Q: I am working for the first time on a request for proposal for a new buildings data and

Q: I am working for the first time on a request for proposal for a new building`s data and telecommunications cabling. I have been working on installations for a few years, but never at this level. Can you recommend a reference? Any dos or don`ts ?

Dave Cooper

County of Mendocino

Mendocino, CA

A: Refer to the Telecommunications Distribution Methods Manual of the Building Industry Consulting Service International (Tampa, FL). If you are not comfortable in your design role, get a more seasoned telecommunications designer to look over your request for proposal. Omissions can be very costly, so don`t save pennies in the design phase that could cost thousands in retrofit.