In Reply to: Division of labor in PA system posted by Duke on February 2, 2011 at 20:45:58:
Duke, I hope you'll take this as the sincere and non-insulting advice it is meant...
I've "passed" on many RFP's (Request For Proposal), generally for one of two reasons: It's outside of my area of expertise, or, the project has "can of worms" written all over it. "Can of worms" can readily be defined one way as "there are no specs in the RFP".
If you're seriously asking the questions you asked in your OP, this project may also fall into the "outside of my expertise" category.
In that light, I'd offer these possibilities, if you insist on pursuing the request:
1. Tell them you need more information, i.e., specifications about size, weight, output, distortion, and dispersion. You know - MEASURABLE stuff. If you get flack for asking that, you're quite possibly dealing with people who don't have the money to buy it anyway, since they obviously haven't even thought through their needs, and haven't had a competent audio engineer spec the system, and have no plan.
2. Partner with a company which has the background in such systems. Build into your proposal (and NOT hidden!) the cost for helping the client determine their needs, and then, once it's agreed to in writing, build the system.
If they say "thanks, but no thanks" and they bail, it'll be a good day for you.
You can't propose a system that meets a clients needs AND be sure you'll get paid, unless the needs are known. If the needs are not known, there is no spec, and there is no way to definitively say the spec has or has not been met. Like I said, "can of worms".
hth
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Follow Ups
- RE: Division of labor in PA system - Inmate51 10:03:34 02/07/11 (1)
- RE: Division of labor in PA system - Duke 10:59:40 02/07/11 (0)