Amy, an overworked marketing coordinator for Outlaw Construction, has a major design-build proposal due by 5:00 pm. And, as every AEC marketer knows, when it comes down to an important deadline—anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
Can Amy and her hastily assembled, ragtag crew of colleagues get the proposal submitted on time? Find out on Night of the Living Deadline, an original audio play presented by The Shortlist.
For all the AEC marketers out there who are constantly on a deadline, this special episode is sure to give you some chills—and laughs.
Podcast Transcript
Welcome to The Shortlist.
We're exploring all things AEC marketing to help your firm win The Shortlist.
I'm your host, Wendy Simmons, and today we have an extra special treat for anyone who's ever worked on a proposal deadline.
We've all been there.
It's Deadline Day, and as the saying goes, anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
I've literally had nightmares about this stuff.
So in the spirit of Halloween, and because it's way more fun to laugh about these types of scenarios than to cry about them, we hope you'll enjoy this special audio play, written, directed, performed, and produced by the Middle of Sixteen.
Without further ado, here's Night of the Living Deadline.
Oh, thank you so much, Architect Man, for sending all of your content in a scanned PDF.
And, recognize text.
Yes, in the entire file.
Oh snap, look at all those line breaks.
If only there was a shortcut to turn all those paragraph breaks into spaces.
Oh wait, grip in, presets, fix line breaks, bam.
Not today, Architect Man.
Thank you, The Shortlist Podcast.
Welcome to The Shortlist.
Thursday, 10 a.m., 27 hours until the deadline.
You've got mail.
What?
Dude, Amy, wait till you hear the latest IT drama.
Oh, hey, Bjorn, man, I would love to hear about the IT drama, but I literally have a proposal meeting in two minutes.
Well, this will only take a second.
I do not believe you, but okay, walk and talk.
Okay, so Kenny, the new project engineer, came by yesterday and he was like, how do I connect to the cloud?
And I showed him how to get on the network drive, right?
But he kept saying, yeah, but how do I connect to the cloud?
And I was like, I just showed you.
He thought there was a literal software program called the cloud.
Oh, Kenny.
How did he even get this job?
How did he graduate from college?
Poor Kenny.
I'm sure he's very good at construction.
He probably hammers nails like a champ.
That's what they do in the field, right?
Like, I don't know what construction is.
Me neither.
Oh, hey, did you hear about the superintendent who had the video of the, you know, safety incident on his phone?
I'm gonna have to stop you there, Bjorn.
It's meeting time and the proposals do tomorrow, so things are gonna get pretty crazy around the marketing office.
Oh man, yeah.
Good luck with that.
But I do want to hear about the soup with the video after this.
Okay, let's get started.
We're in the homestretch.
Last review draft before we submit.
Has everybody met everybody?
It's weird being face to face.
I mean, Jared, you look a little bit taller than you do on Zoom.
Thank you.
Um, yeah, hi, I'm Jared.
I'm with Arteast Architecture.
I'm the principal architect on this project.
I'm Katie with Analytic Engineering, Engineering Principal.
I'm Amy.
I'm the marketing coordinator here at Outlaw Construction.
I am putting together the proposal.
I'm Mike, also with Outlaw Construction, Superintendent.
Should we call me Senior Superintendent?
Okay.
Or maybe General Soup?
Let's go with Project Superintendent.
You know what?
Never mind.
Stick with Superintendent.
I assume everybody got the email I just forwarded.
Um, what time did you send it?
Literally five minutes ago.
What was the time stamp?
Uh, it'll be at the top of your inbox.
I haven't even opened it.
It's right here.
Math people.
Okay.
So as it said in the email, we received an addendum from that client on Monday.
On Monday?
What day is today?
Thursday.
When is this response due again?
Tomorrow.
Travis, our Project Executive, is on vacation this week, and he's the point of contact, so he got the news a little late.
Did we meet him at the kickoff?
He was on vacation.
So the addendum said that they do want a full estimate after all.
They're also now asking for resumes for every single team member, including consultants.
Amy, is that something we need to send you?
Yes.
I mean, I can't make them up.
How many people do you have on your team?
Okay.
We have 11.
Eleven?
What would 11 engineers even do?
We only have six people on the construction side.
Eleven engineers.
Okay.
Well, Amy can coordinate that with Artis and Analytic.
Let's take a look at the latest draft.
Everyone, feel free to just shout out your edits as we page through.
Um, was this e-mailed out?
Thursday, 4 p.m.
23 hours until the deadline.
Artist Architecture, how may I direct your call?
Hi, this is Amy from Outlaw Construction.
Were you always English?
Oh no, only since last week.
You've only been English since last week?
I've only been working here since last week.
Well, welcome to America.
Oh, I don't live in America.
I'm in London, I work remote.
What time is it there?
Friday, 12:45 a.m., eight hours ahead of Pacific standard time.
Wow, you got guts in a recession.
You're a foreigner living eight hours in the future, and your job could be replaced by a Nokia cell phone.
Not at all.
They insisted on an English receptionist to seem fancier.
I had a Motorola.
Hello, Moto.
Can I please speak to Jackie in marketing?
Sure, I'll connect you.
Well, well, well, let me guess.
Jared wants to completely rewrite the design intent section.
Oh no, it's way worse.
Hit me.
An addendum just came out, and by just, I mean on Monday.
And apparently, they want resumes for every single team member, including consultants.
Jackie.
Jackie doesn't work here.
If I send you the InDesign template, can you just fill in your team's info?
I'm sorry.
What is InDesign?
Dude, I really appreciate your help.
This stocks for all of us.
Um, how many people are on the construction team?
Thanks so much.
I'll send that template in just a few minutes here.
Thursday, 5 p.m.
22 hours until the deadline.
Analytic Engineering, this is Alejandra in Marketing.
How may I assist you?
Hi.
Hey, I am so sorry for the late notice, but I just sent you an e-mail with an InDesign resume template.
We need one for everybody on your team.
Everybody?
Everybody.
When you say everybody, you mean?
Every person on the team.
Everybody?
Everybody.
Friday, 9 a.m., eight hours until the deadline.
Hey, Michelle, what good news are you here to tell me at 9 a.m.
on the day of the deadline?
because the Senior PM only comes down to marketing in person on the morning of the deadline with good news.
This time, it actually is.
My OAC meeting got moved, so I just wanted to let you know I can deliver the proposals.
Where am I taking them?
That is truly awesome.
It's gonna come down to the wire.
So to have somebody we can trust delivering the proposals instead of a delivery courier or whatever is gonna be amazing.
I will print you out all of the address and instructions, all that stuff.
It's kind of complicated.
They want you to park in a specific place and there's a door code and the RFP said, we have to get it time stamped upon delivery or we will literally be disqualified.
But oh man, I am so glad that you're doing this and not some random stranger.
Low toner, what?
Great, I'll be down here at about, what do you think, 430?
It's only about 15 minutes away, so she could be plenty of time.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
We need to have you leaving at no later than four.
I mean, just to be really safe.
Do you know what toner is?
Like, do we even have that?
Mm, maybe ask IT.
Friday, 10 a.m., seven hours until the deadline.
Bjorn, I need toner.
What's that?
Printer food.
Printers aren't really my area.
I have a deadline at five o'clock, and we have to print hard copies.
Congratulations, it is now your area.
Hard copies?
What is this, 1993?
Were you even alive in 1993?
Barely, but yeah.
Were you?
None of your business.
Find toner.
Five minutes later.
Did you hear that?
Hear what?
It sounded like a voice making an announcement.
Six minutes later.
There it was again.
Dude, we have a deadline.
Yeah, dude, you have a deadline.
Yes, here it is.
We've had this for a hundred years, but it should still work.
If it doesn't, you're fired.
You're not my supervisor.
How's your side business going?
The one where you sell refurbished laptops and cell phones that mysteriously all have old Outlaw Construction stickers on them?
Here you go, boss.
Yes!
Oh, thank god.
Friday, 11 a.m., six hours until the deadline.
Outlaw Construction, this is Amy.
Hello, this is Alejandra from Analytic Engineering.
Question, how would you like me to send over our resumes?
Oh, awesome, whatever's easiest.
What do you prefer?
Seriously, whatever works for you.
Let's just kick this old school.
Old school?
Just package up the InDesign file and send it to me via SharePoint.
We don't have SharePoint.
Is that going to be a problem?
Friday, 1 p.m., four hours until The Deadline.
Granola bar, check.
Hard-boiled egg, check.
String cheese, check.
No veggies in the break room, no problem.
Somebody had to grab that V8 that's been next to the microwave for five years.
Lunch of champions.
Jackie, where the hell are your resumes?
You've got to be kidding me.
Outlaw Construction, this is Amy.
Okay, look.
Jackie, no.
We're out of time.
I have all the resumes here ready to send.
Only three of them are in the template.
I'm sorry.
I really, really tried.
I have another deadline in two hours.
I guess we could just plop them in there as is.
Yeah.
Here's the thing.
Jared said he wants them all to match.
Jack.
Ames.
You owe me more than any person has ever owed another person anything.
I'm so sorry.
I totally do.
I totally do.
I'll bring those ham chips you like to the next SNPS event.
You can't ham chip your way out of this.
And cheese?
Sold.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
I hate you.
Hey, I hope you have a good week.
Oh, Bjorn.
Oh my God.
Scared me.
Was that your friend from the architect office?
Jackie?
She is not my friend.
She's dead to me.
So just wanted to ask if you're back on the network.
What?
Did you not get disconnected?
The shared drive disconnected for most of the people in the office.
What?
Oh, yep.
Looks like you're out too.
OK, well, stay tuned.
I'm working on it.
Stay tuned.
I have a proposal due in three and a half hours and I have approximately four hundred and thirty seven resumes to lay out.
Is there anything I could do to help?
Burn down the building?
I'll bet we'll have the network back online in under an hour.
More than an hour later.
Yes!
Finally!
Bjorn, you are slow.
This is Amy.
Hi, Amy.
It's Emilyn estimating.
Math, math, numbers, percentage, budget, Excel, divisions.
So is the estimate ready to drop in?
Numbers, math, summary, percentage detail, allocation formula, clarifications and assumptions.
But numbers, math, Timberline, pre-confi, you know?
Totally.
Can you please send that and write in the email exactly what each thing is and exactly what order they go in?
Math.
Friday, 3 p.m., two hours until the deadline.
Outlaw Construction, this is Amy.
Hi, this is Jared from Artiste Architecture.
Just wanted to check and see if there's anything you still need from me.
Oh, man.
Um, let me see.
Well, we're two pages over the limit right now, so if there's anything you can cut down, that would be really nice.
Oh, you know, I took a look but couldn't find anything that could be cut.
Did you get that text I wanted to add to the approach section?
Yeah, we didn't really have room for that since we're two pages over the limit.
Can we maybe squeeze it onto the back of the cover letter?
Do you know if that counts to our space limit?
Can you hang on one second?
Thanks.
Outlaw Construction, this is Amy.
Hi, this is Katie from Analytic Engineering.
I just wanted to check in with you and see if there's anything else that you need from me.
I don't know.
Hang on one second.
Hey, do you need any help with anything?
Oh, hey Michelle.
Did you get that PDF thing figured out?
No, you're my next stop.
Amy, do you have everything you need from me?
I literally don't know.
You're the third person asked me that in 30 seconds.
It's deadline day.
She knows.
We have the same deadline.
If you want, get out.
Michelle, hang on one second, please.
Katie.
Hi.
Yeah, we're good.
I will totally email you if anything comes up.
Thanks so much.
Jared.
Hey, we are all good.
I'm going to have Michelle take a look and see if there's anywhere we can squeeze in that extra content.
There's no room for more content.
Aren't we already over the page limit?
Oh, yeah.
No, that's just the thing I say.
Like it is what it is or thoughts and prayers.
What do you need?
Well, I've got good news and bad news.
Which do you want first?
Why do people ask that?
You're the only one who knows what the news is.
Surprise me.
I can't make the delivery after all.
The OAC meeting is back on.
So was that the good news or the bad news?
The good news is Kenny, the new PE is available to take the proposals to the client.
Kenny, the new PE is going to deliver the $200 million design build proposals to the client.
Remember, he's the guy who didn't know what the cloud was.
Bjorn, why are you still here?
I need to get going to my meeting, but Kenny's on his way down.
I'm sure if you give him all the info and tell him where he's going, he'll be just fine.
Can I help with anything?
Did you seriously just ask me that question?
This reminds me of the time at my last job when they had the proposal due the day after Christmas, and then everybody had to spend Christmas Eve at the office.
That sucks.
Yeah, but there was lots of free snacks.
I mean, not to get all Che Guevara here, but I'd choose being home on Christmas over all you can eat kind bars.
And print.
What?
No.
Why?
Okay, you wanna help, Bjorn?
Guess what?
You just joined the printing corps.
What do I need to do?
Make it work.
Make it print.
Print the paper.
Dude, I need to get this proposal to appear on this stack of thinly sliced tree salami.
How can I explain this in a different way?
Okay, I'm on it.
Friday, 4 p.m.
One hour until the deadline.
We're printing, repeat, we are printing.
Copy that printing, just packing up the electronic copy, get those covers ready.
Oh no, wait, wait, wait, we need to collate all these sections and tabs.
We're gonna need a third set of hands.
Should I get Kenny?
No.
Let me see if Lisa at the front desk can help.
Hey, Lisa.
Hi, Amy, how are you?
I haven't seen you all day.
Ugh, deadline day.
Total nightmare at every turn.
Oh, sorry to hear that.
Is there anything I can do to help?
Actually, yes.
Could you come help us collate the proposal copies into the different tab sections like you did a few months ago with that big hospital RFP?
Sure, I'll do my best.
Hi, Bjorn.
You got drafted too?
I'm in the printing corps.
Okay, Bjorn, keep printing and separating.
Lisa, sort the sections into tabs.
I'm going to punch and bind.
I wonder why they wanted printed copies.
because at the school district, it's still 1993.
Friday, 415 p.m.
45 minutes until the deadline.
Bjorn, you're killing me with the time updates, dude.
That wasn't me.
It wasn't?
You can hear that too?
Friday, 416 p.m.
44 minutes until the deadline.
That's really making me nervous.
My hands are shaking.
Sorry.
Hi.
Hey.
Oh, hey, Diana.
How's the NICU renovation going?
Over budget and behind schedule, but the facilities guy brings donuts every Monday.
That's awesome.
Hey, Amy.
I don't suppose you have a second to Photoshop a couple photos from my wedding, do you?
I am sorry to disappoint you, but we have a deadline in 44 minutes.
43 minutes.
Dude.
Okay, I'm done.
Oh, got it.
Good luck.
Can I do anything to help?
Yes, actually.
Do you know that storage room that's next to your office upstairs?
Yep.
Okay, go to that storage room.
Okay.
And then keep walking until you get to your office, and then just stay there.
Oh, okay.
Bjorn, shut the door.
And lock it.
Oh, my God, we have 40 minutes until the deadline.
Excuse me?
Fine, you say it.
No, I don't want to now.
Friday, 421, 39 minutes until the deadline.
Anything I can do to help?
No!
Okay, Lisa, this is the last one.
Bjorn, go get Kenny.
Get Kenny.
Get Kenny!
Oh, no.
Oh, no, no, no, no.
The appendix.
We need an appendix tab.
Oh, dear God.
Lisa, we might actually miss this deadline.
I have never missed a deadline in my entire career.
Don't panic.
Let's think.
Do you have anything we could...
Wait, what are these?
Those are leftover tabs from other proposals that we didn't use, but they're all pre-printed.
There's a few that say appendix though.
Yeah, but they're all in banks of different numbers of tabs, like they wouldn't match with the others.
But the appendix tab is the last one in the set.
There wouldn't be any after it, so it doesn't necessarily have to match.
You are the smartest person in this company.
Okay, Kenny, you're ready to be the delivery boy?
I guess.
No, no, no, no.
Until those proposals are delivered, you don't guess, Kenny.
You know.
I'm ready.
Yeah.
What kind of car do you drive, Kenny?
It's blue, like sort of teal blue.
What kind of car?
Oh, it's an SUV.
Good.
Okay, here's what we're going to do.
Lisa, grab half of the proposals.
I'll take the other half.
Bjorn, you bring the punching and binding machine.
Kenny, go get your car, pull up to the front door.
Right now?
Right now, Kenny.
Start the car and clear out the backseat.
We're coming with you.
Okay.
Kenny, listen to me.
This is where you're going.
You have to get the package time stamped, or we will be disqualified.
The front desk is just inside the admin building.
It's a brick building with like, cone shaped trees out front.
Do you understand?
Yes, cone shaped trees.
Kenny, that was not the most important part of that information.
Time stamped, or we're disqualified.
I got it.
Friday, 4:50 p.m.
Ten minutes until the deadline.
At the intersection, turn left.
Hi there, what are you up to?
Oh, you know, nothing much.
What?
Well, happy Friday!
Do you have any plans for the weekend?
I was thinking about trying that new Greek restaurant, Eta Peta.
Eta Peta may be closed by the time you arrive.
Ooh, rejected.
Bjorn, last one.
Bind, bind, bind!
I'm binding, I'm binding.
Uh, oops.
If you broke that coil, the next one is going through your ears.
It's fine, it's fine, I got it.
There!
Lisa, you got the envelope?
Right here, pre-addressed, ready to go.
Here, shove this one in with the others, and seal it.
Friday, 4:57 p.m., three minutes.
Ten minutes until the deadline.
Your destination is on the right.
Oh, where do I park?
Park right here and run.
What if I get a ticket?
Expense it.
Park the car.
Take this.
Run.
Get it time stamped or do not come back.
There he goes.
Wow.
Look at him run.
I wish I could run that fast.
What is he doing?
Kenny, what are you doing, man?
Looks like the door isn't opening.
There's another door on the right.
Somebody just went in.
Kenny, go to the door on the right.
What?
The door on the right.
He's not getting in.
There's a door code.
He should have it, though.
He doesn't have it.
Kenny, door code.
What?
Door code.
There he goes.
Go, Kenny, go.
Why is he taking out his phone?
Are you serious right now?
Dude, you can do the wordel later.
Go in.
He's waving the phone.
What does he mean?
He just texted me that he figured out the code.
Well, that's good news.
Oh, thank God he got in.
I hope he makes it to the front desk in time.
If he doesn't, I say we just drive south and keep driving until the sun sets.
I could quit.
My refurbished laptop and phone business is booming.
Your what?
Nothing.
Never mind.
Oh my God.
It's five o'clock.
Where is he?
Kenny, where are you?
Is that?
No, that's not him.
What's he doing?
I hope he didn't get lost.
It's right at the front.
How could he get lost?
I bet he got lost.
Friday, 5:05 p.m.
Five minutes past the deadline.
He definitely got lost.
Nice knowing you guys.
Let me know if you ever need a phone.
I cannot believe this.
I literally cannot.
Wait a minute.
Is that Kenny?
That's him.
He's coming out.
What's he carrying?
He doesn't have the envelope.
That's good, right?
What the hell is this?
This?
Oh, there's a little calf brain in the lobby.
I stopped and got a sandwich.
You stopped and got a sandwich?
Are you serious right now?
Did you deliver the proposals?
Oh, yeah.
Went great.
Got time stamped and everything.
Here, hold this.
Did you at least get me one?
Here's the receipt.
Five o'clock exactly.
Is that okay?
The lady said we were right on time.
Get in the car.
I skipped lunch.
Do you guys want to go get something to eat before we head back?
Yeah, that would actually be really nice.
I could eat.
I already had a sandwich.
We know.
Well, I'm happy to go hang out with you guys.
Where should we go?
We could go to Eat-a-Peta.
No, Eat-a-Peta was closed, remember?
There is a bar right next door.
Now we're talking.
Honestly, that makes even more sense than pitas right now.
Do they have food?
They do.
And patio seating.
Let's go.
I just want to thank all of you for helping out with this, because we never would have made it without you.
So here's to Bjorn, Lisa and even Five O'Clock Kenny, the best ragtag last minute marketing support team that anyone could ever ask for.
Five O'Clock Kenny is your nickname forever now.
Well, I need to head back pretty soon if it's all right.
My son has a soccer game tonight.
Oh yeah, I've got stuff tonight too.
There's an SMPS mixer on a boat.
What's that?
It's like a playdate for marketing people.
They said there was going to be free food.
It starts at seven.
What time is it anyway?
Friday, 6 p.m.
One week, three days and 18 hours until the next deadline.
The Shortlist is presented by Middle of Six.
This episode was written by Becky Ellison with audio production by Kyle Davis.
Special thanks to Melissa Richie, Susan O'Leary, Allison Tivnon, lauren Jane Peterson, Grace Takahara, Daniela Patterson, Kyle Davis, and Becky Ellison for taking a break from InDesign to try their hand at acting.
The Shortlist will be back for season three in January 2024, and we want to hear from you.
Email us your marketing questions to theshortlistatmiddleofsix.com.
If you send us a voice memo, we might even play your question in an upcoming episode.
And if you're running out of hustle, or need more resources to tackle that to-do list, the Middle of Six teams got your back.
From branding and websites, creative promotions and training, to proposal production and interview coaching, we can pitch in to help you accomplish more.
Drop us a line at hello at middleofsix.com.
So let us know what's on your mind.
And until we see you in season three, keep on hustling.
The Shortlist is a podcast that explores all things AEC marketing. Hosted by Middle of Six Principal, Wendy Simmons, each episode features members of the MOS team, where we take a deep dive on a wide range of topics related to AEC marketing including: proposal development, strategy, team building, business development, branding, digital marketing, and more. You can listen to our full archive of episodes here.