Proposal for 3 year long project

[Ned Miller]

I agree with Mark IF this was a bid for a corporation. Companies have ways of borrowing from other budgets, or departments or shoving our costs into next year’s budget, etc. But what I have found when dealing with “institutions” like a school, is that a board or committee determines a budget and there is no wiggle room. That’s why I try, try, try to find out what their number is, so I don’t waste my time.

I usually don’t bid on institutional projects anymore because often someone has the “inside track”. I also ask: “Is anyone else bidding who has done video for you before?” If there’s a long pause followed by an “ummm…” I send in a cursory estimate or don’t follow up. Institutions usually have to collect a certain amount of bids.

One time the giant Navy base near me said they wanted to use me but had to get three bids. They asked how they could tailor the specs so I would look the best and come in the least! So I had them solicit bids from the most expensive production companies I could think of. As for the corrupt state of Illinois’ videos, I stopped bidding on them because the lowest bidder had an inside track, would come in lowest, and then when they are awarded the bid they lay on the add ons, like open captioning, etc.

So, in sum, I wouldn’t bid on something with so few specifics because the outfit who will win probably already has all the specs, that would be their way of getting the producer they prefer. But if you do bid please let us know what happened.

Ned Miller
Chicago Videographer
http://www.nedmiller.com
http://www.bizvideo.com

[Mark Suszko]

As a guy that makes some of those videos for the “Corrupt state of Illinois” as my living, I take a little umbrage at your dig, friendo. (raises eyebrow)

BTW, closed-captioning is not a “gimmick” on state projects; it’s required by the feds any time their money is part of the project, which is often the case in things done for our various social services agencies. And I’m going to stop there, because I don’t speak for my employers. Just don’t be so sure you know all the reasons your bids failed. State bidding is a very Byzantine process from any perspective. Your bid can fail for any of a hundred reasons.

I have worked with educational setups before, and they know the same tricks as big business when it comes to stashing funds here and there, functionally they operate pretty similarly in many cases. I would stand by my earlier assertion that you should not chase a phantom target by conforming your bid to their budget. rather, make the best, most sensible bid you can, one that works for YOU, THEN work on getting it accepted. To do otherwise starts a progression that ends up with you wearing a plastic name badge and hair net.

[Nick Griffin]

[Mark Suszko] “As a guy that makes some of those videos for the “Corrupt state of Illinois” as my living, I take a little umbrage at your dig, friendo.”

Oh, boy!! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! (We need a good one about now.)

Ned, are you going to let Mark say that about your looks?

Mark, are you going to just sit by and let Ned imply that about your profession?

[Mark Suszko]

I say we take dis guy Griffin down over by dere and give him a tune-up for being nobody that anybody sent fer dis situation.

[Greg Ball]

Well I submitted my bid and we’ll see what happens. BTW I asked the client via email if he could give me an idea of their budget. His answer was “This question is not relevant”.

Thanks for all of your advice. Have a good one!

[Nick Griffin]

[Greg Ball] “His answer was “This question is not relevant”.”

Oh. One of those. That sounds like someone who truly is holding you at arms length and treating you as just another “vendor.”

(Maybe Suszko and and a few of his boys could pay him a visit.)

Let us know how it turns out anyway.

[Ned Miller]

In the event you do not get this bid, and the school in question is a public institution supported by your taxes, if it was me I would…..

Out of curiosity and to better my bidding for the future, I would call the local newspaper and talk with the reporter for the “education beat”. This reporter knows the ins and outs of ferreting out financial information regarding the schools. Without mentioning your failed video bid, ask the reporter if bidding information is a matter of public record. This reporter would know. There may be a cut off, like under $100,000, is not in the record, or all bids may be a matter of public record and you could go down to the district’s office and ask to see the “winning” bid.

Being extremely curious, and somewhat vengeful, I would like to see if the winning bid had great detail that I was not privy to. I would imagine so. In which case I could assume my bid was what is known as a “check bid”.

Or…if you DO win the bid it may be interesting to see what your competitors put in and use those tid bits of information to help set a course for the next three years. Let us know.

Ned Miller
Chicago Videographer
http://www.nedmiller.com
http://www.bizvideo.com

[Mark Suszko]

No need for such cloak and dagger, Ned; the state procurement system is already online with free access to anybody that registers; you can search its database and even set it to alert you regarding particular types of contracts going out to bid, who bid, and you can have details on any winning bid, by law. State schools are part of the same system. At least they are in Illinois, your mileage may vary.

[Grinner Hester]

ahhhhh. So he just wants free consultation.
Be sure to not include details on the bid. It’s irrelevant, afterall. Just put a bigass price on it.