In the last several months I had to read (and occasionally respond to) several Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for GIS services that basically asked: “How much will your company charge us to build this?”



Responding to such RFPs becomes an exercise in frustration for both sides.  GIS consultants often have to improvise and second-guess the owners’ intent, taking numerous exceptions to the RFP; owners often have to deal with apples and oranges, and more often than not throw out all responses after a lengthy and time-consuming review process.

Clearly, in such cases, an important step has been ignored – the GIS design phase.

How do “real” architects do it?  I asked my wife, who is a practicing architect: “Why do your clients seek an architect’s services?  Why not do the design themselves (especially since many have extensive in-house architectural departments)?”  Her response: “Because they all tried to do it themselves several times and realized that they couldn’t do it.”

The great American architect Frank Lloyd Wright charged a design fee equal to 30% of the building’s construction costs.  A smart investment this turned out to be for every single Wright-designed house owner.

I urge all GIS system purchasers to consider hiring a GIS architect at the very beginning of their GIS investment.  It will be money very well-spent.