A potential customer asked me for a proposal for a special turn-key machine.
I suggested and submitted a proposal for an entirely different concept that I thought would be much better than what he asked for. I spent a lot of time researching vendors for some of the components, including spending an extra day and night in Chicago speaking with the major vendors of two of the components, and a lot of time putting together a concept CAD model and proposal. This was done without cost to them, and the email containing the proposal was marked confidential.
He reviewed it, liked it and after a couple weeks said a purchase order was coming.
Time went by, no PO. He said he still wanted to do it, but had to wait till a later date.
After several months, I get an email from a 3rd party consultant, whom has also been a customer, letting me know that they are reviewing proposals, but want me to quote portions of my own original proposal, while they parse out portions to others, and go direct to the suppliers that I previously researched.
I feel it was unethical to take my original concepts, shop it around and parse out some of the pieces to others, and then have the nerve to ask me to requote some portions. When I was a younger engineer on the recieving end of quotes, my boss taught me to never share suppliers plans and quotes or use them as leverage for requotes. I have since found that this whole concept seems foriegn to some people.
My gut reaction is to let these two know that I believe this was an unethical use of my proposal, and that I no longer want to do business with them (even though they are throwing me a bone by allowing me to now quote on a portion of my own concept).
Before I burn these two bridges permanently, I'd like to find out what others think; Did they cross a line in taking my concept and proposal, seek quotes from others for it, and then try to parse it out to others in whatever way that suites them best? Or am I being too unrealistic, and should I take whatever scraps I can get?
I suggested and submitted a proposal for an entirely different concept that I thought would be much better than what he asked for. I spent a lot of time researching vendors for some of the components, including spending an extra day and night in Chicago speaking with the major vendors of two of the components, and a lot of time putting together a concept CAD model and proposal. This was done without cost to them, and the email containing the proposal was marked confidential.
He reviewed it, liked it and after a couple weeks said a purchase order was coming.
Time went by, no PO. He said he still wanted to do it, but had to wait till a later date.
After several months, I get an email from a 3rd party consultant, whom has also been a customer, letting me know that they are reviewing proposals, but want me to quote portions of my own original proposal, while they parse out portions to others, and go direct to the suppliers that I previously researched.
I feel it was unethical to take my original concepts, shop it around and parse out some of the pieces to others, and then have the nerve to ask me to requote some portions. When I was a younger engineer on the recieving end of quotes, my boss taught me to never share suppliers plans and quotes or use them as leverage for requotes. I have since found that this whole concept seems foriegn to some people.
My gut reaction is to let these two know that I believe this was an unethical use of my proposal, and that I no longer want to do business with them (even though they are throwing me a bone by allowing me to now quote on a portion of my own concept).
Before I burn these two bridges permanently, I'd like to find out what others think; Did they cross a line in taking my concept and proposal, seek quotes from others for it, and then try to parse it out to others in whatever way that suites them best? Or am I being too unrealistic, and should I take whatever scraps I can get?
