I handle an offshore software development company. My company creates
bespoke software applications for international customers. How could I
find customers for my copmany? I mean a site (sites, portal(s)) in the
Web that provide kind of intermediate services introducing customers
and developers to each other. Sort of reqruiting agencies but for
companies rather than for individuals. So far I have found only two
companies that are seeking for developers for themselves
(http://www.zapatec.com/website/main/ and www.freelancersdirect.com),
but in the both cases their proposals do not seem too well-grounded
because they receive bids differing several orders in price, and AFAIC
they do not understand what to do in this situation. My copmany is
serious and methodical one, so we need more stable and verified source
of information.

Frankly, I do not understand how much should cost such question, so if
receiving the answer I would understand that the answer is really
valuable, and the price was low, I'll do my best to fix it in tips. :)

Thank you.

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Request for Question Clarification by easterangel-ga on 13 Nov 2002 05:12 PST

Hi! I am really interested in answering your question but I want to
know if I am on the right track. Is the following link the type of
service that you require?

NuAspect
http://www.nuaspect.com/

If this fits your requirements, I will try to find more and then post
my answer. Just let me know. :)

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Clarification of Question by psw-ga on 13 Nov 2002 06:23 PST

Not exactly. This source is still for _individuals_. Receiving a
request for development from a company-customer, NuAspect then builds
_its own_ team from workers who had registered on the site.

I am looking for the similar service, but for _companies_ rather than
for _individuals_, so that company-customer would request for some
product, and company-developer would answer for this bid. Or on the
contrary: bid is palced by company-developer, and company-customers
answers this bid.

---

Clarification of Question by psw-ga on 13 Nov 2002 08:25 PST

Thanks to mathtalk-ga,

I have not yet examined your two links thoroughly, however at the
first glance they seem to be close to the stuff I'm looking for.

Hi, psw-ga:

Here are some articles from the Web which give a bit of perspective on
HotDispatch, eLance, and some of their would-be competitors (many of
which are already off the air).  As I've researched this for you more
fully, I came to the conclusion that those probably are the best two
sites:

- from the standpoint of working with companies as providers with at
least an equal focus as individual consultants, and

- from the standpoint of reasonable management and future
survivorship.

These first two articles are something of an indication of the
business stories of HotDispatch and (to a smaller extent) eLance:

[Upstart Job Sites Offer Forums for Free-Lancers]

http://www.startupjournal.com/howto/soundadvice/200005240900-clark.html

[Sun Extends Ties to HotDispatch]

http://www.internetweek.com/ebizapps01/ebiz012901-2.htm

These next two articles put some of the other online "project support"
sites into a context with those above, specifically regarding
off-shore development such as you mention:

[A Virtual Visa?  Many Programmers Can Stay Home and Still Work]

http://www.iht.com/IHT/TECH/tek101300b.html

[Homespun Wisdom]

http://www.rediff.com/search/2000/dec/12work.htm

I realize your question focuses on assistance in marketing of
services.  However, in work I've done along these lines,
teleconferencing and document/schedule positioning on the Web have
been important "ingredients" to the success of projects.  I could work
up some comments on these tangential aspects of your question, if you
are interested.

regards, mathtalk-ga

Actually the answer was in preliminary comments made by mathtalj-ga.
Answer he posted later is of no use. At the same time I found lot of
usefull links surfing Internet myself.

Hi, psw-ga:

Both companies and individuals are allowed to bid on projects at:

http://www.elance.com 

but one is required to "subscribe" (fee paid).  See the link there for
"Join the Elance Provider Network".

The problem of having wildly varying bids on a project with admittedly
limited documentation of requirements affects on-line proposals no
less than in others ways of approaching clients.  However elance has a
customer satisfaction tracking mechanism, so if you are committed to
this channel over the long haul, you have prospects of proving
yourself by a fairly objective/independent criterion.

best wishes, mathtalk-ga

Here's another site, one with a decidedly "global" spin:

http://www.hotdispatch.com/officefronts

where you can explore creating your own "OfficeFront".  This might be
especially attractive if your company has some "products" in addition
to "services" that you wish to market.

I have no personal experience with (or relationship to) either of
these sites, though I have heard third-hand of satisfactorily
procuring services through elance.

regards, mathtalk-ga