How one can Write a Request for Proposal (RFP) with Template & Pattern

Whether or not you’re working for a small company or a significant advertising and marketing agency, you’re most likely ultimately going to wish to fill out a Request for Proposal, or RFP.

Your organization can’t do all the pieces internally, and when what you are promoting must buy a services or products from elsewhere, you may want to buy round. An RFP permits you to gather presents from varied distributors and choose the seller that finest meets your standards, each with regard to ability and finances.

Any time you outsource work to a provider, there is a potential for points resembling miscommunication across the scope of the work and the compensation. What a very good RFP does is remove grey areas in order that each events perceive what must be delivered, when, and for the way a lot.

RFP Template

Right here, we’ve offered an RFP template you’ll be able to comply with for preliminary construction, in addition to a pattern RFP for additional inspiration. However it isn’t one-size-fits-all — you’ll have to tailor your RFP to finest articulate your organization’s wants.

Obtain a free, editable RFP template.

Not that you just’ve seen the template, how do you truly write an RFP? We’ve acquired you coated.

1. Outline your undertaking, scope, and finances.

Earlier than issuing your RFP, take the time to outline the undertaking you’re seeking to full, its scope, and the way a lot you’ll be able to afford to spend. This data gives the framework in your RFP and helps make sure that it strikes a stability between too common and overly detailed. Not solely that, however it should assist potential distributors perceive your priorities and tailor their proposals accordingly.

On this step, attempt to present a transparent and concise description. Keep away from utilizing overly technical language or business jargon that may very well be complicated to potential distributors. The distinction is refined, however could make a world of a distinction in serving to you obtain better-fit proposals. Right here’s an instance:

• Good: “Our firm is searching for a CRM system that integrates with our present advertising and marketing automation software program and gives real-time reporting. The answer ought to be straightforward to make use of and scalable to accommodate our rising buyer base. Our finances for this undertaking is $50,000.”
• Not-so-good: “Our firm desires to implement a buyer relationship administration (CRM) system that integrates with our present advertising and marketing automation software program and gives real-time reporting capabilities for our gross sales crew to grasp buyer information extra shortly and effectively. The answer ought to be scalable and versatile to accommodate our rising buyer base, and it ought to be straightforward to make use of for non-technical crew members.”

You’ll be able to see how the nice model gives a transparent and concise description of the companies wanted, finances, and key necessities, whereas avoiding overly technical language and jargon that may very well be complicated. This makes it simpler for distributors to grasp what’s required and craft a proposal that meets your wants.

2. Present background and introductory data.

With finances and scope in hand, you can begin crafting your RFP. Whereas it’s tempting to dive proper into the small print, it’s a good suggestion to offer some background and introductory information about your organization. This helps set the stage for potential companions by giving them a way of your present market, enterprise objectives, and present challenges.

Listed below are three ideas for including background and introductory data to your RFP:

• Present an organization overview: Begin the RFP by offering a high-level overview of your organization, together with your historical past, mission, imaginative and prescient, and present market place. This data helps distributors perceive extra about what you are promoting objectives and gives context for the undertaking. Distributors can use this data to tailor their proposals to your group’s values and targets.
• Spotlight present challenges and alternatives: We cowl this intimately later, nevertheless it bears repeating: Checklist the present challenges you’re going through, together with alternatives you’d wish to capitalize on. This data helps distributors perceive particular areas of want and supply new or higher choices for you.
• Present contact data: You’ll want to present an e-mail tackle and cellphone quantity that distributors can use to submit questions on your RFP.

By offering an summary of your organization’s historical past, highlighting present challenges and alternatives, and offering clear contact data, you’ll be able to assist potential distributors craft a tailor-made proposal that aligns along with your group’s objectives.

3. Describe the companies you’re on the lookout for.

Now it’s time to get particular in regards to the companies you’re on the lookout for to assist obtain your objectives. For instance, when you’re constructing an internet site, you may look for a corporation with each front-end and back-end improvement expertise. Should you’re making a cell app, spotlight the necessity for particular abilities in that space, resembling experience in responsive design and constructing functions for a number of cell platforms.

You’ll be able to take varied approaches when describing the companies you’re searching for in an RFP, however we all the time suggest incorporating bullet factors or breaking apart your data in order that it’s straightforward for distributors to scan. Listed below are two examples.

RFP for Content material Advertising Companies: Our firm is on the lookout for an company to develop a singular content material advertising and marketing technique tailor-made particularly to our shopper base. The aim of this undertaking is to draw and have interaction new clients whereas retaining present ones. Our excellent vendor:

• Has expertise in creating content material in varied codecs resembling weblog posts, social media, infographics, and movies
• Has expertise in website positioning optimization, key phrase analysis, and content material distribution
• Can leverage information and analytics to enhance content material efficiency

RFP for Video Manufacturing Companies: Our model’s content material crew is on the lookout for a video manufacturing firm to provide a collection of movies for our YouTube channel. Our aim is to construct model consciousness, drive net site visitors, and improve our YouTube advertising and marketing ROI. The best vendor:

• Has expertise in producing high-quality movies throughout varied codecs resembling live-action, animation, screencast, whiteboard, and academic video
• Can present a extremely responsive, collaborative, and clear communication course of
• Has a transparent course of from ideation, manufacturing, revision, and last supply

4. Clarify any challenges or boundaries to success for the undertaking.

In the course of the bidding course of, it’s essential to be clear about your undertaking’s potential boundaries to success. By doing so, you give potential companions and distributors the chance to supply options to those challenges.

In any other case, companions or distributors could not absolutely perceive the scope of the undertaking and any potential difficulties which will come up. This lack of understanding might result in delayed timelines, elevated prices, or in the end, undertaking failure.

Moreover, withholding the boundaries to success might end in an absence of belief between your organization and the seller crew. This will result in misaligned expectations and misunderstandings. However by being clear in regards to the potential boundaries to success, you’ll be able to improve the probability of discovering the suitable vendor and finishing the undertaking efficiently.

5. Element your choice standards.

Subsequent up are the choice standards. Right here, you’ll be able to spotlight which abilities, companies, and market experience are required for consideration. That is the time to get particular: Clear descriptions of choice standards will assist cut back the danger of sorting by a number of proposals that don’t meet your wants.This may provide help to make an knowledgeable determination when choosing the right vendor for the undertaking.

Specifying the choice standards early on within the course of improves transparency. If distributors don’t meet the factors, they received’t submit a proposal, or they will optimize their proposals to fulfill your wants. This eliminates ambiguity, confusion, and frustration on each side, and avoids pointless forwards and backwards.

Plus, evaluating distributors in opposition to the choice standards additionally ensures that the undertaking is awarded based mostly on goal judgment moderately than on subjective opinion.

Some examples of choice standards you could specify in an RFP are:

• Expertise: The seller ought to have in depth expertise in delivering initiatives just like the one described in your RFP.
• {Qualifications}: The seller ought to be capable of exhibit their experience within the related know-how, software program, or methodology required to finish your undertaking.
• Value: The seller ought to present detailed pricing and be capable of exhibit how their proposal matches inside your finances.
• References: The seller ought to present references from previous purchasers who’ve used their companies for related initiatives.
• Methodology: The seller ought to define their method to managing your undertaking, together with undertaking administration processes, sources administration, and undertaking supply timelines.
• Availability: The seller ought to present particulars of their capability to tackle the undertaking, the supply of their sources, and an anticipated supply timeline.
• Staff Profiles: The seller ought to embody detailed profiles of the members of the crew assigned to ship the undertaking, highlighting their expertise in related areas and their {qualifications}.
• Technical compatibility: The seller ought to be capable of guarantee compatibility with different applied sciences or methods utilized by your group, resembling different software program options or APIs.

6. Specify your undertaking’s timeline.

It’s additionally necessary to be up-front about your timelines. Give potential companions an finish date for RFP submission, a date for last choice, and a transparent start-to-finish undertaking timeline so corporations making a proposal can fine-tune their bid. This may even provide help to slender down the pool of potential distributors and make sure that the undertaking is accomplished on time.

A timeline advantages everybody all through the bidding course of. With a timeline in place, distributors obtain clear steerage on when your undertaking have to be accomplished and might plan their sources accordingly, making certain well timed supply. The seller may talk the mandatory deadlines to their crew, minimizing the danger of delays and making certain that your undertaking is delivered efficiently.

Right here’re an instance of what a timeline can appear to be, however bear in mind that it’ll fluctuate relying in your RFP’s format, in addition to your goal distributors’ industries:

“The advertising and marketing division at HubSpot is seeking to rent a digital advertising and marketing company to assist with a brand new promoting marketing campaign. Proposals have to be submitted by August 1st and the marketing campaign launch should happen no later than September fifteenth, in time for the back-to-school season.”

7. Proofread your RFP and go dwell.

Final however by no means least? Proofread your RFP — then proofread it once more. Why? As a result of even small errors might derail undertaking timelines. Think about a zero lacking in your finances particulars, or a miscommunication in regards to the dates that proposals are due and choices are made; each might drive a restart of your complete RFP course of and waste treasured time.

Keep in mind that your aim is to ask as many proposals as potential, and to make it easy for distributors to reply. An unintentional typo, resembling a undertaking identify that you just forgot to switch or incorrect contact data, could make it that a lot tougher to extend your response charge.

When you’re happy that all the pieces in your RFP is correct and full, it’s time to go dwell. Ship out emails and put up hyperlinks in your web site to start out the method of discovering your best-fit supplier. To streamline this course of, think about proposal software program to publish and handle responses to your RFP.

Now that you just perceive the fundamentals of writing an RFP, you’ll be able to construct your personal template after which fill it out so as to begin accepting bids. We’ll use a fictitious firm, Caroline’s Web sites, Inc., as an instance precisely how every part ought to be executed.

RFP Pattern

Venture Identify or Description: Advertising Companies

Firm Identify: Caroline’s Web sites, Inc.

Handle: 302 Inbound Ave.

Metropolis, State, Zip Code: Boston, MA 29814

Procurement Contact Individual: Caroline Forsey

Phone Variety of PCP: 227-124-2481

Electronic mail Handle of PCP: cforsey@consulting.com

Fax Quantity: N/A

Subsequent, we’ll go into every of the weather of the RFP with data utilizing the identical fictitious firm.

1. Write your background and introduction.

In your introductory paragraph, you’ll need to embody helpful background details about your organization — who based it, what services or products your organization presents, what units you other than rivals, and the place you’re situated. If any vendor is severe about working with you, they’ll need this data earlier than transferring ahead.

Instance

Caroline’s Web sites, Inc. is an online design agency created by Caroline Forsey in 2010. Caroline’s Web sites, Inc. prides itself on a team-oriented, solutions-based method to net design. We offer our purchasers with net design companies together with coding, improvement, and branding. Our workers is situated in two places of work in Massachusetts.

2. Outline your undertaking objectives and scope of companies.

Subsequent, you’ll need to define the undertaking you want accomplished, and the objectives you anticipate to perform from the undertaking. It’s necessary you get as particular as potential — even outlining particular person duties and standards concerned. You’ll need to embody phrases resembling “The award might be given to X agency,” with the “X” establishing the way you’ll decide the perfect candidate.

Instance

Caroline’s Web sites, Inc. is searching for the companies of a full-service communications and advertising and marketing agency to develop and execute a complete built-in advertising and marketing plan that will increase our website positioning presence; attracts extra social media followers; and successfully completes a lead technology marketing campaign. The award might be made to a responsive and accountable agency based mostly on the perfect worth {and professional} functionality.

The chosen agency might be answerable for the event and implementation of a complete and cost-effective advertising and marketing plan.

Duties embody however is probably not restricted to the next standards:

• Lead technology marketing campaign
• Paid media technique
• Manufacturing of inventive materials together with collateral and junk mail
• On-line advertising and marketing marketing campaign
• Web site enhancement
• SEO
• Normal account administration
• Different communications and/or marketing-related help as required

3. Element your anticipated choice schedule.

It’s essential you embody an in depth schedule so distributors know if they will meet your deadlines. You’ll additionally want to provide distributors a window for once they can ask questions concerning your undertaking.

Instance

The Request for Proposal timeline is as follows:

Request for RFP: June 1, 20XX

Deadline for Bidders to Submit Questions: July 5, 20XX

[Company Name] Responds to Bidder Questions: July 20, 20XX

Choice of High Bidders / Notification to Unsuccessful Bidders: July 31, 20XX

Begin of Negotiation: August 5, 20XX

Contract Award / Notification to Unsuccessful Bidders: August 31, 20XX

4. Describe the time and place for the submission of proposals.

Just like paragraph #3, that is necessary data you’ll need to clearly current, so distributors know the way and the place to submit themselves for consideration.

Instance

The RFP might be posted on our web site, Carolinewebsites.com, and may be downloaded from there immediately as of 10 a.m. on June 1, 20XX.

Respondents to this RFP should submit one authentic and 5 copies of their proposal. Responses have to be obtained no later than July 25, 20XX. Responses ought to be clearly marked “RFP-MarketingServices” and mailed or delivered to the contact particular person listed above.

5. Clearly outline your timeline.

By together with a timeframe in your RFP, you’re in a position to remove any vendor who can’t work inside your time constraints. Should you’re versatile in your time, you’ll be able to write one thing like, “Our firm hopes to complete the undertaking inside six months, however we’re open to negotiation for the suitable candidate.”

Instance

Caroline’s Web sites, Inc. wants the undertaking accomplished inside 8 months.

6. Specify the important thing parts of a proposal.

Should you don’t define clearly and particularly what you anticipate bidders to incorporate of their proposal, you’ll be able to’t essentially fault them in the event that they don’t embody it. It’s important you define a guidelines so distributors know which parts you’re anticipating to obtain. It’s additionally a very good take a look at for who’s able to dealing with your calls for — if a vendor can’t full all parts of your proposal, you most likely can’t belief them to complete your undertaking, both.

Instance

A submission should, at a minimal, embody the next parts:

• Description of the agency that features a common overview, names and credentials of inventive crew, variety of full-time staff.
• A one-page narrative outlining the agency’s strengths and distinguishing abilities or capabilities as they could relate to Caroline’s Web sites, Inc.
• A consultant choice of social media adverts, direct response materials, collateral, and web site improvement created for present and previous purchasers.

7. Make your analysis standards clear.

Outlining your expectations will assist remove distributors who don’t meet them. For this part, you’ll need to do some brainstorming along with your crew to give you a compulsory listing of things you are feeling are the perfect indicators of spectacular candidates. Your listing might embody samples of previous work, a confirmed success report with corporations in related industries, the experience and technical abilities to fulfill your calls for, and a value of companies inside your value vary.

Instance

The profitable respondent may have:

• Expertise working as a advertising and marketing company for no less than 24 months and possess full-service, in-house capabilities for advertising and marketing, inventive companies, manufacturing, media planning and placement, direct response, and analysis.
• The schooling, expertise, data, abilities, and {qualifications} of the agency and the people who might be obtainable to offer these companies.
• The aggressive price of companies.
• The experience of the agency in working with related clients.

8. Describe any potential roadblocks.

Right here, you’ll need to define any roadblocks, resembling restricted sources or a customized web site, that may forestall sure distributors from efficiently finishing the undertaking. This lets you remove unsatisfactory bidders, and it’ll additionally provide help to decide which distributors have the talents and experience to deal with these challenges.

Instance

Presently, Caroline’s Web sites, Inc. presently has customized coding on our web site, of which bidders ought to be conscious.

9. State your finances for the undertaking.

Any vendor must know the way a lot you’re in a position to pay them for his or her companies earlier than they’ll transfer ahead with their bid.

Instance

Caroline’s Web sites, Inc.’s finances for the undertaking is $8,750.00.

These parts have been written in a method to make clear the scope of the undertaking that Caroline’s Web sites, Inc. desires accomplished in order that suppliers know whether or not or to not make a bid. Defining the undertaking permits the bidder to find out if they are a good match and the way a lot they’d seemingly cost. Being as clear as potential serves to profit (and even shield) each events in the long term.

Ideas for Writing an RFP

There are a number of key actions you could take to extend the probability of a vendor responding to your RFP. On the similar time, sure components could cause a vendor to be much less more likely to reply.

Listed below are some ideas that can assist you optimize your RFPs to realize a excessive response charge from distributors.

1. Present open strains of communication.

Should you set up open communication strains with distributors through the bidding course of, you’re extra more likely to see the next response charge. Why? Offering entry to a degree of contact — or establishing a schedule for convention calls or in-person conferences — can present that your organization is invested within the vendor response course of.

We additionally suggest purposefully asking your potential distributors to hunt clarification. Encourage them to ask questions in regards to the RFP and the undertaking itself. The extra they perceive your wants, the higher their proposals might be, and the better it will likely be so that you can make an knowledgeable determination.

2. Don’t skimp on undertaking particulars, however hold it temporary and scannable.

Distributors are much less seemingly to reply to RFPs if the undertaking particulars are inadequate or unclear. Should you don’t present detailed directions and necessities in your undertaking, distributors could interpret the undertaking scope otherwise, inflicting them to submit proposals that don’t particularly tackle your wants.

Conversely, distributors are extra seemingly to reply to RFPs that present well-defined undertaking objectives and timelines, as a result of that permits them to raised consider their talents and supply knowledgeable proposals.

That stated, you need to hold your data as scannable as potential. Reap the benefits of formatting choices resembling bullet factors and headings. A vendor is probably going flipping by many RFPs in a day, so that you need them to get the knowledge they want after a short scan of your doc.

3. Set up a aggressive finances and ample deadline.

Distributors usually tend to be excited about responding to your RFP in the event that they really feel that their pricing is aggressive, and in the event that they really feel that your deadline and timeline is cheap for the undertaking’s specs.

Then again, distributors could also be hesitant to ship you a proposal if there’s a quick deadline, or if the timeline is especially compressed. This might point out that your organization is just not permitting sufficient time for distributors to conduct analysis and submit correct proposals.

4. Analysis your goal vendor’s business and market.

Have you ever ever purchased a bit of software program that nothing about? Us, both, and we wouldn’t suggest you do the identical when contemplating submitted proposals to your RFPs.

Researching the seller market beforehand might help you develop extra life like budgets, timelines, and objectives. You’ll be able to create extremely particular choice standards and higher determine which distributors will most definitely meet your finances and time constraints. 

With inadequate data in regards to the market, you possibly can unintentionally underestimate the sources required in your undertaking, or set unrealistic timelines and expectations. This miscommunication can misguide distributors, main them to both submit a proposal that isn’t a very good match or completely decide out of bidding.

Because the identify makes clear, RFIs are about amassing data. They’re utilized by corporations to get a way of what options are in the marketplace and the way the businesses that provide these options might assist remedy a key downside or full a key activity. RFIs ask corporations to submit information about what they do, what they provide, and the way they might help obtain particular objectives.

RFPs, in the meantime, comply with RFIs. Utilizing the knowledge obtained from RFIs, corporations construct RFPs that element precisely what they’re on the lookout for, how a lot they’re planning to spend, and the way distributors might be chosen. In impact, RFIs assist slender the scope of RFPs to assist streamline the choice course of.

Value noting? There’s additionally another choice if precisely what services or products you’re on the lookout for: Request for quote (RFQ). Not like an RFP, which asks potential companions to submit a proposal based mostly on their experience and expertise, an RFQ is about price: You’re asking a selected vendor what it might price to ship “X” service or answer in “Y” timeframe below “Z” circumstances.

Realizing Finest Outcomes for Your RFP

Your RFP units the stage for corporations to bid on initiatives which might be outdoors the scope of your inside experience — however are nonetheless important for what you are promoting to succeed.

Consequently, it’s price ensuring your RFP is obvious, concise, and captures the important thing particulars about your wants to assist discover the best-fit accomplice in your undertaking. Undecided the place to start out? Seize a duplicate of HubSpot’s free RFP template, comply with the steps above, and get your initiatives underway.

Editor’s be aware: This put up was initially printed in June 2018 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.