What actions can you take when you submit a proposal to a government agency, after which you have done presentations to the relevant management team, then you do the normal follow up(s) on your file, going with the pace (slow workflow in government offices) of the agency and months after you hear your proposal is implemented without consulting you verbally or an official letter?

Your own na small, an agency in Lagos State so exploited me that I had to conduct a video and photography coverage of spots @ major roads of the largest LGA, which covers about 1/3 of Lagos land mass which cost me a huge sum; being a pre-project execution necessity. You know what they did to me? They kept playing me until a cousin that knew about the proposal called to congratulate me that he saw my boys @ work- they had moblised resources in my company name and implemented my strategy to the letter. This is going to scare you, this is an agency that has the facility to execute this job, but Fashola gave a deadline to execute the task, which they were shocked when I proposed to them so smart ways to execute 70% of the project short of their facility capacity, I bet they impersonated my company hook, line and sinker! I chose my fights, someday, I will have the financial muscle to fight such injustice.

@Poster, the issue you are having here is the very reason why I have, over the years, hesitated on submitting proposals to Nigerian State Agencies. I mean there does not seem to be any protection in place to ensure that your ideas will not be copied and all.

Never ever ever submit anything to the government even your shyyt. Take heart bro, those mudaphockers kill dreams, ask Richard Branson.

I did some things for NNPC which could have made me multi millionaire as far back a 2008 and made me go into early retirements, just when I finish cooking the meal the mudaphockers removed me from the loop.


Don't you ever contribute your shyyt to those dirty bastards. Now, you'd pay me 70% else I ain't gonna drop nothing to nobody.

Too bad, so sad.

OP,

Take heart. Learn your lessons and move on. A lot of people in our civil service and top management positions are actually dead intellectually, bereft of innovative ideas and constantly looking for good ideas to plagiarize. Submitting proposals to them is fulfilling their dreams. Keep your proposals until you're in a position to implement or seek collaboration with like minds to pull resources together.

Thanks y'all. I appreciate all your comments. I believe a lot of people have been in similar situations. Its a sad experience. This is a reason why a lot of private companies can't do business with government and you keep hearing the "government" wanting the private sectors.

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh. . . .
You learn to make the right 'godfathers' and 'godmothers'.
You dare not 'propose' a 'proposal' believing in just 'God' in Africa.
How dare you?

Learn to 'sleep' with a governor. . .or a mininster.
At least you will get the 'first' payment. . .before it is finally hijacked!
Mu he he he he he he

OP
There's no way you wont do business with Govt, if u are talking of Nigeria. Govt is the biggest spender in this economy, and I dont really see how you can do without advancing to do business with the Govt. I have found myself severally in your shoe and honestly it can be frustrating. However, I got this idea from a friend and that is what i use these days.....I write: EXPRESSION OF INTREST (EOI). Just give introduction, definition, objectives and the expectation of what my proposed project will achieve. At the end, I will get their interests, worked on their psyche....... and i wld request their invitation to come and do need analysis FREE. I tell you, in most cases I av been called...usually I win some, and I loose some. Thats how it works sometimes.

OP
There's no way you wont do business with Govt, if u are talking of Nigeria. Govt is the biggest spender in this economy, and I dont really see how you can do without advancing to do business with the Govt. I have found myself severally in your shoe and honestly it can be frustrating. However, I got this idea from a friend and that is what i use these days.....I write: EXPRESSION OF INTREST (EOI). Just give introduction, definition, objectives and the expectation of what my proposed project will achieve. At the end, I will get their interests, worked on their psyche....... and i wld request their invitation to come and do need analysis FREE. I tell you, in most cases I av been called...usually I win some, and I loose some. Thats how it works sometimes.

Just bookmarked. You dont mind if I need to pick your brain next time I deal with them, do you? Would like to have your email, seriously.

Biggoozz:

Just bookmarked. You dont mind if I need to pick your brain next time I deal with them, do you? Would like to have your email, seriously.

Dont mind at all! I wish u best! Sorry, honestly I dont know how I can privately send u my email address on NL. if u know how let me know!

okunboy: OP
There's no way you wont do business with Govt, if u are talking of Nigeria. Govt is the biggest spender in this economy, and I dont really see how you can do without advancing to do business with the Govt. I have found myself severally in your shoe and honestly it can be frustrating. However, I got this idea from a friend and that is what i use these days.....I write: EXPRESSION OF INTREST (EOI). Just give introduction, definition, objectives and the expectation of what my proposed project will achieve. At the end, I will get their interests, worked on their psyche....... and i wld request their invitation to come and do need analysis FREE. I tell you, in most cases I av been called...usually I win some, and I loose some. Thats how it works sometimes.

Thanks for the tip. I'd get it a try next time.

Biggoozz: Your own na small, an agency in Lagos State so exploited me that I had to conduct a video and photography coverage of spots @ major roads of the largest LGA, which covers about 1/3 of Lagos land mass which cost me a huge sum; being a pre-project execution necessity. You know what they did to me? They kept playing me until a cousin that knew about the proposal called to congratulate me that he saw my boys @ work- they had moblised resources in my company name and implemented my strategy to the letter. This is going to scare you, this is an agency that has the facility to execute this job, but Fashola gave a deadline to execute the task, which they were shocked when I proposed to them so smart ways to execute 70% of the project short of their facility capacity, I bet they impersonated my company hook, line and sinker! I chose my fights, someday, I will have the financial muscle to fight such injustice.

Sad one. But the question remains, what can one do? Count your loses? Court? Or isn't there a higher authority that can investigate such accussations?

Trying working with the local governments in lagos and you cry....haters

Wow, i was just about to drop a proposal and i was targeting the government for an IT related project. Nice one on the update, i feel your pain,after all the hard work,some stupid guys will hijack your project and make the money.

I guess my other option is to ensure i do not put enough information in the proposal but just the overview of whats going to to be done and sweet talk.

Damn, i feel your pain Bro.its annoying

Hijacked? U mean like an airplane? Well i advise you fall off using a parachute,whch in ur case implies u shud damn d proposal and look for anoda opportunity,buh dis time,work smarter not harder

@OP,nice question! Though it's very painful but I think all you need to do is to learn from your mistakes.

I remember when some jacks wanted to hijack my very first project. I never trusted anyone with my ideas. At the last minute prior to submission, I pulled out salient processes from the booklets and made an entire chapter of procedure disappear. When they called me for it, I knew they wanted to execute without me and I told them 'Bye'.

Early last year, I Submitted a proposal to LAWMA. Was called for several meetings which I did well to attend. They came across as impressed. We shook hands. I went away thinking deal was done as I was promised a call back as to signing of documents and all.

That was the last I heard from them. Only for me to hear from a different source that my proposal was amongst the best submitted but I failed to 'oil their palms' hence the the 'no call, no show'.

So many ills in our dear country. Nothing could be as painful as stolen ideas. Sorry OP.

I have long learnt my lessons. Just 3 weeks ago I emailed a short proposal to a company on how they could increase their customer base nationwide and they replied to write a detailed proposal by post. Sensing a rat I told them I will do the job with my funds and they should pay per customer introduced them. They did not reply!. I have decided I will rather die with my ideas than to give it to someone who wouldn't even say a ''thank you''.

lol

I remember when I served in Katsina. As my NYSC project, I offered to preserve Katsina Tourist sites and Objects. Katsina bin d source of Hausa's has a rich cultural heritage.
Part of the project was to build a website. Video documentaries, and a Museum. I first suggested Website development but NYSC Katsina chapter saw it as a good project, they offer to partner with me on it. They told me to include building a Museum in my proposal.

When the SSG passed the proposal to the Governor, it was approved within two weeks. The SSG called my ZI who was helping me with the followup, that I should come for a cheque to start the project.

After calling the commissioner in charge of Tourism and culture for two months, people advice me to give up. The guy will refuse to pick my calls. I used a different number, when I mention my name, he says he is not the commissional, that the commissionaer has travelled out of the country.

Officials of NYSC did their best, but they were also told its a political issue and cant be handled by them.

Up-till-today the money just disappeared like that.


Politicians are killing these country.

did you include the oga's percentage when you did the financials?

I was a victim of same to one of the Gsm companies in Naigeria.
i sit every year and watch on television my idea being used to my dismay.
Not that i am ignorant of patent and legal backings only that my attorney was out of the country that period.

Now i know better.

Copyright every proposal you send out. On the document’s title page, place the phrase Copyright (Date) by (Your Name.) On the next line, add All rights reserved. That’s all you need to do to establish copyright. contact any intellectual property lawyer

okunboy:

Dont mind at all! I wish u best! Sorry, honestly I dont know how I can privately send u my email address on NL. if u know how let me know!

One suggestion.
-Open a new e-mail account
-send it to the guy,through which the guy will reply with his e-mail address
-then send your real e-mail address to the guy through the one he would give you.
-close the new e-mail account immediately after achieving this.

lol.

As for government proposal (Executive and Legislative), I have learnt to always be a GENEROUS businessman.

I always let the person I am dealing with know the sharing formular and it has never gone wrong.

Of recent one minister (I won't burst his A55 now) agreed on 60% a deal a couple of friends where proposing, only to call a few weeks back that he is taking 70% and nothing less.


When in the actual sense our gain on the deal in only 35%


Nigeria is dead!!! These politicians and government workers are killing this country each passing day.a

FrontPageLawyer: Copyright every proposal you send out. On the document’s title page, place the phrase Copyright (Date) by (Your Name.) On the next line, add All rights reserved. That’s all you need to do to establish copyright. contact any intellectual property lawyer

Good idea, but the issue is, can you fight them? Anyways, someone advised that if a legal case involved a huge sum, one should contract it to a hot headed legal firm to do the fighting with their own resources and collect like 30% net of the amount won. I will adopt this approach next time because I cant afford not to pursue a living with good ideas God keeps giving me.

okunboy:

Dont mind at all! I wish u best! Sorry, honestly I dont know how I can privately send u my email address on NL. if u know how let me know!

Ok Okunboy, pls mail your id and if you don't mind, a number I can contact you with to solutionboxx@gmail.com. Thanks.