If finding the perfect client or vendor is a bit like dating, then the RFP system is like online dating -- the worst kind, too. We search for "Drupal," get a long list of fuzzy pictures, dry statistics, cliche interests (long walks on the beach, higher conversion rates), and vague specifications. Using this (often misleading) information, we have to show up for our first rendezvous ready to commit to a year-long relationship. Is this true love or a marriage of convenience? Will we find out months later that we don't actually like each other? The RFP process strips vendors of their individuality and creativity, reducing their passion to a PDF overstuffed with boilerplate and little thumbnails of their amazing designers, developers, and project managers. Proposals tell you how good a vendor is at writing proposal, not how good their work is. (How many clients are looking to hire professional proposal writers?) In this panel, some of the world's top Drupal business development professionals will speak to the RFP process and other options. The strengths and weaknesses of RFPs will be identified, and creative alternatives will be discussed. If you are writing an RFP, this is your wake-up call. If you are bidding, come learn about your options. Let's architect a better process. Let's provide a solution that maximizes vendors' capabilities and speaks to clients' requirements -- all while building a project team that collaboratively delivers an amazing result. #NoRFPs! Panelists will include:
Todd Nienkerk (Partner, Four Kitchens)
Crystal Williams
Brian Skowron (Sales Manager, Lullabot)
Zach Chandler (Web Strategist, Stanford University)
This session will be a Drupal-specific version of a SXSW panel I'm on with Joe Rinaldi of Happy Cog: OMG your RFPs are killing me!

Questions answered by this session:
Vendors: Are RFPS good for my business? (And how can I tell?)
Vendors: What alternatives do vendors have when faced with responding to an RFP?
Clients: What are the advantages of establishing a vendor relationship outside an RFP?
Clients: How can I navigate through my internal procurement, purchasing, and legal departments to engage vendors outside an RFP?
Clients: What resources, stakeholders, budget, and documentation do I need to organize to start an evaluation process outside of an RFP?