How the Web Works
Before diving right in, you might want to know how the Web works. The technical details of the whole thing make me really sleepy, so I'll make this quick. But by understanding the basics, you'll have a better idea of what's going on behind the scenes of your Web site, and this will help you do some cool stuff with it down the road.
Go to How the Web Works
Source: webmonkey.com
Getting Started
Before you start creating a Web site, first think about why you're making it. Knowing the purpose of your site will help when you get ready to design it.
Go to Getting Started
Source: webmonkey.com
Putting Your Web Site Online
Finding a hosting company, registering a domain name, and understanding FTP, URLs, HTTP, absolute paths, and default pages.
Go to Putting Your Web Site Online
Source: "Head First HTML: with CSS & XHTML" by Elisabeth Freeman and Eric Freeman
Consider Usability and Accessibility
Make sure to review the usability and accessibility guidelines, especially Pervasive Usability.
Request for Proposal
A Request for Proposal (RFP) is a formal request to a vendor to submit a proposal to provide a product or service. For example, a business would give an RFP to a Web designer who would then submit a proposal to the potential client for the Web services specified.
If the proposal by the Web designer is approved by the potential client, they typically create a contract. The contract usually includes a scope of work, fees, and a schedule.
Here's an example of a real-life Request for Proposal.
Here's an example of a contract for a hypothetical client.