The document provides guidance on writing effective requests for proposals (RFPs). It outlines the key stages of developing an RFP, including establishing requirements, assessing needs and budgets, and defining evaluation criteria. The document explains that RFPs should have clear administrative, technical, and management requirements sections. It also provides tips for response guidelines and formatting, noting that suppliers should demonstrate how their solution meets each requirement. The overall goal is to establish dialogue between buyers and suppliers based on agreed terms in the RFP.

1. RFP: Quick Guide to
Effective RFP
Shilpa P. Viswambharan

2. Courtesy
 I aim to provide a quick guide to writing effective
RFPs via this presentation. It is mainly based on
the Bud Porter-Roth’s book - “Request for
Proposal, A Guide to Effective RFP Development”
and my experience as a relationship manager.
 As this book has helped me in my success, I hope
it helps many others.

3. Request For Proposal,
Defined
 RFP is a vehicle for establishing a dialogue
between buyer and suppliers, based on agreed
upon set of rules, requirements, schedules and
other information.

4. Initial Stage
 Buyer establish a budget based on:
 Project requirements,
 Supplier research,
 Team’s understanding of various solutions.
Needs
Requireme
nts
Vendor
product/pri
ce review
Budget ROI Study

5. Best Practices
 Need assessment and formal statement of
problem and the required solution.
 Mention the requirements clearly and in
measurable terms.
 Internal acceptance.
 Not limiting available solutions
 Rigorous evaluation criteria
 Define project budget, schedule and personnel

6. Types of RFP
 RFI - Request for Information: (pre-RFP) Gain
information on available solutions by vendors.
 RFI is not a prerequisite to RFP. RFI is used by buyers
to gain more insights, usually when there is ambiguity
around a project/product.
 RFP : Formal requests that communicate a
company’s requirements and invites solutions
from suppliers.

7. Expectations from a RFP
Response
 Demonstrate clear understanding of all technical
& non-technical issues mentioned in RFP
 How your suggested solution will address each of
the issues/requirements raised in RFP?
 Method of doing business (team, risk
management, training, support etc.)

8. RFP Roadmap
Appendices
Contracts and Licenses
Pricing
Supplier Section
Supplied qualification and references
Management Requirements
Technical Requirements
Administrative Information
Project Overview

9. Administrative Info.
 Evaluation criteria,
 Deadlines,
 Method of submitting proposal,
 Contact names & address,
 Requirements for preparing,
 Other relevant information.

10. Technical Requirements
 Goal & objective of project,
 Critical Success Factors,
 Functional specification of current system,
 Func. Spec. of desired system,
 Performance Specs.,
 Hardware & software requirements,
 Communication requirements.

11. Management Requirements
 Functional project requirements,
 Staffing,
 Site preparation responsibilities,
 Delivery & installation schedule & plan,
 System acceptance test requirements,
 System maintenance & training requirements,
 Documentation requirements.

12. Supplier Qualification &
References
 Brief history,
 Capabilities & Offerings,
 Evidence of capability & offerings,
 References,
 Case Studies,
 Sample list of clients.

13. Pricing
 Hardware & Software
 Installation, Maintenance, Training,
Documentation,
 Project Management,
 License Fees

14. Contracts & License
Agreement
 Purchase agreement,
 Maintenance contract,
 Warranty period,
 Software license agreement,
 Performance/payment bonds.
 NDA

15. Appendices
 List of current equipment’s,
 Workflow diagrams,
 Communication network,
 Standards used within company,
 Other relevant info.

16. Response Guideline
 Clearly match requirements to response.
 Divide into two parts:
 Technical & Management part,
 Pricing part.

17. Tech. & Management part
Response
Technical &
Management
Proposal
Cover Letter
Executive Summary
Response to administrative requirements
Technical solution & description
Project management description
Solution Demonstration requirements description (if
needed)
Additional Info.

18. Pricing part Response
 Pricing Response
 Contracts
Follow formatting instructions.

19. Cover Letter
 3-parts
 Read and Understood the requirements
 Accepted conditions stated in RFP
 Committing the company to products & prices
included in proposal.

20. Executive Summary
 Summarize overall approach,
 Describe business features and benefits of your
solution,
 Discuss risks & concerns,
 Explain what is required from Buyer to begin the
project,
 Pricing summary and how it was computed,
 Hidden or related costs.

21. Shall, Should &Will
How to recognize elements in an RFP:
 Shall: indicates a requirement
 Should: describes project Goals. Informational
statement
 Will: denotes statements of intent

22. Specification vs.
Requirements
 Specification is a sum of a group of requirements.
 Eg: specifications for a smartphone

24. All the Best!
And, Thank You!