The right way to 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 finally going to want to fill out a Request for Proposal, or RFP.

Your organization can’t do all the things internally, and when your online business must buy a services or products from elsewhere, you may want to buy round. An RFP means that you can accumulate provides from numerous distributors and choose the seller that finest meets your standards, each with regard to talent and price range.

Any time you outsource work to a provider, there is a potential for points equivalent to miscommunication across the scope of the work and the compensation. What a great 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 may comply with for preliminary construction, in addition to a pattern RFP for additional inspiration. Nevertheless 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 bought you coated.

1. Outline your challenge, scope, and price range.

Earlier than issuing your RFP, take the time to outline the challenge you’re seeking to full, its scope, and the way a lot you may afford to spend. This info supplies the framework to your RFP and helps be certain that it strikes a steadiness between too basic and overly detailed. Not solely that, however it is going to 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 might be complicated to potential distributors. The distinction is delicate, 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 in search of a CRM system that integrates with our current advertising and marketing automation software program and supplies real-time reporting. The answer needs to be straightforward to make use of and scalable to accommodate our rising buyer base. Our price range for this challenge is $50,000.”
• Not-so-good: “Our firm needs to implement a buyer relationship administration (CRM) system that integrates with our current advertising and marketing automation software program and supplies real-time reporting capabilities for our gross sales crew to know buyer knowledge extra shortly and effectively. The answer needs to be scalable and versatile to accommodate our rising buyer base, and it needs to be straightforward to make use of for non-technical crew members.”

You possibly can see how the nice model supplies a transparent and concise description of the providers wanted, price range, and key necessities, whereas avoiding overly technical language and jargon that might be complicated. This makes it simpler for distributors to know what’s required and craft a proposal that meets your wants.

2. Present background and introductory info.

With price range and scope in hand, you can begin crafting your RFP. Whereas it’s tempting to dive proper into the main points, it’s a good suggestion to offer some background and introductory knowledge 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 suggestions for including background and introductory info 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 info helps distributors perceive extra about your online business objectives and supplies context for the challenge. Distributors can use this info to tailor their proposals to your group’s values and targets.
• Spotlight present challenges and alternatives: We cowl this intimately later, but it surely bears repeating: Listing the present challenges you’re going through, together with alternatives you’d wish to capitalize on. This info helps distributors perceive particular areas of want and supply new or higher choices for you.
• Present contact info: You should definitely present an e mail handle and cellphone quantity that distributors can use to submit questions on your RFP.

By offering an outline of your organization’s historical past, highlighting present challenges and alternatives, and offering clear contact info, you may assist potential distributors craft a tailor-made proposal that aligns along with your group’s objectives.

3. Describe the providers you’re in search of.

Now it’s time to get particular concerning the providers you’re in search of to assist obtain your objectives. For instance, if you happen to’re constructing an internet site, you may look for an organization with each front-end and back-end growth expertise. When you’re making a cellular app, spotlight the necessity for particular expertise in that space, equivalent to experience in responsive design and constructing functions for a number of cellular platforms.

You possibly can take numerous approaches when describing the providers you’re in search of in an RFP, however we at all times advocate incorporating bullet factors or breaking apart your info in order that it’s straightforward for distributors to scan. Listed below are two examples.

RFP for Content material Advertising and marketing Providers: Our firm is in search of an company to develop a singular content material advertising and marketing technique tailor-made particularly to our client base. The objective of this challenge is to draw and have interaction new prospects whereas retaining present ones. Our ultimate vendor:

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

RFP for Video Manufacturing Providers: Our model’s content material crew is in search of a video manufacturing firm to supply a sequence of movies for our YouTube channel. Our objective is to construct model consciousness, drive net site visitors, and enhance our YouTube advertising and marketing ROI. The perfect vendor:

• Has expertise in producing high-quality movies throughout numerous codecs equivalent to 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 remaining supply

4. Clarify any challenges or obstacles to success for the challenge.

In the course of the bidding course of, it’s essential to be clear about your challenge’s potential obstacles 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 totally perceive the scope of the challenge and any potential difficulties which will come up. This lack of awareness might result in delayed timelines, elevated prices, or finally, challenge failure.

Moreover, withholding the obstacles to success might lead to an absence of belief between your organization and the seller crew. This may occasionally result in misaligned expectations and misunderstandings. However by being clear concerning the potential obstacles to success, you may enhance the chance of discovering the proper vendor and finishing the challenge efficiently.

5. Element your choice standards.

Subsequent up are the choice standards. Right here, you may spotlight which expertise, providers, and market experience are required for consideration. That is the time to get particular: Clear descriptions of choice standards will assist cut back the chance of sorting by way of a number of proposals that don’t meet your wants.This may aid you make an knowledgeable determination when choosing the right vendor for the challenge.

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

Plus, evaluating distributors in opposition to the choice standards additionally ensures that the challenge is awarded primarily based on goal judgment fairly than on subjective opinion.

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

• Expertise: The seller ought to have in depth expertise in delivering initiatives much like the one described in your RFP.
• {Qualifications}: The seller ought to be capable of show their experience within the related know-how, software program, or methodology required to finish your challenge.
• Value: The seller ought to present detailed pricing and be capable of show how their proposal suits inside your price range.
• References: The seller ought to present references from previous purchasers who’ve used their providers for comparable initiatives.
• Methodology: The seller ought to define their strategy to managing your challenge, together with challenge administration processes, sources administration, and challenge supply timelines.
• Availability: The seller ought to present particulars of their capability to tackle the challenge, the supply of their sources, and an anticipated supply timeline.
• Group Profiles: The seller ought to embody detailed profiles of the members of the crew assigned to ship the challenge, 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 techniques utilized by your group, equivalent to different software program options or APIs.

6. Specify your challenge’s timeline.

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

A timeline advantages everybody all through the bidding course of. With a timeline in place, distributors obtain clear steering on when your challenge have to be accomplished and may plan their sources accordingly, guaranteeing well timed supply. The seller may also talk the required deadlines to their crew, minimizing the chance of delays and guaranteeing that your challenge is delivered efficiently.

Right here’re an instance of what a timeline can seem like, however keep in mind that it’ll range 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 stay.

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

Keep in mind that your objective is to ask as many proposals as attainable, and to make it easy for distributors to reply. An unintended typo, equivalent to a challenge identify that you just forgot to switch or incorrect contact info, could make it that a lot tougher to extend your response charge.

When you’re happy that all the things in your RFP is correct and full, it’s time to go stay. Ship out emails and submit hyperlinks in your web site to start out the method of discovering your best-fit supplier. To streamline this course of, take into account proposal software program to publish and handle responses to your RFP.

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

RFP Pattern

Undertaking Title or Description: Advertising and marketing Providers

Firm Title: Caroline’s Web sites, Inc.

Tackle: 302 Inbound Ave.

Metropolis, State, Zip Code: Boston, MA 29814

Procurement Contact Particular person: Caroline Forsey

Phone Variety of PCP: 227-124-2481

E-mail Tackle of PCP: cforsey@consulting.com

Fax Quantity: N/A

Subsequent, we’ll go into every of the weather of the RFP with info 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 provides, what units you other than opponents, and the place you’re positioned. If any vendor is severe about working with you, they’ll need this info earlier than shifting 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 strategy to net design. We offer our purchasers with net design providers together with coding, growth, and branding. Our employees is positioned in two places of work in Massachusetts.

2. Outline your challenge objectives and scope of providers.

Subsequent, you’ll need to define the challenge you want accomplished, and the objectives you count on to perform from the challenge. It’s essential you get as particular as attainable — even outlining particular person duties and standards concerned. You’ll need to embody phrases equivalent to “The award shall be given to X agency,” with the “X” establishing the way you’ll decide the most effective candidate.

Instance

Caroline’s Web sites, Inc. is in search of the providers 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 era marketing campaign. The award shall be made to a responsive and accountable agency primarily based on the most effective worth {and professional} functionality.

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

Duties embody however might not be restricted to the next standards:

• Lead era marketing campaign
• Paid media technique
• Manufacturing of artistic materials together with collateral and unsolicited mail
• On-line advertising and marketing marketing campaign
• Web site enhancement
• Search engine marketing
• Basic 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’ll meet your deadlines. You’ll additionally want to provide distributors a window for after they can ask questions concerning your challenge.

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 Prime 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 essential info you’ll need to clearly current, so distributors know the way and the place to submit themselves for consideration.

Instance

The RFP shall be posted on our web site, Carolinewebsites.com, and will be downloaded from there straight 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 acquired no later than July 25, 20XX. Responses needs 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 time-frame in your RFP, you’re capable of remove any vendor who can’t work inside your time constraints. When you’re versatile in your time, you may write one thing like, “Our firm hopes to complete the challenge inside six months, however we’re open to negotiation for the proper candidate.”

Instance

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

6. Specify the important thing parts of a proposal.

When you don’t define clearly and particularly what you count on bidders to incorporate of their proposal, you may’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 great check 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 challenge, both.

Instance

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

• Description of the agency that features a basic overview, names and credentials of artistic crew, variety of full-time workers.
• A one-page narrative outlining the agency’s strengths and distinguishing expertise or capabilities as they may relate to Caroline’s Web sites, Inc.
• A consultant choice of social media advertisements, direct response materials, collateral, and web site growth 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 provide you with a compulsory checklist of things you are feeling are the most effective indicators of spectacular candidates. Your checklist might embody samples of previous work, a confirmed success file with corporations in comparable industries, the experience and technical expertise to satisfy your calls for, and a price of providers inside your value vary.

Instance

The profitable respondent may have:

• Expertise working as a advertising and marketing company for at least 24 months and possess full-service, in-house capabilities for advertising and marketing, artistic providers, manufacturing, media planning and placement, direct response, and analysis.
• The schooling, expertise, information, expertise, and {qualifications} of the agency and the people who shall be out there to offer these providers.
• The aggressive price of providers.
• The experience of the agency in working with comparable prospects.

8. Describe any attainable roadblocks.

Right here, you’ll need to define any roadblocks, equivalent to restricted sources or a customized web site, that may forestall sure distributors from efficiently finishing the challenge. This lets you remove unsatisfactory bidders, and it’ll additionally aid you decide which distributors have the talents and experience to sort out these challenges.

Instance

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

9. State your price range for the challenge.

Any vendor must know the way a lot you’re capable of pay them for his or her providers earlier than they’ll transfer ahead with their bid.

Instance

Caroline’s Web sites, Inc.’s price range for the challenge is $8,750.00.

These parts had been written in a technique to make clear the scope of the challenge that Caroline’s Web sites, Inc. needs accomplished in order that suppliers know whether or not or to not make a bid. Defining the challenge permits the bidder to find out if they seem to be a good match and the way a lot they’d possible cost. Being as clear as attainable serves to profit (and even defend) each events in the long term.

Ideas for Writing an RFP

There are a number of key actions which you can take to extend the chance of a vendor responding to your RFP. On the identical time, sure elements may cause a vendor to be much less more likely to reply.

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

1. Present open strains of communication.

When you set up open communication strains with distributors throughout the bidding course of, you’re extra more likely to see a better response charge. Why? Offering entry to some extent 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 advocate purposefully asking your potential distributors to hunt clarification. Encourage them to ask questions concerning the RFP and the challenge itself. The extra they perceive your wants, the higher their proposals shall be, and the simpler it will likely be so that you can make an knowledgeable determination.

2. Don’t skimp on challenge particulars, however preserve it temporary and scannable.

Distributors are much less possible to answer RFPs if the challenge particulars are inadequate or unclear. When you don’t present detailed directions and necessities to your challenge, distributors could interpret the challenge scope in another way, inflicting them to submit proposals that don’t particularly handle your wants.

Conversely, distributors are extra possible to answer RFPs that present well-defined challenge objectives and timelines, as a result of that permits them to raised consider their skills and supply knowledgeable proposals.

That mentioned, you need to preserve your info as scannable as attainable. Reap the benefits of formatting choices equivalent to bullet factors and headings. A vendor is probably going flipping by way of 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 price range and ample deadline.

Distributors usually tend to be taken with 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 affordable for the challenge’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 isn’t 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 chunk of software program that you already know nothing about? Us, both, and we wouldn’t advocate you do the identical when contemplating submitted proposals to your RFPs.

Researching the seller market beforehand may help you develop extra sensible budgets, timelines, and objectives. You possibly can create extremely particular choice standards and higher establish which distributors will most probably meet your price range and time constraints. 

With inadequate information concerning the market, you possibly can by accident underestimate the sources required to your challenge, or set unrealistic timelines and expectations. This miscommunication can misguide distributors, main them to both submit a proposal that isn’t a great match or completely decide out of bidding.

Because the identify makes clear, RFIs are about accumulating info. 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 clear up a key drawback or full a key process. RFIs ask corporations to submit knowledge about what they do, what they provide, and the way they may 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 in search of, how a lot they’re planning to spend, and the way distributors shall be chosen. In impact, RFIs assist slender the scope of RFPs to assist streamline the choice course of.

Price noting? There’s additionally an alternative choice if you already know precisely what services or products you’re in search of: Request for quote (RFQ). In contrast to an RFP, which asks potential companions to submit a proposal primarily based on their experience and expertise, an RFQ is about price: You’re asking a particular vendor what it could price to ship “X” service or resolution in “Y” timeframe underneath “Z” circumstances.

Realizing Finest Outcomes for Your RFP

Your RFP units the stage for corporations to bid on initiatives which are exterior the scope of your inside experience — however are nonetheless important for your online business to succeed.

Consequently, it’s value ensuring your RFP is evident, concise, and captures the important thing particulars about your wants to assist discover the best-fit associate to your challenge. 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 submit was initially printed in June 2018 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.