21/5/2009
A request for proposal (RFP) is an invitation by a private or governmental entity for potential vendors to submit a bid for specified products or services. An RFP usually entails the outsourcing of some internal function by an organization to an outside entity. The goal of an RFP is to ensure that responses from vendors meet the organization’s needs and are structured in a way that allows the organization to easily compare proposals.

RFPs typically have the following sections:

• Introduction (including purpose of the RFP)
• Background information and instructions (including company information, expected structure of the response, timeline and other instructions to guide the vendor’s response)
• Selection criteria (process for selecting the vendor)
• Requirements (detailed explanation of what you want done by the vendor and other information you want to receive)

RFPs typically require responses to have the following sections:

• Executive summary (an overview of the proposal)
• Vendor’s company information (structure, finances, etc.)
• References
• Proposed services/deliverables (how the vendor will meet the RFP requirements)
• Pricing
• Timeline
• Resources (who will be involved on both the vendor ‘s and company’s teams)

Please Note: This material is provided as general information and is not a substitute for legal or other professional advice.

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