Raise the Hammer

I am trying to figure out what exactly I am so pissed about.

Its not really the HSR comments or the photo gaffs - but I think it all ties into the bigger picture of what has been going on in Hamilton over the last while.

I know I have a lot of left over stadium rage - but this is different - yet the same.

It seems like every time we think we are getting something that should be fantastic (ummm PanAm Games, LRT, McMaster downtown campus, bike lanes, one way street conversions, Gore Park redevelopment, a new school board headquarters.....) - it turns out to be a pile of shit.

Which is bad - but when the shit costs its weight in gold - I think that is why I am so fucking pissed off.

I am trying hard not to think about this personally - because it always comes across as whining - which really it is, but...

I wear two hats - I am a professional engineer and a professional photographer.

As an engineer, I am trying to figure out what exactly Dialogue Partners could possibly be doing in 3 months to bill 400k?

I mean do the math - in 3 months there are about 60, 8 hour working days - so they are billing over 6 grand per day!

I'd say the average bill out rate for engineers is around $100 / h so assuming they bill out the same -

Dialogue Partners would have to have nearly 8 full time professionals billing $100/h every working day for 3 months to make up their contract fee

(I am simplifying of course - there are also expenses, like Toronto hotels and flights between Toronto and Ottawa and limousines for field trips to Hamilton, Wordpress templates, SurveyMonkey and MailChimp subscriptions, Facebook ads, Google adwords, Flickr and Google Images "stock photography" procurement...).

Do we honestly think we are being provided with the work of 8 full time professionals?

So really - what is the $400k for?

As a creative professional - I get so fucking pissed off when I see clients accept half assed deliverables. Its like they don't even know what quality work is supposed to look like.

And they certainly don't know how to ask for it.

The last RFQ I bid with the City of Hamilton had the most vague terms of reference I've ever seen.

I mean - we have some fantastic photographers and film makers in Hamilton - at least put some lipstick on your pig of a website.

Hell - as much as I hate microstock - $100 of istockphoto would have been enough to launch the damn site

http://www.istockphoto.com/search/text/h...

Oh and as for the website - I have launched two Wordpress sites in the last year ( http://www.blurmediaphotography.com and http://www.picturesbymom.com with two more in the wings), along with social media campaigns and email mailing services. They're not great - I am flying by the seat of my pants and learn as I go - but really - ANYONE could produce what Dialogue Partners has delivered.

I've said before that I don't begrudge Dialogue Partners their fees. They won the contract and if they are billing $10,000 /h and the City is accepting the deliverables they are providing - good for Dialogue Partners.

No - the City hired Dialogue Partners - the City is responsible to manage their contract.

For once - could we just do something right? Could we just get something fantastic. Is it too much to ask to receive value for our money?