Three consecutive calls with outside web consultants brings me to the following conclusion: we’ve been talking to the wrong outside web consultants.
Generally speaking, of course, the old consultant liked ColdFusion. The new one drops a LAMP comment. The old one thought the client needed an in-house server. New one asks if we have a preferred hosting vendor. Old one tells us my client told me to contact you. New one found us at a CSS gallery. Old asks for a proposal based on a 10 minute call. New says we can expect an RFP next Tuesday.
I like the new consultant a lot.