Methods and Tools: How to Write an Agile Request for Proposal

Customers of software development services who want to outsource a software development project face a problem: Traditional methods of selecting a software developer are expensive, time consuming and optimize the wrong criteria. They set the stage for delays, cost overruns, and building software with poor or no return on investment.

Agile methods, including Scrum and XP, have proven successful at creating great solutions that meet the expectations of their sponsors and users. Many organizations would like to apply agile approaches, but the traditional tools for selecting a vendor don’t mix well with agile development.

By conceiving the project from the beginning as an agile project, you can outsource projects effectively and agilely.

Last week, the Spring issue of Methods and Tools was published, including my paper: Finding a Partner to Trust: The Agile RFP. This paper:

1. Describes how one team used Scrum to create an agile RFP
2. Discusses what information should be present in an agile RFP
3. Proposes how to find a partner to trust through a lean, Agile selection process

You can download the entire journal as a PDF or read the article online.