Reply to: Access/VB Developer Potential 2mth from 1st Oct

[scooby]

hmmm... most definatey does. I have been played...

[TimberWolf]

I need the above resource for a client we're bidding for based in Preston. Any fellow contractors looking for some sub-contracting from me?

Quote from client:

“If I needed a good Access / VB developer with some SQL skills to do some work for me for a few months can you let me know the costs / T&C’s.

There are a number of small pieces I’m struggling with including;

• Data load – take file, and convert format to load into db (extracting “good” data)
• 2/3 x small access development – some on existing apps some not

There’s probably enough for at least 1 if not 2 months worth.

There isn’t much specced out, so I need someone customer facing to define real requirements from nice to have."

We should hopefully have some thing in more detail by end of week. We will be looking at a b2b contract, and due to cost restrictions would expect you cover your own expenses.

Can you PM me and include your daily rate and email? I'll then contact you directly on email and call you.

I need to get the quote in (only got this request overnight...) today so appreciate a swift response.

Cheers,
Gary

Looks like this one:

IT Contract Job Alert 
Access VBA Developer 
 
Lancashire £150 - £200 per Day 
 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
Access/VB developer with SQL skills. Tasks include:- Data load - take file, and convert format to load into DB (extracting good data) 2/3 x small access development - some on existing apps some not   [view full job] 
 
Start Date: 01/10/2009
Duration: 4 Week(s)
Advertiser: OCC Computer Personnel
Business Type: Employment Business
Contact: David Spibey
Phone: +0044 (0) 1270 621193
Fax: 01270 629 168
Email: David.Spibey.68252.78AB5@mail.jobserve.com
Ref: JSVAC-11787
Date: 24/09/2009 14:19:25

which has been removed from Jobserve now by the looks of it.

[BoredBloke]

What version of access are they using?

[d000hg]

Consultancy to Client: Sure we have a expert in XYZ, he will start on Monday
Consultancy to contractor/employee: Get "XYZ for dummy's" and read it over the weekend, you start on Monday

I thought that's what most contractors did

[scooby]

Consultancy to Client: Sure we have a expert in XYZ, he will start on Monday
Consultancy to contractor/employee: Get "XYZ for dummy's" and read it over the weekend, you start on Monday

OMG! so been there with Futulipsu.

[Not So Wise]

Wouldnt mind so much if I had put in my orginal quote that we had this skillset...

Industry standard these days is to claim you have every skill set in the world in house.

In last few months found at least 3 different suppliers at my current gig were just subcontracting the work out (two to bloody India) because they did not have the actual skills themselves, even though they always claimed to be experts/specialists themselves

Basically everyone is just following the same route the big consultantcy's like Crapita trail-blazed

Consultancy to Client: Sure we have a expert in XYZ, he will start on Monday
Consultancy to contractor/employee: Get "XYZ for dummy's" and read it over the weekend, you start on Monday

[scooby]

well, you are an offshorer after all. We wouldn't expect you to actually read the brief.


If your client is on a tight budget, I would suggest he gets a contractor in on a 3-day consultancy to work out the requirements, then do the rest on a fixed price. That way the contractor can use his expertise to deliver it his way, maybe working double time and finishing it in a week, maybe using offshore help as he sees fit, rather than being paid for the length of time his bum spends in contact with your client's furniture. Daily rate development should be seen as an expensive luxury for clients who can afford not to write their requirements properly.

I'm being played off against another company, and apparently they can supply someone for £250. waiting for a final response, but said they may be better off going to the other place... Even with no mark up, I've struggled to get the rates down to that. ah, well... maybe next time

I also I think I've just been played. I put in some rates and quotes to this client the other day (Sunday) and the first response was this email at 5am today pushing a response today. I replied at 13:35 and had a response by 13:40 saying they could get it cheaper from another company... Seems like a little test to me. Wouldnt mind so much if I had put in my orginal quote that we had this skillset...

[d000hg]

well, you are an offshorer after all. We wouldn't expect you to actually read the brief.

How dare you! My inability to read has nothing to do with my work I fail to be able to read equally as a contractor, permie or manager

[thunderlizard]

Missed that, thanks.

well, you are an offshorer after all. We wouldn't expect you to actually read the brief.


If your client is on a tight budget, I would suggest he gets a contractor in on a 3-day consultancy to work out the requirements, then do the rest on a fixed price. That way the contractor can use his expertise to deliver it his way, maybe working double time and finishing it in a week, maybe using offshore help as he sees fit, rather than being paid for the length of time his bum spends in contact with your client's furniture. Daily rate development should be seen as an expensive luxury for clients who can afford not to write their requirements properly.

[d000hg]

Missed that, thanks.

[thunderlizard]

^^

There isn’t much specced out, so I need someone
customer facing

[d000hg]

client wants to pay little more than £250

As I asked... do they require someone to come on site? Considering the work is not well defined and the duration is not known, it sounds a pain to get a traditional contractor on-site. I'd suggest it's suitable for outsourcing to an outside company but is that something up for consideration? It also allows your client to take their time... a couple of days to review a new version rather than having to keep a contractor busy every day.

PM me if interested, remote working is my specialty both as worker and employer.

[Not So Wise]

client wants to pay little more than £250

In todays market that is about average for an Access Dev (actually for up north probably good rate), not only due to recession but also because Access rates have been dropping steadily over last few years

Though think you might have some difficulty sourcing someone up there

[scooby]

client wants to pay little more than £250

[Bright Spark]

I once worked on a gig where clientco's main system was run on msaccess,
although you couldn't tell just by looking at the front end.

the lead developer was on approx £450 per day this was about 8yrs ago, main
reason why he was paid this much was that to buy offshelf similar system with all functionality would cost cleint approx £300k + £50k support per annum