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Subject:RE: help on bidding a job From:"Jonathan West" <jwest -at- mvps -dot- org> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Sat, 13 Apr 2002 18:30:40 +0100
Hi Sylvia,
>
> While I've done this work before, I've never done it in a
> situation where I
> had to make the bid. Would you do something like this hourly, or would you
> quote a flat rate? For a mostly written Help file of this size,
> what would a
> reasonable amount be?
>
I think the best thing is to make an honest assessment of what the work
consists of.
1. How long do you think it will take you to do?
2. How much time do you expect to have to take in going through the document
with the client, and making any requested revisions & refinements?
3. What do you regard as a fair hourly rate for the work?
The answers to those questions will give you an indication of the figure you
should be quoting.
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.
For actual figures, its probably impossible to offer advice, because rates
vary in different parts of the world, and in different industries.
Regards
Jonathan West
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