Tamra R. Heathershaw-Hart wrote:
>
> Didn't ICON CMT just aquire some big web design firm in SF about a month
> ago? Organic or maybe Vivid? This whole M&A trend going on is weird. Some
> big company just bought Studio Archetype, and CKS is merging with
> someone....us little folks can't get any press any more, since the M&As are
> filling up the column inches. Hmmm...maybe we should all aquire each other,
> then spin each other off as separate companies? The paperwork would be a
> killer, but we might get some good PR out of it. <cynical wink>
*chuckle*
I just contracted "around" this the other day. The three firms left in
our RFP pool after screening are all about the same in capabilities,
just have slightly different specialties. I asked them to bid the
various projects individually. All objected, stating that it would be
more cost effective to do them as a bundle and let them integrate it
into one system.
I told them fine, do that, but also bid them separately. :0
My fear is that if I commit them (the UNF) to a five year+ development
project with one firm, there's a pretty good chance that in today's
market, that firm is going to be bought during that five year period.
We may not like the new owners or where they're headed, we may not like
changes to teams, etc., and I certainly don't want to be caught wanting
to change firms right when the firm we put all our business with is
doing management transitions (people wanting out generally get less
atention from new management). Better to have multiple firms competing
at every step of the way in some respects . . .
I rather plan on separating the elements and keeping two or three firms
working on different aspects of the site all the time. Seems to be
driving them nuts. On the other hand, if they're looking for our
account for the name recognition they might get, they're on notice that
if they parlay that into a sale, there's a good chance we'll walk and
someone else will get the pick-up business :P
Figure it's the least I can do since they (in turn) make me sign an
agreement not to steal their staff members out from under them *grin*
Brett (likes consistency in product and has little time for business
people who are more concerned about lining their pockets than providing
committed service :P)
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