What is a Request for Proposal?
A Request for Proposal (RFP) is a document which is issued by a project to a select group of suppliers to enable the suppliers to describe how they will meet the procurement requirements of the project as documented in the Statement of Work (SOW). The RFP requests that the suppliers provide detailed information regarding the:
· Company (size, industry)
· Solution (type, components)
· Training (offered for solution)
· Documentation (provided with solution)
· Support (available for solution)
· Implementation (schedule and method)
· Pricing (of each product). ©
The RFP also requires that suppliers agree to a confidentiality clause and any other information deemed necessary to the project team.
When to use a Request for Proposal
An RFP should be used whenever a formal Tender Management Process is undertaken (i.e. whenever product is required from outside the project and a preferred supplier has not yet been chosen). The RFP is issued immediately after the RFI process has been undertaken and a shortlist of potential suppliers has been selected.
The RFP is very similar to the RFI. The key differentiator is that the RFI requires summarized information from each supplier to select a shortlist of potential suppliers, whereas the RFP requires a detailed proposal from each supplier to enable the project team to select a preferred supplier. In some instances (especially for small projects), it may be necessary to issue only an RFI to select a preferred supplier; however, in most cases a detailed proposal is required through the RFP process to make the preferred supplier decision. ©
The RFP is typically written by the Procurement Manager and approved by the Project Manager. It is released to short-listed suppliers along with the SOW, which defines in detail the project’s procurement requirements.
How to use this template
This document provides a guide on the topics usually included in a Request for Proposal document. Sections may be added, removed or redefined at your leisure to meet your particular business circumstance. Example tables, diagrams and charts have been added (where suitable) to provide further guidance on how to complete each relevant section.
This section describes the purpose of the RFP document and outlines the procedural requirements for the submission of supplier proposals to the project team.
Describe the purpose of the RFP document. For example:
“The purpose of this document is to inform short-listed suppliers of the detailed information required (in the form of a proposal) to enable the project team to select a preferred supplier who will fulfill the procurements needs of their project.”
It is generally necessary for the receiver of the RFP document (i.e. the supplier) to acknowledge that s/he has received the document. List the instructions for the supplier to complete the acknowledgement process as follows:
“Please acknowledge that you have received this document by sending a formal written letter of receipt to the contact within the project team at the following address:
Contact Name
Street Address
City
Country. ©
If you do not formally acknowledge the receipt of this document within 5 working days of receiving it, we will not be able to review formally any subsequent proposal.”
It is important to describe the recipient group who received the RFP tender document as each recipient will want to understand the level of competition for the tender when responding. For example:
“This tender document has been dispatched to a short-listed group of 3 potential suppliers within the US market.” ©
Note: Whilst it is usual to identify the number of short-listed candidates, it is not usual to identify the actual names of each candidate as this would become a breach of confidentiality for those suppliers who have taken part in the tender process to date.
1.4 Process
Describe the steps involved with this phase of the tender process and provide the timeframes for each step. For example:
“The tender process will be undertaken as follows. This RFP will be released to a short-list of potential suppliers. Suppliers must acknowledge receipt of the tender documentation and prepare a formal supplier proposal to be sent to the delegated contact within the project team. The project team will then review the supplier proposal against a set of pre-defined criteria and rate the proposal on its ability to satisfy the requirements stated in the SOW. A preferred supplier will be chosen (with the highest awarded rating) and formally notified. A formal contract will be negotiated with the preferred supplier and, if endorsed, the supplier then will begin supplying the requisite product to the project. The following timeframes will be adhered to during this process:
· Release Tender documentation (RFP and SOW) xx/yy/zz
· Closure date for receipt acknowledgements xx/yy/zz
· Closure date for supplier proposals xx/yy/zz
· Review of supplier proposals complete xx/yy/zz
· Preferred supplier notified xx/yy/zz
· Unsuccessful suppliers notified xx/yy/zz
· Draft supplier contract formed xx/yy/zz
· Supplier contract signed xx/yy/zz
· Supplier contract initiated. xx/yy/zz” ©
Identify any particular rules which must be adhered to in order to ensure that the supplier response remains valid during all remaining phases of this tender process. For example:
· The supplier response must be accurate at the time of print and remain valid for the remainder of the tender process (as per the above timeframes)
· Suppliers may work together to formulate one joint response; however, the full details of each supplier must be included in the supplier proposal
· The supplier must keep all tender information (especially that described in the SOW) confidential at all times, as outlined in section 5.1
· Formal supplier proposals should be sent to the following address:
Contact Name
Street Address
City
Country.
Identify the method of allowing the supplier to ask questions and receive answers about the tender process and timeframes.
2 Company
This section allows the supplier to describe the relevant aspects of his/her company.
List the information required to provide the project team with a detailed understanding of the company. The following types of information may be required:
· Vision, objectives
· Size, location
· Number of years in operation
· Number of customers
· Location of customers
· Length of customer relationships
· Customer reference sites. ©
List the information required to provide the project team with a detailed understanding of the company offering. The following types of information may be required:
· Products offered (including goods and services)
· Locations currently sold to
· Market segments operating within
· Market share captured
· Competitors.
List the information required to provide the project team with a detailed understanding of the experience of the company. The following types of information may be required:
· Number of years selling product within each market segment
· Average number of years each staff member has been within company
· Level of knowledge of industry
· Level of knowledge of products offered
· Level of expertise in products offered. ©
This section allows the supplier to describe his/her proposed solution. This solution will involve the supply of one or more products as well as a range of other offerings, including training, documentation and support which are customized to meet the requirements of the SOW.
3.1 Products
List the information required to provide the project team with a detailed understanding of the products offered by the company. The following types of information may be required:
· Product name
· Product description
· Product components (if a ‘good’)
· Product activities (if a ‘service’)
· Product quantity (i.e. the number of each particular product proposed)
· Product purpose (i.e. its use)
· Product capabilities
· Product quality. ©
Note: This section is the most critical section in the RFP. It is important to stress to the supplier that detailed information is required for this section to gain a full appreciation of the solution being offered by the supplier to the project.
List the information required to provide the project team with a detailed understanding of the training offered by the supplier. The following types of information may be required:
· Products for which training is required
· Method of training proposed (e.g. one-to-one, classroom, train-the-trainer)
· Level of training to be given (e.g. beginner / intermediate / senior)
· Number of trainees to be given training.
List the information required to provide the project team with a detailed understanding of the documentation offered by the supplier. The following types of information may be required:
· Products for which documentation will be provided
· Actual documents (to be generated)
· Purpose (of each document provided)
· Depth (of each document provided)
· Target audience (for each document provided). ©
List the information required to provide the project team with a detailed understanding of the support offered by of the supplier. The following types of information may be required:
· Products for which support is provided
· Types of support provided (e.g. 1st, 2nd, 3rd level support)
· Response times (for support provided)
· Hours (for support provided)
· Organizations (involved in providing support).
This section allows the supplier to describe his/her proposed implementation approach. This includes the methods of deploying the requisite products as well as the timeframes for delivery.
List the information required to provide the project team with a detailed understanding of the approach to be taken by the supplier towards deployment of the products and other deliverables. The following types of information may be required:
· The method for delivery of the products listed
· The activities involved with training, documentation and support
· The activities involved with undertaking other project deliverables. ©
List the information required to provide the project team with a detailed understanding of the timeframes proposed by the supplier for the delivery of the solution. The following types of information may be required:
· Likely start and end dates for the delivery of each product and other deliverables proposed within the above solution
· The date the product must be ordered by to ensure that it is dispatched within the timeframes required.
List the information required to provide the project team with a detailed understanding of the pricing proposed by the supplier for the delivery of the solution. The following types of information may be required:
· Price of each product and its components (per unit)
· Price of each set of related products (and any bulk discount applied)
· Price of other deliverables (including training, documentation and support)
· Any other requisite costs (e.g. tax, freight, administration charges). ©
This section allows the project team to request any other information deemed necessary to the tender process.
It is necessary to request that the supplier explicitly agree to an appropriate ‘Confidentiality’ clause. If this section was not formally agreed to within the RFI (or an RFI has not previously been issued), then repeat the clause within this document. For example:
· During the course of this tender process you may acquire confidential information relating to our business, project and/or customers.
· You agree to keep this information strictly confidential at all times (even after the project has been completed).
· You will not use or attempt to use it for your personal gain or the gain of any other person
· You may disclose confidential information only to the extent that such disclosure is necessary for the submission of a formal supplier proposal
· This does not apply to information which must legally be disclosed or becomes available to and known by the public. ©
Note: If the supplier does not agree with the respective clauses, then s/he should explicitly state it within his/her proposal.
List any other information required to provide the project team with the confidence that the supplier can meet the procurement requirements stated within the SOW. Examples of other documentation requested may include:
· Product specifications or marketing brochures
· Web site addresses for product listings
· Profiles of staff providing services. ©
