By name: rfp-builder description: "Create Request for Proposals with requirements specifications, evaluation criteria, scoring rubrics, timelines, and compliance requirements"
RFP Builder
Overview
Design comprehensive Requests for Proposals (RFPs) that clearly specify requirements, establish fair evaluation processes, and attract qualified vendor responses. Well-crafted RFPs reduce confusion, streamline vendor comparison, and ensure compliance with procurement standards.
RFP Structure
1. Executive Summary
- Organization Overview: Company, size, mission, relevant context
- Procurement Objective: What are we buying and why?
- Key Dates: Release date, deadline, evaluation timeline, vendor meeting date
- Contact Information: RFP coordinator name, email, phone
- Bid Instructions: Format requirements, submission method
2. Background & Context
- Business Context: Why are we buying this? What problems are we solving?
- Current State: What's in place today? What are the gaps?
- Strategic Alignment: How does this support company objectives?
- Success Vision: What does success look like 12-24 months post-implementation?
3. Detailed Requirements Specification
Mandatory Requirements (Yes/No; non-negotiable):
Req ID | Category | Requirement | Criticality | Evaluation
-------|----------|-------------|-------------|----------
F-001 | Functionality | Support 100K users | MANDATORY | Does product support this scale?
F-002 | Functionality | Real-time integration with Salesforce | MANDATORY | What's latency? Update frequency?
F-003 | Security | SOC 2 Type II certified | MANDATORY | Provide recent audit report
F-004 | Uptime | 99.9% uptime SLA | MANDATORY | What's the penalty for non-compliance?
Desired Requirements (Weighted for evaluation):
Req ID | Category | Requirement | Weight | Priority
-------|----------|-------------|--------|----------
D-001 | Performance | Sub-second query response | 15% | HIGH
D-002 | UX | Intuitive mobile interface | 10% | MEDIUM
D-003 | Analytics | Advanced reporting dashboards | 10% | MEDIUM
D-004 | Support | 24/7 phone support | 5% | LOW
Technical Specifications:
- Architecture requirements
- API specifications
- Data format requirements
- Integration endpoints
- Performance benchmarks
- Security standards
4. Evaluation Criteria & Scoring
Scoring Rubric (example with 100-point scale):
| Criterion | Weight | Points | Excellent (5) | Good (3) | Acceptable (1) | Unacceptable (0) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Functionality (30%) | 30 | 30 | Exceeds all requirements; advanced features | Meets core requirements; minor gaps | Meets 70% of requirements | Fails to meet key requirements |
| Implementation Timeline (15%) | 15 | 15 | Ready in 4 weeks; proven rollout | Ready in 8 weeks; standard approach | Ready in 12 weeks; custom work | >12 weeks or uncertain |
| Pricing (20%) | 20 | 20 | <$100K total; clear cost structure | $100-150K; transparent pricing | $150-200K; some unclear costs | >$200K or hidden fees |
| Security & Compliance (20%) | 20 | 20 | SOC 2 Type II + industry certifications | SOC 2 Type II compliant | Security audit in progress | No security certifications |
| Support & SLA (10%) | 10 | 10 | 24/7 phone + 99.99% uptime SLA | Business hours support + 99.9% SLA | Email support + 99% SLA | Limited support; no SLA |
| References (5%) | 5 | 5 | 5+ recent enterprise refs in our industry | 3+ relevant enterprise refs | Some references; smaller companies | No references or negative feedback |
Scoring Method:
- Each evaluator independently scores (1-5 per criterion)
- Average scores across evaluators
- Multiply by weight percentage
- Total possible: 100 points
- Minimum threshold for consideration: 70 points
5. Service Level Agreement Template
Service Availability:
- Uptime SLA: 99.9% (allows 43 minutes/month downtime)
- Availability window: 24/7/365
- Credit: 1% per 0.1% below target (max 10% monthly credits)
Performance Guarantees:
- API response time: <200ms (p95)
- Data sync latency: <15 minutes
- Report generation: <5 minutes for standard reports
Support:
- Emergency (P1): 15-minute response; 4-hour resolution
- High (P2): 1-hour response; 8-hour resolution
- Medium (P3): 4-hour response; 1-business-day resolution
- Low (P4): Next business day response; 5-business-day resolution
Escalation:
- P1 after 2 hours: Escalate to VP Engineering
- P1 after 4 hours: Escalate to VP Customer Success
Penalties:
- SLA breach: Monthly credit to next invoice
- Repeated breaches (>2/quarter): Right to terminate with 30 days notice
6. Pricing & Terms
Pricing Format (be specific about what's included):
Category | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Notes
---------|--------|--------|--------|-------
Software License | $50,000 | $55,000 | $60,500 | 5% annual increase max
Implementation | $30,000 | - | - | Professional services
Training (4 days) | $10,000 | - | - | On-site training
Support (24/7) | $25,000 | $26,250 | $27,563 | Included in license
TOTAL YEAR 1 | $115,000 | $81,250 | $88,063 |
3-YEAR TOTAL | | | | $284,313
Payment Terms (specify expectations):
- 50% on signature; 50% on go-live
- Net 30 for support invoices
- No price increases >5% annually without written approval
7. Legal & Compliance Requirements
Data Security:
- GDPR-compliant (if applicable)
- SOC 2 Type II certification required
- Data stored in [country/region]
- Encryption at rest and in transit (AES-256 minimum)
- Annual security audit required
Intellectual Property:
- Who owns custom code/configurations?
- Can we use vendor logo/case study?
- What happens to our data if relationship ends?
Termination Clauses:
- Termination for convenience: [period] days notice
- Data migration assistance: [details]
- Post-termination support: [duration]
Insurance:
- General liability: $2M minimum
- Professional liability: $1M minimum
- Evidence of insurance upon contract signing
8. Timeline & Key Dates
Date | Event | Details
-----|-------|--------
Feb 28 | RFP Release | Posted publicly; vendor portal opens
Mar 7 | Vendor Q&A Deadline | Questions must be submitted by 5 PM ET
Mar 10 | Vendor Response Released | Answers shared with all vendors
Mar 20 | Proposal Deadline | Final proposals due; no exceptions
Mar 25-29 | Initial Evaluation | First-pass scoring; vendor short-list selected
Apr 2-5 | Demos | Shortlisted vendors present demos (1 hour each)
Apr 10 | Final Scoring | Evaluation committee final scoring
Apr 12 | Reference Calls | Calls with top 2-3 vendors' references
Apr 15 | Negotiation | Begin contract negotiation with top vendor
Apr 30 | Contract Signed | Expected signature date
May 5 | Project Kickoff | Implementation begins
9. Proposal Submission Instructions
Format Requirements:
- PDF format; single document
- Maximum 50 pages (excluding appendices)
- Use standard fonts (Arial, Times New Roman, 11pt+)
- Executive summary on first page
- Numbered sections matching RFP structure
- Table of contents with page numbers
Required Sections:
- Executive Summary
- Company Overview & Qualifications
- Solution Description & Approach
- Technical Architecture & Integration
- Implementation Plan & Timeline
- Pricing & Terms
- References (minimum 3)
- Appendices (case studies, data sheets)
Submission Method:
- Email to [RFP coordinator] with subject line: "[Company Name] - [Product Name] Proposal"
- File naming: [Company]_[Product]Proposal[Date].pdf
- Deadline: March 20, 2024, 5:00 PM ET (no exceptions)
10. Vendor Qualification Questions
Organization:
- How long have you been in business?
- What's your financial stability? (Provide latest financial statements)
- Who's your management team? (Org chart, bios)
Product Maturity:
- How many customers use this product?
- What's your user base growth rate?
- How long has the current version been in production?
Experience:
- How many customers similar to ours do you have?
- Can you provide 3 references from [our industry]?
- What's your average customer tenure?
Support & Success:
- What's your customer success model?
- How many support staff per 1000 customers?
- What's your NPS score? (Provide recent survey)
Evaluation Committee
Roles:
- Committee Chair: [Name, Title] - Oversees process
- Subject Matter Experts: [2-3 technical leads] - Rate functionality
- Business Owner: [Finance/Operations] - Rates fit and value
- Procurement: [Name] - Rates legal/compliance
Committee Agreement: All evaluators agree to:
- Score independently before discussion
- Avoid conflicts of interest
- Keep evaluations confidential
- Evaluate based on criteria only (not personal preferences)
Communication with Vendors
Vendor Briefing (optional):
- 30-minute call for all vendors
- Overview of requirements
- Q&A opportunity
- No competitive intelligence sharing
RFP Q&A Process:
- Questions submitted in writing
- Answers shared with all vendors equally
- No side conversations about requirements
Post-RFP Communication:
- Notify all vendors of shortlist decision
- Provide feedback: "We chose another vendor because..."
- Maintain professional relationships (may re-bid in future)
Negotiation Strategy
Post-Award: Before signing contract, negotiate:
- Specific implementation timeline
- Data migration plan
- Training schedule and resource commitment
- Support escalation procedures
- Pricing lock-in period
- Renewal terms and discounts
Red Flags During Negotiation:
- Vendor reluctant to commit to SLAs
- Significant scope changes not in proposal
- Hidden implementation costs surfacing
- Key personnel listed in proposal unavailable
- References no longer willing to talk to vendor
Use this skill to: Attract qualified vendors, ensure fair evaluation, establish clear expectations, and negotiate contracts with confidence.