Proposals are technical writing products, while quotes (or estimates) are consulting products.
The process of writing a proposal begins with:
- A short description of the project
- An understanding of business requirements
- A list of problems to solve
This could take place as a telephone call or an email.
Next, we arrange a meeting by phone or (if local) in person to discuss possible solutions in more detail.
Next, we may provide a quote or a proposal, or begin work on a time and materials basis, according to your preferences.
A quote is usually free, but does not imply a fixed-price agreement, and does not imply that we have agreed or will agree to move forward with the project. Often a quote can be provided on the spot, over the phone or in a meeting, in order to provide feedback about various approaches to solving problems.
A proposal is a technical writing product, requiring significant time and knowledge. In addition, proposals enable us in many situations to offer a fixed-price contract, which involves measuring and assessing the risks associated with your project. Therefore, the proposal is not free. After gathering requirements, we will provide a fixed-price quote for the work of completing the proposal.
