SwingDJs

Just thought I'd share this (and put it here since economics factors into DJ'ing somewhere)...

I was recently approached by a municipal Parks and Recreations director about DJ'ing a city sponsored swing dance. She said I'd been strongly recommended but that references didn't count, they're hiring the DJ based on a competitive bid process! Yup, swing DJ'ing has gone red-tape bureaucratic!

The only question they had was how much 'original music vs. current swing' I owned. I almost wanted to reply, "hey, I own BOTH the Glenn Miller CD AND the Brian Setzer one".

I'm kinda hoping I get underbid so I can see how the whole municipal DJ selection process plays out and if you actually get what you pay for. Unfortunately, it is government work and I forgot to quadruple my costs, so anything's possible.

OK, but seriously, what would you guys have set for an hourly fee for this very vague description (assuming they provide the sound system and I'm just plugging in)?

You left out all the details about the event, which would completely determine the market price. If it is a huge gala event, $50 per head, black tie, then you would bid more than if it is a casual weekend dance under a small gazebo in a city park.

Also, price varies among regions.

Yeah, you're right. I think that's part of what was so humorous to me... they were extremely tight with details (including how long the gig is) but I think its because they're very unsure of what they're doing.

I made some basic assumptions that the event would be similar to the informal Thursday night dances held in the same venue by the local fledgling lindy community and college students for about $3 a night. They're drawing about 50 people a week.

A quick google search revealed the city is starting a 4-wk beginning swing series ($20 for residents) designed to get people dancing by the fourth week (about the time this event is scheduled). Pardon me for picturing a dozen blue hairs on graduation night.

In light of having no information I basically considered this almost pro bono work to help get my friend's scene established (as she was approached for a DJ recommendation) and to encourage the city to hold more dances. I asked them to cover gas and give me a couple bucks to buy my wife a decent dinner down the street before the dance. I figure its a 1 shot deal and I can always reevaluate later on if I made some incorrect assumptions.

I can't speak for the specific tender but from my experience bidding on I.T. stuff for government, the lack of details means either:
1) the municipality doesn't have a clue what to ask for
or
2) the preferred vendor (perhaps you in this case) has been decided but the bureaucrats have to follow the proper process so they make it unappealing and/or difficult for other bidders

If it's #1, then your competition is the regular "wedding" type DJ's in your area, with some research, you can probably get some idea what their rates would be. Be clear about what you are offering (or not offering) for that price, especially if you are bidding low.

If it's #2, then I'd venture to guess that you may the ringer. Bid what you think is fair for the gig.

Don't be afraid to ask questions, assume nothing. It's important that you know what's expected. Don't expect details like number of speakers to bring and play lists but you can probably find out things like number of people, size and general location of the venue, theme, etc.

wspeid wrote:
The only question they had was how much 'original music vs. current swing' I owned.

Was that a trick question? Was there a wrong answer?

wspeid wrote: I'm kinda hoping I get underbid so I can see how the whole municipal DJ selection process plays out and if you actually get what you pay for. Unfortunately, it is government work and I forgot to quadruple my costs, so anything's possible.

OK, but seriously, what would you guys have set for an hourly fee for this very vague description (assuming they provide the sound system and I'm just plugging in)?

$25-$50/hr

wspeid wrote:OK, but seriously, what would you guys have set for an hourly fee for this very vague description (assuming they provide the sound system and I'm just plugging in)?

I'd set a base fee plus and hourly rate. Even without the load in, you will need some prep time for this event.

I'd also insist on a clause that says the base rate is payable to you if they cancel for any reason (weather, delay due to their sound system, etc).

I'd also put in writing the kind of connection(s) you will need to plug into their system...electrical outlet, one channel or two, XLR -v- RCA, etc, etc.

--Stan Graves

We get "paid" only $15 for an hour at the local, weekly swing dance that draws hundreds of college kids. It is a rather nominal fee from a non-profit organization, but we have a surplus of DJs even at that rate, so it works.

Governments generally are not obligated to accept the lowest bid; they can consider past experience, prior customer reviews, and the like in "awarding" the contract. It seems odd that something like this is subject to a public competitive bidding process, but that is why government should be kept out of everything except police, military protection, and other rather basic functions designed to protect the public, not provide entertainment and such: they screw everything else up unnecessarily... and at 10-100 times the cost.

An update: Parks & Rec informed my friend who organizes the local swing events they'd selected someone who'd bid $20 less than me for the night (basically gas money).

No one in the swing community knows this person or if he has any prior experience so it's a crap shoot. But we all got our start working for free someplace. Besides, my friend has input into what music the DJ plays so she called me and asked my advice in helping set parameters. So hopefully it'll work out okay.

Update: Parks and Rec emailed me a week ago asked if I was still interested in DJ'ing. They said they'd fax a contract to sign but it never arrived despite repeated phone calls.

The dance was held last night and my contact quietly ducked out during setup leaving me unsigned and unpaid. Additionally, our local dance organizer, who'd already rented the space and was supposed to be reimbursed, was also uncompensated despite the city pulling in over $1,000 for the night. Of course, they couldn't pay us out of that cash in hand, there are requisition forms that need to be completed for that.

Two follow up phone calls today from both of us have gone unanswered. Sounds like a classic municipal job that I'll have to chalk up to either pro bono work or long term accounts receivable. They've already asked me to do another dance in the fall... maybe I'll leave my finger poised above the play button that night until somebody hands me a check. lol

Happily, our organizer got great exposure and we're hoping some of the 40 or so newbies will come out for the local weekly dances and grow the scene.

Kind of sounds like they're ripping you off and hoping that you'll be too "nice" to harass them about it.

Do you really think they re trying to rip you off? One call to the media and they are sunk. It's likes bozos on the loose and today is Friday which is never a good time to call city agencies.

Keep the faith. And dont be shy about going to a higher dog there.

Call the department head...that usually get people's attention.

If you didn't negotiate for immediate payment, you probably should not have assumed that you would be paid immediately, nor that the city employee "contact" was ducking out on you. I do understand why you might think that way and why you feel a bit miffed about it, but unless your contract specifies that you were supposed to get paid that night, the problem actually is your assumption that you would get paid that night, not the fact that they didn't pay.

You probably have a check in the works; they just have not told you. That is rather common with government stuff; they are slow and horrible about communicating, but they rarely if ever will just stiff you. That delay and poor communication, though, is enough to make it usually not worth working for the government. And, incidentally, that is exactly what people mean when they say that government generally is not the solution, it is the problem.

Lawrence wrote:You probably have a check in the works; they just have not told you.

+1

If you have not sent them an invoice, do that. Often it takes an invoice to "trigger" payment with the government. It's not about stiffing you - but without a paper trail, no $$$ will be sent out.

Most gov't contracts I have include a "...no performance, no payment..." clause as a mutual risk. If the event is rained out, they don't have to pay. As a result, the payment is almost always 30 days after the event.

Frustrating, but common.

--Stan Graves