When a second opinion helps
- A vendor's proposal came back far above or below what you expected, and you cannot tell why.
- You have several RFP responses and no one on staff can compare them on technical merit.
- You are deciding between buying a product and building something custom.
- A plan, an architecture, or an estimate has been presented and nobody can say whether it is sound.
- A project is late and the explanations do not agree with each other.
What you get
A written review in plain English. It covers whether the approach fits the problem, where the risks and unknowns are, whether the cost and schedule are realistic, and what to ask the vendor before you sign. It ends with a recommendation. You own everything we produce.
How we stay independent
We never propose ourselves as the builder during a review. If we recommend a build path, we don't bid to do it. That work goes to whoever you hire to execute it.
If your procurement stalls past six months, you can consider us. But only through a new, open process you initiate. Adjacent work, ongoing oversight, and future engagements stay open by mutual interest.
Questions we ask of almost any proposal
- What exactly will be delivered, and how will we verify it is done?
- Who owns the code, the data, and the infrastructure accounts at the end?
- What would it cost and take to leave this vendor?
- Which parts are custom, and which parts are configuration of an existing product?
- How are changes priced after signing?
- When do accessibility, security, and privacy reviews happen, and who does them?
- What happens to the schedule if the lead engineer leaves?
- How will this behave at three times today's load?
Who does the review
Reviews are led by Adam Safran, who has spent three decades building software for public agencies, nonprofits, and Silicon Valley companies, from records and grant systems to platforms handling billions of events.
Common questions
- What do you review?
- Vendor proposals and RFP responses, technical plans and architecture documents, build-versus-buy decisions, and estimates that nobody on your team feels able to judge.
- Will you bid to build what you recommend?
- No. If we recommend a build path during a review, we do not bid to do it. That work goes to whoever you hire to execute it.
- How long does a review take?
- It depends on how much material there is and how many options you are comparing. We scope it on a short intro call so the plan and fee are clear before we start.
- Do we keep what you produce?
- Yes. You own the written review and any supporting notes, and you can hand them to another vendor or your own team.