happier with the
closed-ended project amount and I received my rate plus a nice bonus.
It's all a matter of how the client looks at it.
Cheers,
Alan
- a new Techwhirler who's de-lurking because he has something to share
and who is wishing that his development/writing/training department of
one was bigger so he could enjoy the fontastic spring weather in a
depressed writer's market...
-----------------------------------------------
Alan Salo
Corporate Trainer
Material Management Group, Inc.
asalo -at- mmgsystems -dot- com
(920) 749-9781 x44
-----------------------------------------------
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