Got an RFP to Quote for in the GCC Heres all the Additional Detail You Will Need

Mobilising the right resources globally has become the norm of the day for successful execution of projects. The practice is not only accepted, but it is also appreciated and welcomed. When employees cross borders to work in foreign territories, it is a win-win situation for all the parties concerned – the employee, the current employer and the client. Bringing together intelligent minds from across the world can only lead to a profitable venture. When a response is created to an RFP, it is essential to take into consideration all the factors that play a role in the successful completion of the project. This includes the technical solution and the deployment of the appropriate resources for its execution across the required locations. While the company takes care of the technical aspects of the project, it is only correct that the resource deployment be handled by an expert.

A technical company would not be aware of all the nuances regarding the ongoings of travel and relocation of an employee in a different geography, say the GCC. The consequences of an error in this regard is catastrophic. There would be issues in terms of resource deployment time, budget and thereby impacting the customer satisfaction and overall profitability of the project. It could also lead to not only suspension of the project, but the employee could find himself deported, or worse arrested.

While submitting the RFP, all the costs that are involved in the execution of the project are included. This means the exact costs that would be incurred by the employee during his relocation and stay in the new region must be made aware of. Creating a precise budget is vital to the success of the project. When the expenses are increased, especially due to unawareness, it leads to lower profitability or loss on the project and can create stress on the company as a whole. Ignorance is no longer an excuse today.

Specialist Staffing Partners today provide Pre-sales / RFP support as a value added service to their customers. These partners bring to bear all their experience in the geography with regards to staffing to help technology companies calculate the correct cost for execution and also provide guarantees to execute the same when the project is awarded. This allows technology companies to focus on what they do best – technology solution and not worry about understanding the staff deployment, payroll and compliance in the concerned geography.

Let us take an example of a technology company bidding for transformation of an ordering system in Oman. The company has built an ordering system several times in the past and knows all the intricate details of what needs to be done and how it should be approached. They understand how the project should be planned and the requirements collected. They have experienced people who have done this and who can do this project seamlessly. They also understand how many people should travel and stay at Oman for successful execution All of this, is a piece of cake.

What about the deployment process? That is unchartered territory for them, isn’t it? How would they know to make those arrangements? It would be a significant risk on their part to rely simply on information available on the internet and use this to plan visa, travel, deployment time and cost. Assigning people to serve onsite involves preparing him for the travel and the stay. Knowledge about the local region needs to be extensive. Logistics and necessary requirements such as accommodation, travel within the city and bank account has to be taken care of, none of which comes easy. These may not be required for the RFP response but unless this is thoroughly understood and explained, the employee travelling will not be at ease. The employee will also end up spending significant time post relocation to adjust to the country and its culture.

It takes a professional staffing partner with the right knowledge, connections and well established processes in locations such as Oman to give you the right advice and explain what is required to successfully execute the project

For instance, the visa. Several visas will suit your needs of the company responding to the RFP. The question is – which Oman/GCC Visa is right for you? When you visit the country on work, you need to ensure that you have checked all the right boxes. You need to know everything that there is to know about visas. It is not possible to keep track of all the changes made by the concerned authorities. That is why you need to reach out to an expert who will guide you through all the formalities.

If you think you are prepared for everything that can go wrong, you would be surprised. Take a look at the pain points below.

1) Information

You must have all the data at your fingertips before you sign the contract. A miss does not lead to just a waste of time, but it will cost you extra. The wrong information can result in deportation as well. A lack of clarity in the set-up process is one of the most significant hurdles you can find in a foreign country.

2) Expense

The initial budget set is more than likely to be underestimated or exaggerated if you do not have the right information. Additional expenses could also be the result of an underestimated budget. The actual costs could be much higher than expected especially if you have never been to UAE and don’t know what to expect.

3) Cultural values

Living in a land whose value system is very different can be a little difficult for someone new. The availability of resources such as specific food can prove to be tricky, causing an increase in the costs. A culturally sensitive city such as Dubai frowns upon various practices that could send the employee behind bars. What not to do is very important to know. All this could be overlooked by someone who does not have the necessary background information in the UAE.

4) Local Laws

Countries have stringent laws with regard to foreigners residence – It is critical to follow all these rules to the dot. For example, Oman rules stipulate that the foreigner must report himself to a competent authority before and up to 7 days of arrival for visitors and 30 days for residents. Failing to do so, can be serious. Now, unless you know how long will this process take, who is the competent authority, where should the employee meet him and do they speak English at this center are important questions – Without sufficient guidance, the employee who has just landed in the country will be clueless and will be swamped trying to solve this in the first week. This would mean, he will miss making his best impression with the client in the first week.

5) Importance of travel

Transport and commute in the GCC are not as easy as it sounds. These costs are likely to go up as well in time and would not have been taken into account in the initial budget. These are the costs that could break your back in the end.

Why Future Focus Infotech

Future Focus Infotech is a professional staffing partner that tends to the requirements of a company during deployment of its employees overseas. There is a lot of red tape and bureaucracy involved. While documents and paperwork play a significant role, there is a process that has to be followed without which everything could fall apart. The project would fail even before it can take off.

Immigration rules can hang over the Indian IT companies like a sword. With fee hikes and last minute additional red tape and bureaucracy, you cannot afford to be caught unawares. Don’t let the costs stop you from making your dream come true. Be prepared because that is whom the chance favours