Introduction

The underlying principles of a good RFI (Request for Information) or RFP (Request for Proposal) are crucial for ensuring a successful tendering process. Tendering can be complicated and time-consuming, and without a well-structured process and thorough documentation, your efforts may yield little to no value, leading to significant delays, cost overruns, and even project failure.

This RFP guide will walk you through key guidelines, definitions, and examples of an effective RFP process. By following these best practices, you can create a solid framework that delivers measurable outputs, ensuring a high return on investment (ROI). Let’s begin with some essential terminology to help you get started, followed by a deep dive into each step of the process.

Terminology

Understanding key terms is essential when navigating the RFP process. Misunderstanding or misusing these terms can lead to confusion, misaligned expectations, and ultimately, unsuccessful procurement efforts. Here’s a detailed overview of the most important terms:

• ITT (Invitation to Tender): An ITT invites the market to respond to a set of business requirements. It serves as a formal request for suppliers to bid for a project, providing detailed information about the scope, timeline, and expectations. This term is often used interchangeably with EOI (Expression of Interest), though the ITT typically signals a more formal and advanced stage in the procurement process.

  
  

• RFI (Request for Information): An RFI is a lightweight document that asks potential suppliers to provide information about their products or services. It’s often used to gauge market offerings and may include high-level pricing. The purpose of an RFI is to gather enough information to determine whether moving forward with an RFP or ITT is warranted. RFIs are especially useful when exploring new markets or technologies, as they allow organisations to understand what solutions are available and how they compare.

  
  

• EOI (Expression of Interest): An EOI is similar to an ITT and is used to narrow down a large pool of potential respondents. It helps identify those with relevant solutions and industry credentials. The EOI process is valuable in filtering out suppliers that do not meet the basic criteria, thereby reducing the time and effort required during the RFP stage. By using an EOI, organisations can focus on engaging with suppliers who have demonstrated a clear capability to meet their needs.

  
  

• RFP (Request for Proposal): An RFP is a detailed document that asks suppliers to submit proposals, including pricing and timelines. It covers functional and non-functional requirements, systems engineering, compliance, and more. Unlike the RFI, the RFP is more specific and demands a comprehensive response from suppliers. The RFP process not only evaluates a supplier’s ability to deliver the required solution but also assesses their approach, methodology, and alignment with the organisation’s values and long-term goals.

  
  

• MoSCoW Method: MoSCoW is a prioritisation technique that’s used in requirements gathering and project management.

  • Must Have: Critical features or requirements that are non-negotiable for success.

  • Should Have: High-priority items that add significant value but can be deferred if absolutely necessary.

  • Could Have: Desirable enhancements or “nice to have” features that do not affect overall success if omitted.

  • Won’t Have (this time): Features that are agreed to be out of scope for the current phase but may be revisited later.

Using the MoSCoW method prevents scope creep by ensuring clear boundaries. It also streamlines supplier proposals by making your requirements and priorities explicit.

The RFP Process

A well-structured RFP process can vary depending on the needs of the business, but the following steps are generally recommended to ensure thoroughness and effectiveness. Each step is critical for filtering through potential suppliers and ensuring that the final selection is both strategic and aligned with the organisation’s goals.

Step 1: Timeline and Phasing

A clear, realistic timeline is vital for a successful RFP. It helps ensure high-quality responses and minimises miscommunication or rushed evaluations.

Key RFP Phases

1. EOI / RFI Drafting and Review: Prepare a high level overview of the project, the organisation, and the information requested from vendors and suppliers to allow you to down-select a large pool of vendors and suppliers.

2. EOI/RFI Issuance: Distribute the EOI/RFI to a wide audience to start with a large selection of potential suitors for the project or programme.

3. EOI/RFI Evaluation and Down Select: Review and asses responses to select 4-5 vendors that will eventually receive the full and detailed RFP

4. RFP Drafting & Review: Prepare the draft (scope, requirements), then gather input from stakeholders, legal, and procurement.

5. RFP Issuance: Publish the RFP, include submission formats and Q&A guidelines.

6. Supplier Q&A Period: Allow written queries and share addenda with all participants.

7. Proposal Submission: Set a firm deadline—typically 3–6 weeks—to allow suppliers enough time.

8. Proposal Evaluation: Score proposals internally and create a shortlist.

9. Supplier Presentations (If needed): Host demos, Q&A, and reference checks.

10. Negotiations & BAFO (If needed): Request revised offers and finalise terms.

11. Selection & Contract Award: Notify the winning supplier and begin contract drafting.

12. Project Kick-off: Align on implementation, governance, and communication plans.

Allocating Sufficient Time

• Organisational Complexity: Large entities may require more reviews; smaller teams risk oversimplifying timelines.

• Supplier Response: Provide at least three weeks for the EOI and RFP phases individually for suppliers and vendors to compose proposal responses to ensure a greater degree of quality.

• Review & Scoring: Every tender process incorporates both subjective and objective measures. Large and/or devolved teams that need to asses and score will all require varying degrees of time based on subjective and objective measures. It's highly likely that there'll be some disagreement between parties internally - so allow plenty of time for individuals and teams to asses and annotate responses. You'll need to come back together as a group to align on the final result before moving forwards through each phase.

• Buffer Time: Include sufficient time for unforeseen events or schedule slips. This happens a lot - especially in peak holiday or seasonal periods such as winter holidays. Remember, suppliers and vendors are also entitled to time off too - so try to be fair and not impose deadlines you wouldn't wish on yourself in the tables were turned.

Assigning Roles & Responsibilities Early

• Project Lead/RFP Owner: Oversees process and deadlines.

• Evaluation Committee: Cross-functional reviewers (IT, finance, operations, legal).

• SMEs: Technical or regulatory experts.

• Procurement/Legal: Manage contractual terms, policies, and risk.

Communication

Clear and consistent communication is the key. Messaging to suppliers and partners as you navigate the process should be concise, and where possible, able to describe the current position, the next steps, and any expected timelines. If you're working towards meetings or group sessions that require international travel, the more notice you're able to provide respondents, the happier everyone will be - and the more time teams will have to prepare.

Monitoring & Adjustments

In all larger organisations, timelines specifically, won't map out to how you expect. Internal reviews, rounds of approval, edits and amends will all take longer than you think. The key message is that individuals are rarely assigned or seconded to an RFP process with it as their only day to day task - i.e., BAU (Business as usual) activities typically get in the way.

Monitor the progress and make adjustments to the timeline and process as needed - with two key messages:

1. Keep suppliers and vendors informed of delays and changes to the process

2. Try not to make amends to scope and requirements mid way through the process. This will add to confusion and cause frustration to those replying through perceived wasted effort.

• Progress Tracking: Compare tasks to planned dates; adjust resources or deadlines as needed.

• Scope Changes: Issue formal addenda if requirements shift.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Hold regular check-ins to address issues before they escalate.

Important Note: A solid and well thought out RFP process is worth substantially more to a business than a rushed, incomplete or ineffective one.

Step 2: The EOI

If you start with a wide pool of potential suppliers, you exponentially increase the chance of finding a provider that will meet your needs. New technology vendors and solutions are launched daily, and the EOI is how you'll find them and learn about what they have to offer.

The EOI should clearly communicate the project’s objectives and the criteria that will be used to shortlist suppliers.

A good EOI should include sections for:

• Who the organisation is

• Project background

• The programme of work

• Programme structure and timeline

• Procurement process overview

• Any pre-conditions or caveats

Remembering the goal of the EOI is to learn as much as about potential suitors as easily and quickly as possible, responds should provide:

• Detail about the organisation including size, structure, location and make up of resources

• Examples of similar projects

• Appropriate references and client contacts

  
  

Use social networks like LinkedIn to reach a broader audience and tap into potential suppliers who may not be on your usual radar. This broad approach increases the likelihood of finding innovative solutions that you might not have considered. Consider including Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) to protect sensitive information. Pre-signing these agreements can streamline the process and reassure suppliers that their proprietary information will be safeguarded.

• Tip: Provide clear instructions on how suppliers can express their interest and what information they need to include in their response. This helps ensure that you receive relevant and focused EOIs, making the filtering process more efficient.

Step 3: Filtering and Pre-Qualification

Once responses to the EOI are in, it’s time to filter the initial responses to identify a shortlist of up to five candidates with the required experience and capabilities. This step is crucial for narrowing down the field to only those suppliers who meet your basic criteria. The full and detailed RFP document is likely to be large - very large - and scoring more than 3-5 vendors will become challenging.

Filtering should be based on predefined criteria such as industry experience, technical capabilities, and financial stability. Oh, and it's okay to include subjective scoring criteria at this part of the process.

• Detail: Develop a scoring matrix to objectively evaluate each supplier against your criteria. This matrix should be shared with all evaluators to ensure consistency in scoring.

Step 4: The RFP Pack

A great RFP includes not only a set of functional and non-functional requirements, but a whole pack of documents that include:

• The project or programme overview

• Information about the organisation

• Diagrams or architectures for the end state – clearly identifying in and out of scope components, services or systems

• A list of detailed, specific and measurable requirements

• Interface specifications for existing systems or solutions and interface points

• Legal, compliance, finance and information security mandates

• Volumetric information as required – including historical and predictive trends (this is important to ensure pricing calculations and comparisons can be made!)

• Timeline and process specifics such as who to contact, how to format responses, or the timeline that you're working to

The eventual goal of this process is to identify which features, functionalities and capabilities a vendor or supplier has that meets your needs – and the easiest way to achieve this is through a set of questions and statements where the response can only be True or False. If we avoid ambiguity, you’ll stand a significantly higher chance of understanding the true capabilities of the product, solution or service - and whether they will meet your needs.

How do we do this? Through clear, specific, and measurable requirements.

Avoid words like ‘describe’ or phrases like ‘tell us about’ – these won’t yield good results – and you’ll likely end up with generic marketing material and information that you’ll have to put more time in, to dissect.

For example:

• Bad: "Describe your search solution and capabilities for the CMS? "

• Good: "The solution MUST support search of the CMS metadata collection across any editorial fields of data that include but are not limited to, titles, descriptions, dates, authors."

  
  

We could argue that ‘partially compliant’ could also be a valid response, and it’s up to your business process should you wish to allow this permeation. We could also argue that the requirement MUST be supported as a whole for it to be valid, or true.

Finally, through well structured requirements - and a shift to objective instead of objective assessment, audit and accountability of the process will be easier to easier to achieve if fair play is called into question.

Spicy Mango have large collections of RFP template and framework documents that detail thousands of baseline requirements for class leading OTT, streaming and digital publishing experiences - get in touch to learn more

Step 5: The Waiting Game

After issuing the RFP, give suppliers at least four weeks to respond. This timeframe allows them to carefully consider their proposals, ensuring they align with your requirements and provide accurate pricing and timelines. Rushing this stage can lead to incomplete or poorly thought-out responses, which may result in selecting a supplier that is not fully capable of delivering on the project’s needs. During this waiting period, be prepared to answer any clarifying questions from suppliers, as this can help them provide more accurate and relevant proposals.

• Detail: Establish a single point of contact for suppliers to direct their questions to, ensuring consistent and clear communication.

Step 6: Scoring and Assessment

Score the responses based on compliance with your requirements. This will give you a clear direction, though it may not yet identify a clear winner. The scoring process should be rigorous, involving multiple stakeholders to ensure a balanced and fair assessment. It’s important to avoid subjective criteria, instead focusing on measurable factors such as technical capabilities, pricing, and proposed timelines. The scoring should lead to a shortlist of two or three suppliers who will move on to the final stages of evaluation.

• Detail: Conduct a preliminary financial analysis of the proposals to ensure that the costs align with your budget and that there are no hidden fees or potential cost overruns.

Step 7: Supplier Presentations and Workshops

Invite shortlisted suppliers to present their proposals and participate in workshops. This helps assess cultural fit and ensures their solutions align with your needs. During these presentations, suppliers should demonstrate their understanding of your project and how their solution will address your specific challenges. Workshops provide an opportunity for deeper engagement, allowing your team to ask detailed questions and assess the suppliers’ problem-solving capabilities. This step is also critical for evaluating the potential for a long-term partnership.

There are some key tips and tricks we use during our RFP process to help drive objectivity and ensure that responses provided by the suppliers are honest and integral. Building a trusted relationship long before you get to contract is important for not only a solid RFP output - but the longer term business relationship and overall project success. Get in touch to learn a bit more about what these are.

• Detail: Consider including scenario-based questions in the workshops to see how suppliers handle potential challenges or changes in project scope.

Step 8: Negotiations and Selection

The 1:10 rule is critical here. 1 hour of time spent upfront will pay back in 10 hours of time saved downstream. Think of the RFP requirements matrix as a set of minimum functionality or capabilities that a vendor or supplier should be conformant with.

Negotiations should focus on finalising the terms and conditions, including payment schedules, delivery timelines, and performance guarantees. It’s essential to maintain a collaborative approach during negotiations, aiming for a win-win outcome that satisfies both parties.

Step 9: Statement of Work

The SOW should detail the implementation plan, timelines, risks, and deliverables. A well-crafted SOW is critical for avoiding unplanned costs and delays.

Alongside the usual SOW clauses and conditions - it should also include:

• Functional deliverables

• Non-functional deliverables

• Confirmation of any roadmap or uncommitted items

• Out of scope items (Hugely important!)

• Assumptions and caveats

• Confirmation of resources committed to deliver the project

• Timelines and milestones including any commercial or payment milestones

• Details of of SEMP (Systems Engineering Management Processes)

• Incident management processes

• Change management processes

• Support Level Agreements (SLA's)

• Clear definitions of roles and responsibilities

Additionally, the SOW should outline the criteria for success, including specific milestones and deliverables that will be used to measure progress. A detailed SOW not only guides the project’s execution but also serves as a reference point for managing changes and resolving disputes.

The ROI of a Robust RFP Process

A well-executed RFP process delivers significant ROI (Return on Investment) by:

• Cost Savings (10-30%): Competitive bidding can reduce costs by 10-30% compared to direct procurement. This cost reduction is achieved through better pricing, as suppliers compete to offer the best value. Additionally, a thorough RFP process helps avoid hidden costs by ensuring that all requirements are clearly defined and understood upfront.

• Improved Quality and Performance: Selecting the right vendors improves the quality and performance of deliverables. By thoroughly vetting suppliers, you ensure that they have the necessary expertise and resources to meet your project’s demands. This reduces the likelihood of project failures or delays, which can be costly both in terms of time and money.

• Time Savings (15-25%): A clear RFP accelerates project timelines, saving 15-25% of the time required to execute the project. This is because a well-structured RFP reduces the need for back-and-forth clarifications, enabling suppliers to provide more accurate and timely responses. Faster project execution means you can bring your product or service to market more quickly, giving you a competitive edge.

• Higher Compliance and Reduced Legal Risks: Ensures all legal and compliance requirements are met, reducing risks. The RFP process allows you to specify your compliance needs clearly, ensuring that suppliers understand and adhere to all relevant regulations. This not only reduces the risk of legal issues but also helps protect your organisation’s reputation.

• Enhanced Scalability and Future-Proofing: The RFP process helps in selecting scalable and adaptable solutions. By focusing on long-term needs during the RFP process, you can choose solutions that grow with your business, reducing the need for costly upgrades or replacements down the line. This future-proofing is essential for ensuring that your investment continues to deliver value as your business evolves.

• Strategic Alignment and Business Value (20-40%): Aligns solutions with organisational goals, increasing business value. A well-crafted RFP process ensures that the selected solution not only meets immediate needs but also supports your organisation’s strategic objectives. This alignment increases the overall business value of the project, contributing to a higher ROI of 20-40%.

• Long-Term Savings: Reduces maintenance costs and optimises vendor relationships. By selecting the right solution through a thorough RFP process, you minimise the risk of choosing a supplier that cannot meet your long-term needs. This not only reduces maintenance costs but also helps build strong, collaborative relationships with your vendors, leading to better service and support over the lifespan of the project.

Five Key Ingredients for Ensuring Success

1. Capabilities Focused: Ensure each capability is unique and measurable. Use the MoSCoW method to prioritise requirements, distinguishing between must-haves, should-haves, could-haves, and won’t-haves. This approach ensures that the RFP focuses on the most critical capabilities, reducing the risk of scope creep and ensuring that the project delivers maximum value.

2. Clear and Objective: Keep language simple and avoid internal jargon. Clarity is key to ensuring that suppliers understand your needs and can respond appropriately. Avoiding jargon also makes it easier for non-technical stakeholders to participate in the evaluation process, ensuring that the final decision reflects the needs of the entire organisation.

3. Cover Everything: Include non-functional requirements and implementation details. Non-functional requirements, such as performance, security, and scalability, are just as important as functional requirements. By covering these areas in detail, you ensure that the selected solution meets all of your organisation’s needs, not just the obvious ones.

4. Response Template: Provide a template for respondents to ensure easy comparison. A well-designed template standardises the responses, making it easier to compare different proposals on an apples-to-apples basis. This not only speeds up the evaluation process but also reduces the risk of overlooking important details.

5. Fair and Reasonable: Run a fair process, giving vendors the time to explain and demonstrate their offerings. Fairness is crucial for maintaining good relationships with suppliers and ensuring that you get the best possible outcome. By allowing suppliers to explain their proposals fully and ask questions about your needs, you increase the likelihood of finding a solution that truly fits your requirements.

Why not explore how Spicy Mango can simplify your next tender or procurement process. Learn more here.