**Team Proposals

Creating the Job Post (client view)

Clients posting a job will come across this screen below that showcases the “I am open to getting team proposals” IF:

• CL specified that they want to hire multiple FLs at job post review page (if this is not their first job post) OR 
• CL has two or more posts open

If they select the Team Proposals option, the client will need to fill in this small form sharing specific on what they are looking for in other roles e.g. I need a web design as well as an SEO expert (if they click “no thanks”, it will revert to posting as a normal job post):

Finding / Applying to Job Post (freelancer view)

When freelancers find a job that was flagged as a “I am open to getting team proposals” job post, they’ll see a “Team opportunity” badge on the job post in their job feed:

A FL that’s top-rated and has a “network'' is able to apply for this posting (these FLs are referred to as “Team Leads” in the process) and invite up to 4 FLs from their network (these FLs are referred to as “Collaborators” in the process).

When viewing the job post, (if they are a TR FL with a network), they’ll see the “Create a team proposal” blue banner. Both “Start a team proposal” and “Send a proposal” will take them to the next screen where they have the opportunity to move forward with a team proposal, if they choose:

The Team Lead then fills in the proposal with their personal proposal information as well as select up to 4 collaborators they’d like to join their team (if they want to submit as an individual proposal and not a team proposal, they can skip this part here):

Upon selecting the collaborators, the Team Lead will be able to view the proposal status within “My proposals” under “Draft team proposals”, then open the draft proposal page. They can keep an eye on where their invited collaborators, message them for further collaboration, as well as add/remove other collaborators:

Reviewing Job Post / Hiring a Team (client view)

This will show as one proposal to the client for easy-viewing, but on the back-end it’s one proposal per freelancer in the team:

The client also has the option to message the Team Lead of the team or click “Send offer”:

For Clients:

They will only see the “I am open to getting team proposals”  option when posting a job IF:

• CL specified that they want to hire multiple FL at job post review page OR
• CL has two or more posts open
• Clients will only be able to message the team TL once the TL submit the team proposal
• Before the client sends the offer, they do have the option to edit the rates similar to the normal proposal process we currently have for job offers
• Clients do not have the ability to exclude collaborators. If they don’t want to work with someone on this specific project, they should communicate with the Team Lead so they can delete the specific collaborator. 
• If a client withdraws an offer sent to a collaborator, and wants to send them a new offer, they can BUT they will no longer be part of the official team. The client will need to go to that freelancer’s profile and hire them from their page directly.
• Clients do have the option to choose different payment methods for each offer as they go through the checkout flow

For Freelancer Team Lead:

• Only a top-rated freelancer with an existing network can apply with a team proposal and this FL becomes the team lead
• TL can choose up to four collaborators
• Based on what the client listed, the team lead will then select the most suitable freelancers from within their network  
• An invite to the collaborators will be sent by the TL
• The TL as well as the collaborators will submit their own individual rates. This is not a joint proposal, but will appear that way for CLs for easy-navigation. 
• Each FL will have their own contracts with the CL if they choose to hire the team
• The proposal submissions by the collaborators will not automatically go to the client. The collaborators rates for the proposal will go into a draft folder that lies with the team lead. The entire proposal will only be submitted to the client once all the collaborators have submitted their rates and the TL submits the proposal on behalf of the team.
• Team leads can:
• withdraw the entire team proposal at any time; 
• see all rates, their own as well as the collaborators rates;
• create a cover letter and save it as a draft at any stage of the proposal;
• delete / add a collaborator at any time before submitting the proposal (once a collaborator has been removed, they cannot be re-added)
• Connects for the proposal come from the TL Connects pool only. 
• If they qualify for Connects from winning an interview, they will receive the 10 Connects and not the collaborators
• They do have the ability to boost the proposal if they’d like to
• Connects pricing will cost the same for the Team Lead as if they were submitting an individual proposal (e.g. if the proposal costs 3 Connects, they will only be charged 3 Connects and not that amount x their collaborators)
• Non-exclusive agency members are able to be a Team Lead if Top Rated and have a network (if they are a non-exclusive agency member in a TR freelancer’s network, they can also be a collaborator)

For Freelancer Collaborators:

• Collaborators are the freelancers who are chosen by the TL (will be in TL’s network) for the team proposal
• Collaborators don’t need to be top-rated
• Each collaborator will submit their own proposal / rates to the TL. This does not go to the client until the TL submits the proposal.
• Collaborators:
• can choose to decline being part of the team proposal or they can submit 
• can’t withdraw the proposal
• can’t replace the TL
• can only see own rates they entered and not the rates of the full team
• To opt out after proposal is submitted, although they cannot withdraw the proposal, collaborators can connect with team lead to share they no longer want to be part of the project
• The collaborator view does not have a cover letter and only the TL does
• Non-exclusive agency members are able to be a collaborator if part of a Top Rated freelancer’s network (if they are a TR non-exclusive agency member, they can also be a Team Lead if they have a network)

Contract / Proposal Specifics:

• Contracts are created individually and not as a group
• Should a dispute arise, the dispute will be between the client and the freelancer that they have a discrepancy with
• When a contract is closed, the client will need to close each contract and leave individual feedback
• Only the freelancer’s JSS will be affected by their own contract and not in relation to the team
• Although the Team Proposal appears as 1 proposal for the client, this is treated as individual proposals in the backend for freelancers. This means that this proposal submission / acceptance will be showcased in My Stats just like any other proposal for both the collaborators and the Team Lead.

FREELANCER FAQS

What are team proposals? 

Team proposals allow you to join with other freelancers to submit a proposal together. This allows you to come together and collaborate on high-value opportunities without being part of an agency. 

Why would clients use team proposals?

Sometimes clients need help with high-value projects that require a few different people. It can be overwhelming for clients to hire different and separate freelancers that don’t collaborate. For example, clients might like a website built. They may need a copywriter and a web developer, but would like them to work together. 

How is this different from an agency? 

Team proposals allow you to collaborate on a project-by-project basis without joining an agency. 

Who is eligible to use team proposals? 

Right now, only Top Rated freelancers who use My Network are eligible.  If you’re Top Rated, view My Network here.

How do you start a team proposal?

If you’re eligible and the job is eligible, you’ll see an option to start a team proposal when you start a proposal. From the proposal window, you can add collaborators and choose Start a team proposal. The process is the same for hourly and fixed-price proposals. 

What is the maximum number of freelancers that can join a team proposal?

Five people total can join a team proposal. 

What is “My Network” referring to? 

My Network is a beta test within Upwork where you can connect with other professionals. Right now, only Top Rated freelancers have access to the network. Learn more about building and using your network. 

Do I need to be in network with the other freelancers I want to work with?

Yes, you need to add freelancers to your network before you can add them as collaborators on a team proposal. Not everyone needs to be in network with everyone on the proposal. But the team lead will need to be linked with every collaborator. 

I want to do a team proposal but I don’t have access to My Network. What do I do?

Right now, only Top Rated freelancers are eligible to join the My Network feature. If you’re Top Rated, view My Network here. If you’re not Top Rated, you can join the waiting list here to access the feature when it’s opened to a broader audience. 

When you submit a team proposal, who spends the Connects? 

The Connects are pulled from the balance of the person who submits the proposal––they are considered the team lead.

Who sets the terms, like rates, scope, etc?

The team lead begins the proposal and adds collaborators to it, but each person sets their own rate. After someone is added to a team proposal, they’ll be notified to complete their terms, like rate. When everyone’s finished, the team lead can submit the proposal. 

What permissions does the team lead have? 

The team lead can message with the client before hiring, add collaborators before submitting the proposal, and can remove a collaborator before hiring. They also cover the Connects needed to submit the proposal. 

What if I was submitted to a team proposal but I didn’t want to be?

You can always opt out from the proposal after being added. You’ll be notified after being added to a team proposal, and can decline. If your team already sent the proposal and you changed your mind, you can ask your team lead to remove you.

Can I see the team proposal my team lead sent to the client?

Yes, you can view your team proposal as normal under the My Proposals tab.

Can the team lead, or any collaborators, remove someone from the team proposal before hiring? 

The team lead can add or delete collaborators at the draft stage. They can also remove collaborators after submitting the proposal but before hiring. However, once a collaborator is removed, the team lead can’t add them back in. The team lead will need to make a new proposal to add someone back in. 

Can the client, team lead, or any collaborators, remove someone from the job after hiring? 

Each team member can end their contract with the client the way they normally would. Team members cannot remove each other from the job after hiring. 

As the team lead, can I remove a collaborator and add someone new after hiring? 

No, you’ll need to make a new proposal. 

Are all jobs eligible to submit a team proposal? 

No, only jobs that have a team opportunity badge, listed in blue at the top of a job post, are eligible. 

As a team lead, where can I view whether or not my collaborators submitted their rates?

You can view the proposal under My Proposals and see the status of each collaborator’s terms in the terms section. 

Are these jobs protected by Upwork payment protection?

After the team proposal is submitted and the team is hired, the work is managed separately. This means that as long as each collaborator meets payment protection criteria, they will be protected individually, not as a group. 

How will this be reflected in My Stats for each of us in the team?

Your stats will display as usual. Your team member’s performance will not be included in your stats. After the client accepts your proposal, each freelancer’s job is managed separately. Everything in My Stats, like your JSS, profile views, etc. will be earned by you.

Can I use the boosted proposal feature on team opportunities?

Yes, your team lead has the opportunity to boost the proposal as they submit it. 

CLIENT FAQS 

What are team proposals? 

Team proposals allows freelancers to join together to submit a proposal and work together on your project. This allows you to hire multiple people at the same time who can collaborate on high-value opportunities without being part of an agency. 

Why would freelancers use team proposals?

Freelancers can work together on bigger projects without being part of an agency. 

Are all job posts eligible to receive team proposals? 

No. To be eligible to receive team proposals, you’ll need to be established on Upwork and actively hiring. You’ll also need to opt-in to receive team proposals when you create your job post. 

Do I need to manually select that the job post is open to team proposals? 

Yes. After you create your job post, we’ll ask if you’re open to receiving proposals from teams, if you’re eligible. 

How will I pay each freelancer?

You’ll pay each freelancer as you would normally. They each have their own rate and you can manage each collaborator’s work individually. 

Can I message with each freelancer individually before starting?

You’ll only be able to message with the team lead before hiring. However, you can still view each freelancer’s profile individually. You can message with each individual collaborator, or the whole team at once, after hiring. 

How do I manage work and the contract? 

Each collaborator will work and be paid independently. You’ll manage work as normal. 

Will I have a contract workroom with each individual freelancer or with the whole team? 

You’ll have a contract workroom with each individual collaborator. After the team proposal is submitted, the work is managed separately. 

Does this mean I'll only get proposals from teams?

No, you’ll be able to receive team, agency, and individual proposals.  

Do I have to hire everyone from a team proposal? 

You may ask the team lead to exclude a collaborator from the team proposal, if you’d like.

Are these jobs protected by Upwork payment protection?

After the team proposal is submitted and the team is hired, the work is managed separately. This means that as long as you meet payment protection criteria, the contracts will be protected individually, not as a group.