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You're entering the realm of RFPs. Government agencies issue Request For Proposals when they need something tech-related done, you prepare a fairly hefty propos

You're entering the realm of RFPs. Government agencies issue Request For Proposals when they need something tech-related done, you prepare a fairly hefty proposal and send it in. Then you wait and wait and hopefully hear something at some point. It's potentially lucrative but it's a long sales cycle and those kinds of contracts tend to be lowest-bidder kind of things (so your opportunity to turn a profit is based on your ability to outsource the work very cheaply). Check online for RFP listings services to get a taste of what that system is like.

GFischer 12y ago
Also, I don't know how it's done in the U.S., but here (Uruguay), state agencies prioritize companies that have done work for the state in the past, so the only way to enter the "system" is to underbid on a low-budget project and hope to win, then do well and have a good reference under your belt (or pay a bribe, but let's not get into that). And RFP equivalents are a pain to write, it's usually a valuable skill to have people who have done it in the past.
- d4mi3n 12y ago
  Thanks for sharing! What is it like competing for such RFPs? Sounds like it's not for the faint of heart. Have you managed to make a pleasant/sustainable career out of this sort of work?
  - dagw 12y ago
    Competing is a pain in the ass, since at the end of the day lowest bidder basically always wins. So it really ends up a race to the bottom and I've seen more than one contract to go bidders offering to do projects basically at a loss. There is another way however. Many places have a lower limit, where projects under that don't have to go out for bids. Find out what that limit is and keep your project under that limit. This does require you to get to know people in decision making positions, developing an understanding of what problems they face and sell proposals directly to them.
  - GFischer 12y ago
    I don't compete for such RFPs (I'm actually kind of on the other side of the table at the moment :) ). However, I have friends whose companies do, and yes, they've made a sustainable career out of this sort of work. The key "secret" is that, by the time the RFP comes out... it's almost always too late. It's much better to have built rapport with the organization, know its needs... and at least over here, the RFP will be written with one or several products or companies in mind. There are several very good answers here (dagw's point of finding the lower limit is a great one), and I've also seen other good posts here on HN, I'll see if I can dig some up.

GFischer 12y ago

Also, I don't know how it's done in the U.S., but here (Uruguay), state agencies prioritize companies that have done work for the state in the past, so the only way to enter the "system" is to underbid on a low-budget project and hope to win, then do well and have a good reference under your belt (or pay a bribe, but let's not get into that). And RFP equivalents are a pain to write, it's usually a valuable skill to have people who have done it in the past.

d4mi3n 12y ago
Thanks for sharing! What is it like competing for such RFPs? Sounds like it's not for the faint of heart. Have you managed to make a pleasant/sustainable career out of this sort of work?
- dagw 12y ago
  Competing is a pain in the ass, since at the end of the day lowest bidder basically always wins. So it really ends up a race to the bottom and I've seen more than one contract to go bidders offering to do projects basically at a loss. There is another way however. Many places have a lower limit, where projects under that don't have to go out for bids. Find out what that limit is and keep your project under that limit. This does require you to get to know people in decision making positions, developing an understanding of what problems they face and sell proposals directly to them.
- GFischer 12y ago
  I don't compete for such RFPs (I'm actually kind of on the other side of the table at the moment :) ). However, I have friends whose companies do, and yes, they've made a sustainable career out of this sort of work. The key "secret" is that, by the time the RFP comes out... it's almost always too late. It's much better to have built rapport with the organization, know its needs... and at least over here, the RFP will be written with one or several products or companies in mind. There are several very good answers here (dagw's point of finding the lower limit is a great one), and I've also seen other good posts here on HN, I'll see if I can dig some up.