Request for Proposal

Request for Proposal

Request for Proposal Jonathan Poland

An RFP (request for proposal) is a document that asks suppliers to provide a detailed proposal for a supply contract. This could include materials, parts, components, services, and outsourcing partners. When issuing an RFP, it is often because the company wants to consider more than just price in awarding the contract. For example, a technology project might also consider factors such as technical capabilities, reputation, and the vendor’s ability to deliver. The following is a template that can be used as a starting point for an RFP bid.

Purpose

Describe what you want and why.

Background

Provide the context for the request.

Scope of Work

A list of requirements. This may include functional requirements and non-functional requirements. These may be presented in a variety of formats such as user stories or specifications. Each requirement is designed to be atomic, correct, verifiable, unambiguous, complete and consistent.

Performance Standards

State your expectations for supplier performance and how performance will be monitored and controlled.

Deliverables

State what the supplier will deliver.

Deliverable Quality

A list of acceptance criteria for deliverables.

Commercial Terms

State the proposed legal terms of the contract.

Payments, Incentives & Penalties

Give details of how payments, incentives and penalties will be assessed and paid.

RFP Requirements

A specification of what RFP responses must include. For example, it is common to request that suppliers describe in detail how they will achieve each requirement in the statement of work. Other requirements may include a detailed price quotation, company profile, references and elements of a solution design and a solution architecture. RFP requirements may link to other templates that must be filled out and attached to responses such as a template for software architecture.

Award Process

Describe how RFP responses will be evaluated and the contract awarded.

Schedule

Define a schedule including deadlines for anything you expect from suppliers.

Contacts

A list of contacts for the RFP process.

Learn More
Taxes Jonathan Poland

Taxes

Taxes are mandatory financial contributions that are levied by a government on individuals, businesses, and other organizations. The money collected…

Augmented Product Jonathan Poland

Augmented Product

An augmented product is a product that includes intangible benefits beyond the physical product itself. These intangible benefits may include…

Job Titles Jonathan Poland

Job Titles

Job titles are brief labels that are used to describe the duties, goals, and expectations of a job. Some companies…

Security Controls Jonathan Poland

Security Controls

IT security controls are measures that are implemented in order to reduce security risks. These controls may be identified through…

Market Position Jonathan Poland

Market Position

The market position of a brand, product, or service refers to its place in a crowded market. It is the…

Pricing Techniques Jonathan Poland

Pricing Techniques

Pricing involves carefully considering various factors in order to determine a price that will maximize a company’s profits over the…

Analytics Jonathan Poland

Analytics

Analytics is the practice of analyzing data in order to draw insights and inform business decisions. This can include analyzing…

Drip Marketing Jonathan Poland

Drip Marketing

Drip marketing, also known as drip campaigns, is a strategy that involves sending targeted and personalized marketing messages to a…

Marketing Metrics Jonathan Poland

Marketing Metrics

Marketing metrics are a way to evaluate the success of marketing efforts at various levels, such as the organization, team,…

Content Database

Search over 1,000 posts on topics across
business, finance, and capital markets.

Salesforce Automation Jonathan Poland

Salesforce Automation

Sales force automation is a type of management tool that helps businesses automate and streamline their core sales processes, such…

Operating Agreement Jonathan Poland

Operating Agreement

An LLC operating agreement is a legal document that outlines the rules and procedures for a limited liability company, including…

Contingency Planning Jonathan Poland

Contingency Planning

Contingency planning is a risk management strategy that involves developing alternative plans or strategies in case the primary plan is…

Prospecting Jonathan Poland

Prospecting

Sales prospecting is the process of identifying and researching potential customers for a business’s products or services. This typically involves…

Beautiful Words Jonathan Poland

Beautiful Words

Beautiful words are words that have a mysterious, wondrous, or charming quality. They can also have a dark or conflicted…

Performance Objectives Jonathan Poland

Performance Objectives

Performance objectives are goals that individuals set for themselves on a regular basis, such as quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. These…

Risk Mitigation Jonathan Poland

Risk Mitigation

Risk mitigation is the process of identifying, analyzing, and taking steps to reduce or eliminate risks to an individual or…

Business Transformation Jonathan Poland

Business Transformation

Business transformation is the process of fundamentally changing the way an organization operates in order to achieve significant improvements in…

Good Customer Service Jonathan Poland

Good Customer Service

Good customer service is a service experience that goes above and beyond to meet the needs and expectations of customers,…