On Fri, 12 Sep 2014, John Hampton wrote:
I am looking for a python contractor for help in building an intranet site for my employer [1]. Ideally, I'd like to find a local independent contractor, though I'm open to recommendations for software shops to contact. Also, I have no clue what the current average hourly rate is among web devs is.
John, I'm not interested in applying for the job, but offer a suggestion for your serious consideration: buy the project for a flat fee, not an hourly rate. Two major problems with hourly billing: 1.) The buyer really does not know what the necessary expertise is worth per hour. If you did you could probably develop the project yourself. But, you want expertise you do not have in-house. Also, price does not equal quality. Lowest bid too frequently means unacceptable quality. 2.) Your contractor is in competition with you. He (or she) knows what is involved in developing your project but there are always glitches, problems that take longer than expected to resolve, and so on. So the contractor is in a bind: does he bill you for all those hours and have you complain about the cost, or does he eat the time and short-change himself? When you negotiate a fixed fee for the project it is based on specific objectives of what will be delivered and when (both of you should target long and deliver early). You both agree on the price so you know up front how much you're investing and the contractor is satisfied with that amount. Then you both have aligned goals: get the project done correctly as quickly as is consistent with the required quality, regardless of the time and effort involved. Define the specific end-point; e.g., delivery of a working prototype for everyone to try. After that, changes and tweaks can be done on a time-and-expense basis. Years ago I changed to flat rate project costs and my clients really like it. I don't worry if I end up working for less than minimum wages since I agreed the amount was acceptable to me and my clients paid the budgeted amount without worry that I'd treat them as a cash cow to be milked dry. Also, offer to pay 1/3rd of the total up front, and the final two thirds at agreed check points. A problem with selling services is that they cannot be repossessed once delivered. Pre-payment sets an ethical, moral, and honesty obligation on your contractor and assures you that his attention is focused on your needs. Good luck, Rich -- Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D. Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. | Troutdale, OR 97060 USA www.appl-ecosys.com Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: 503-667-8863 _______________________________________________ Portland mailing list [email protected] https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/portland
