We need to understand our employers expectation first. We act on behalf of our charity and need to agree common business pratices with our boss. We dont need to have our manager contacting the client just make sure that we have discusses the problems and solutions with our boss and that we is signing off on our decisions before we communicate them to the client.
There is not conflict when you we are speaking with the backing of --your- our manager. As you become a "we" you
make it less personal and more a group decision and you are communicating what the charity has agreed as a whole.
If this is fee paying work your charity (you) need to decide if its still economically viable to do the project then if you want to continue on with the project.
Your pitch was based on what you could provide, management time, specilist labour, etc to meet the brief for cost X if it is going to cost Y.
Is X a lesser price to Y
Rework the numbers bases on what the client is asking for and add in client faff time too.
If the project has changed so should the price is the client willing to pay for the additional time? If not, why not?
If you have make a realistic judgement call of where you rank the project within the other clients.
Which gets priority if deadlines clash, which client gets the extra staff the over time.
Whats the reputational risk if the project fails
Will this client bring in more business either directly or by referral.
Sit down with your manager and go through the bid (section by section if need be) look at the crunch points (critical path analysis) of which elements need to be completed and in what sequence.
If they are looking for 6 months
what is the deliverable from the client
what is the deliverabe timeline
Which employee role is responsible for the delivery
Who currently occupies that role
Is there an alternative staff member who can cover the role
Who is their manager
On delivery What is your audit and signoff process to confirm that you have received what was agreed. (Check lists work best)
What is the "crisis management" needed if you dont get a deliverable on time or to the agreed standard.
Then what is your turnaround time
What should be produced
Who in the client will be given the product
Who is responsible for approval and signoff
How will the approval and signoff be communicated.
Do that for each step and get your manager to agree if the project fits or if you should withdraw from the process.
If the decision is to go ahead with the project make sure to have the client on a tight turn around timetable as it will slip, and your timetable has extra time built in to recover from delays.
The client deliverables are fixed dates, your product production is counted in work days post delivery dates
You control the production of the work schedule and update it when slippage occurs and the client has to appoint someone who's job is to sign it off.
If you are looking for a detailed brief.
Create the document by using a detailed list of what information you need for each of your production processes.
closed Y/N questions work best but decision trees for what if can be helpful too.
Go through it at the meeting, gather as much input close the call by agreeing to send out the draft version to who ever is responsible for sign off.