Objective: 

In this project you will conduct research to assess the technology needs of a given business scenario, research the various options to meet those needs and will draft a request for quote or RFQ.

After completing this project you will be able to prepare a professional-quality RFQ that can be sent to vendors to solicit price quotes

Relevance:

Operating a business today requires a significant amount of technology. Even most small businesses must make substantial investments in technology to remain competitive. Businesses must be familiar with the available technologies and they must know what technology to purchase and to invest in. Making effective purchasing decisions in technology procurement is critical to business success.

Preparation:

• Complete preparation assignments 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3.

Knowledge/Skill Required:

• Internet research and digital literacy knowledge
• Research paper formatting requirements

Materials Needed:

• Example of an RFQ
• LAFS Research Documentation Guidelines

Live Session:

• Date: Thursday, June 11, 2020
• Time: 7:00 — 7:30 pm ET / 4:00 — 4:30 pm PT
• Topic: Business Technology Decision Making
• Join the Zoom meeting at this link.
• Class Password: 854146

Join me for this live classroom session. Bring your questions and ideas. The live session will provide guidance for every step of the assignments and the Project. In this session, we’re going to talk about matching business needs to types of business technology, and then to specific choices of technology.

I look forward to meeting with each of you, and having a fun and productive class!

0:00 / 23:231x2.4 Live Classroom Session

Instructions

1. Download and review the “Example of an RFQ” document.

• Example of an RFQ 289 KB

2.  Select one business scenario from the list below.

• Scenario 1
  As the managing director of a film marketing company, you have just won a contract to cross-market a movie that is currently in production. You are expected to create hype and excitement before the release. You are also tasked with licensing the movie brand to various toy manufacturers in the U.S. You must have the toys distributed to stores prior to the movie launch.
• Scenario 2
  You and a friend have partnered to create an awesome video game. To get the product shipped on time, you need to expand your workforce to include programmers from India and testers from Singapore. You will need to purchase technologies that will allow you to manage the global project. You will need to communicate with your team daily, across many time zones. Also, your team will need to work on large files at the same time.
• Scenario 3
  You are the owner of a music talent agency with 12 employees. You have a client that has become very popular, very quickly. In order to manage your client properly, you will need to purchase the right technology for your business. Your client is very mobile, and you will need to manage performances in various locations. You will also need to promote the artist and the events.

3.  Research the technology needs of the business and determine the type of technology that you would like to purchase for the business.

4.  Prepare a 3–5 page RFQ (Request for Quote). The RFQ will summarize your technology needs and list solutions that you feel would meet those needs. The RFQ is a document that you would send to office technology vendors to seek out solutions and price quotes for technology that will meet your needs. Your RFQ must be sufficient to address the objectives of your scenario.

Your RFQ must include the following 4 sections:

Section I: Business Objectives

Write a one-paragraph introduction in which you describe the nature of your business and explain the objectives and goals that your business is trying to achieve. Clearly define your business goals and how technology is expected to achieve the goals.

Section II: Technologies

a.  Write a minimum of three paragraphs to identify the general technologies that are needed to achieve the business objectives that you defined in Section I. You may need:

• Computing systems
• ERP software specific to your scenario
• Project Management and Collaboration
• File Sharing
• Communications and Conferencing
• Mobile technologies
• Social Media Management
• Data Security

b.  For each of the technologies your business needs, find two examples of software, You can use actual titles of software and brands of hardware. This is the information the vendor will need to get your price quote.

Section III: Selection Criteria

a.  Write one paragraph and a bullet-point shortlist that explains to your vendors how you will select the winning proposal.

• What are the important decision criteria?
• Is cost the greatest factor? Perhaps customer needs? Speed of delivery?
• Are certain features needed (as identified in Section II)?

b.  Prioritize your criteria list, and give an explanation of why you ordered them as such. What do you value most in your selection criteria?

Section IV: Comparison

a.  Choose one of the technologies from Section II that you have two examples of. Using Web research search and considering your selection criteria above, compare the costs and benefits provided by the two technology product examples, and choose the product that you think would be the best investment for your company.

Does it make better sense to lease or purchase the technology? Explain why.

b. Your project should include research and citations. You may use MS Word or the word processing program of your choice.

Submission

You will submit 1 item:

1. Your project should include research and citations. You may use MS Word or the word processing program of your choice.
2. Name your file using this naming convention: LastName_FirstInitial_AssignmentTitle (for example, SORKIN_A_AssignmentName.docx).
3. Upload your files to the completion field below.