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The Request for Proposal (RFP) should be the main document in any company’s manual. With RFP, the process of finding and selecting contractors is clearer and easier from the very beginning.
For employed business owners, marketing managers, and other professionals tasked with outsourcing work for their brands, knowledge of RFP is key to saving time, money, and resources in the long run.
In this guide, we’ll look at what should be included in RFP and how to build your own, as well as RFP examples and an RPF template so you can get started. Let’s get started without delay.
Why use RFP?
A request for a proposal is a document prepared by a company when that company is looking for several bids for one (or more) external projects.
Let’s say you’re an auto parts company looking to accept some bids for a new campaign promoting the opening of a new body shop. You need to make sure that the contractors or digital marketing agencies applying for this job know:
- What is the scope of the project
- How much is your budget for the project
- What is your deadline
- Possible obstacles that would make work difficult or labor intensive
Because you will theoretically ask many questions and future partners of the agency, the document that accompanies the key elements of the project will save you time and money in the end.
RFP simplifies and automates the bidding process so you can focus your energy on other aspects of your campaigns.
Outline RFP + Examples
Before you begin the process of deciding which elements are important to include in your proposal request, consider researching and finalizing an outline or rough draft RFP.
Take a look at some examples of RPFs from around the web, especially those created from companies in your specific industry.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has some Examples of RFP which you can use to get a general sense of what RFP looks like, especially if you haven’t seen it yet.
However, if you’re looking for RFP examples or a template that is more market-specific and targeted at companies selling a product or service, The Template Lab offers a huge RFP sample templates you choose according to your industry.
Once your research has yielded a sample or RFP template that you would like to use to create your own custom template, start with an outline or rough outline of your RFP.
The best way to do this is to simply lay a pen on paper and write down brass staples that you know about your company, project, and any pitfalls that may arise during your employment with a prospective contractor.
Once you delete these details, start compiling the entire RFP.
7 best elements of RFP
While it is true that each proposal request will be slightly different from the next because each project and company is unique, RFP almost always includes several elements that make life easier on both sides of the contractual agreement.
Here are some things you will really want to add to your RFP:
1. Introduction
A presentation is the first thing a prospective contractor or agency sees about your company in a request for a proposal. It should be on the front and in the middle of the first page.
This is a place where you can talk about your founders, board of directors, executives, mission statement, what your business is doing, how long you’ve been running, and everything you think is important to know about your brand or product in advance. This is not a place to get to the heart of the project, it will only come in handy.
2. Scope of project work
This is a place where you will talk about the project in as much detail as possible. Sequential list of all your micro and macro goals for the project. Discuss in detail the expectations for a winning company.
If you use the auto parts store again as an example, you could write something like this: “The winning company will have 10 years of experience in creating digital advertising campaigns for medium-sized car companies.”
If you go into as much detail as possible in this section of the proposal requirements, you will exclude those contractors who do not meet some of the basic qualifications for the project. It will also help qualified contractors come up with a proposal that will suit your needs.
3. Deadlines and important dates for submission
One of the most important factors in any contract is the deadline. If you have a strict deadline, remember to emphasize this in your request for a proposal. If you have additional submission dates that bidders should be aware of, this is the place to mention it.
This will eliminate contractors who have other large, conflicting projects in your timeline (which makes it impossible to meet your needs).
4. Time axis for selection of tenders
Think of this section as courtesy to your providers. Contractors often think a lot about their offers. Let them know when you plan to pick and how we will contact them.
It also helps both your company and contractors coordinate multiple bids for multiple projects. Make sure that all stakeholders on your site are also aware of the selection date included in your request for proposal so that you do not accidentally overlook it.
5. Selection criteria
This part of the proposal request can help achieve two things:
- Inform bidders of all your written bidding requirements – these are the elements they need to include in their written bid to be taken seriously
- Remind contractors of any business-related criteria you are considering in the selection process
If you plan to combine these two types of criteria, make sure you clearly define this in your RFP. Inform bidders by creating subsections for everyone: proposal criteria and company selection criteria.
6. Budget
Contractors need to know what budget you are working on to determine if they are wasting their time by submitting a proposal for a contract that does not have the necessary financial support.
If you want to break down your dedicated budget in more detail in this section, that’s fine. Otherwise, giving contractors a general idea of what you can afford is usually enough to get the right deals.
7. Concerns and possible obstacles
Every project brings challenges. This is a place where you can describe any potential obstacles so that your future performers will be able to be aware of them from the very beginning.
For example, you might want to include something like this: “The winning contractor will be aware that the main stakeholder for this project will be on holiday from X month to X month. The winning contractor will be ready to set up a new contact point in the middle of the project. ”
Some contractors have their own internal operating procedures that may prevent them from cooperating with you in the event of certain prisons. Removing these contractors from the selection process will make life easier for both you and them.
RFP checklist
When you write a proposal request template, make sure all the essential parts are included before you start sending it to contractors.
Although it is impossible to create a basic checklist that covers all possible RFP elements for all possible industries, below you will find a checklist for some of the most common ones.
✅ Business contact details (how contractors can contact you)
✅ Contact points (who specifically leads the project on your side of the agreement)
✅ Introduction
✅ Scope of the project (including all minor tasks)
✅ Deadline for project implementation
✅ Deadline for submission of proposals
✅ Selection criteria
✅ Budget
✅ Concerns and possible obstacles
✅ A small part that thanks the performers for their time (not necessary, but a nice touch)
RFP template
Here we have put together an RFP template that you can use to start outlining your project for future contractors. To use the template, simply copy the text and add all the necessary information about your project.
contact details
Enter your business name, postal address, telephone number, and email address in the upper left corner of the document.
Introduction
Include relevant information about your business history, founders, and what exactly you do as a business.
Scope of work
Make sure you include as much detail as possible. Organize this section with labels or numbers to make everything clear.
Project deadlines
Be as clear and concise as possible in this section. If your project has multiple deadlines, list them in order and give clear instructions on what falls due on that date.
Timeline for selecting offers
This section should be very short and clear. Please indicate the date of selection and the method of contact for the winning bid.
Selection criteria
You may want to include two subsections here: the criteria for a written offer and the experiential and business criteria of the provider.
Budget
In this section, you can describe in detail or simply provide a clear and concise description of your budget for this project.
Concerns, questions and obstacles
Provide a detailed description of any expected obstacles that the contractor may encounter, and list any persistent questions you may have about your bidders or any concerns. Also provide other information about your business that is not included in the other sections listed above, but should be known to contractors.
Last thoughts
Choosing the right contractors to help your business meet its goals is a key part of running a successful brand. Trying to balance multiple bids in one business quarter without the help of a proposal request can be both nerve-wracking and time-consuming.
RFPs are great for companies that have the time and resources to prepare and manage the distribution and outcome of these offerings. The good news is that many companies can successfully create professional RFP documents online and in-house.
Another way to ensure you are working with qualified contractors is to go through the agency’s partner platform. Ours Agency partner platform brings together companies with highly qualified and experienced agencies to meet almost every marketing need the brand has. This is a great way to achieve your digital marketing goals without having to reduce the volume in the company or chase multiple offers for multiple contracts.
Whatever path you choose, with a detailed RFP template ready for your next project, you can eliminate a lot of stress and allow you to return to work on other important parts of your business.
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