Written by Marijn Overvest | Reviewed by Sjoerd Goedhart | Fact Checked by Ruud Emonds | Our editorial policy
RFP Process — Explained + 3 Real-Life Examples
What is an RFP Process?
- The RFP process is a series of actions that allow for the efficient use of RFPs or requests for proposals.
- The RFP process starts the procedure by which a procurement manager creates documents about sourcing or procurement of significant goods and services.
- RFPs are seen by governments as crucial for eliminating any cronyism in public procurements.
What is an RFP Process?
An RFP process is a structured series of steps designed to make the use of RFPs efficient. It is commonly used to kick-start procurement projects and is especially frequent in government procurement.
RFP stands for Request for Proposal (sometimes also called Request for Procurement), as it focuses on acquiring goods or services. During this phase, the procurement manager prepares a document announcing a project or task that requires sourcing important products or services. The RFP outlines what needs to be purchased, the specifications of the required materials, and invites qualified contractors to submit proposals to complete the project.
The 7 Steps of RFP Process
Since we’ve clearly understood now how an RFP works, it’s time to move forward and learn the 7-step plan to building and establishing an efficient RFP process.
In any case, to build an efficient RFP process, you need to consider the following:
1. Initiate the Project
Before anything else, it’s crucial that there is a project that your company wants to do. There should be a clear definition of the said project’s objectives, scope, and budget. Identify the type of vendors needed for your project, which will include your specific requirements and standards for qualifications. Additionally, involve all relevant stakeholders early to ensure alignment on goals and expectations. Establishing a clear timeline and milestones at this stage will help keep the project on track and prevent delays later.
2. Draft your RFP
Now it’s time to draft your RFP. Be specific with your requirements, expected timeline, scope of work, criteria, and your submission guidelines. If you have any special requirements, then it’s best to outline that as well in your RFP. Include a section explaining how proposals will be evaluated to give vendors clarity on your priorities. Also, make the document clear, concise, and professional to attract high-quality responses.
3. Identify the Right Vendors
It is not enough that you identify suppliers; it should be the right and qualified potential vendors. Identifying your potential vendors beforehand would save you much time moving forward, allowing you to evaluate if they will fit with your set criteria and standards. Research vendor capabilities, past performance, and reputation to ensure they meet your technical and financial requirements. Consider diversity, scalability, and cultural fit to select vendors who can grow with your project.
4. Promote and Distribute the RFP
Once you finish drafting your RFP and identify your potential vendors, it’s time to actually promote and distribute the said RFP to the pre-selected vendors to disseminate the news of your project. This will allow your shortlisted vendors to review the guidelines and specifications. Use multiple channels to reach your target vendors, including emails, online platforms, and industry networks. Make sure all vendors receive the same information to maintain fairness and transparency.
5. Address Vendor Clarifications
If there are questions and clarifications, you have to be sure to answer said questions. Make them understand the guidelines and specifications clearly. Document all questions and answers to provide transparency and avoid confusion later. Respond promptly to vendor queries to maintain engagement and ensure timely proposal submissions.
6. Submit the Proposals
Now you wait. The proposals will be submitted to you after you clarify their queries. Once you receive the proposals, evaluate which ones you think are the right fit for the job. Check each submission for completeness and compliance with your requirements. Schedule internal reviews and scoring sessions to objectively compare proposals.
7. Evaluate, Select, and Award
Clearly evaluate, select, and then finally award the vendors that you think qualify for it. To do this, you should have proper selection criteria. Then you negotiate and come to an agreement before setting the project into action. Use a weighted scoring system to ensure a fair and objective evaluation process. Finally, communicate the decision to all vendors and provide constructive feedback where appropriate.
3 Real-Life Examples of the RFP Process
The RFP process is a critical tool used by organizations to acquire goods and services efficiently. By providing a structured framework, RFPs help ensure transparency, fairness, and optimal decision-making in procurement.
1. U.S. Department of Defense – JEDI Cloud Computing RFP
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) issued a high‑profile Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) cloud contract, aimed at modernizing military IT infrastructure with commercial cloud services.
This RFP included extremely detailed requirements covering technology specifications, security compliance, pricing structures, and evaluation factors, as required by federal procurement regulations, to ensure that all bidders could compete on a level playing field. DoD solicited proposals from major cloud providers, evaluated them against strict technical and cost criteria, and ultimately awarded the contract after extensive review and protests.
The process was highly competitive and controversial, attracting legal challenges and industry attention before Microsoft was ultimately selected as the awardee. This example highlights how large government RFPs balance technical depth and fairness in selecting vendors for critical national infrastructure.
2. Local Government Electronic Health Record (EHR) System RFP
A county health department in the United States recently issued an RFP for an Electronic Health Record (EHR) and billing/payment management system, seeking vendor proposals to address the evolving needs of public health services.
The RFP clearly outlined detailed requirements, including functional capabilities, interoperability expectations, documentation workflows, and compliance with health information standards to ensure that vendors understand the technical complexity needed. Interested vendors were invited to submit responses detailing how their solutions would meet those requirements within specified timelines and budget constraints.
The department planned to evaluate submissions based on technical fit, experience in public health settings, cost proposals, and implementation strategy before awarding a contract. This case shows how public sector organizations use structured RFPs to procure complex software that must align with service delivery goals and regulatory compliance.
3. Mid‑Sized Retail Company Payroll System RFP
A mid‑sized retail company saw the need for a modern payroll system and decided to issue a formal RFP to find the best software vendor rather than accepting informal quotes.
The RFP included a clear description of project goals, integration requirements with existing systems, security standards, compliance needs, and the budget range to ensure all prospective vendors understood the scope and expectations.
After collecting proposals from multiple vendors, the company used a weighted evaluation rubric that balanced cost with technical capability, vendor experience, and projected implementation timeline. This structured RFP process helped the company choose a provider that ultimately reduced payroll processing errors by 40% and cut processing time in half, demonstrating the value of a thoughtful procurement process.
The 5 Key Differences between an RFI and RFP
Since we already understand what an RFP is, the table below shows the five key differences between an RFI and an RFP.
Why Create an RFP?
If it’s just a simple procurement, why ask for several bidders, right? That’s because in simple procurement processes, there is no need for procurement requests. But if the procurement is a big project and it may need several bidders for the job to function, then you need RFPs to evaluate and bid on who gets to do the project.
For government projects, RFPs are very important for removing cronyism for public procurements. This means that everyone gets a fair chance in bidding for the project because the RFP highlights the ability and status of the bidder for the procurement manager or administrator to check.
If a bidder’s status makes the cut, the project is awarded to them. If not, then there is a chance for the other bidders to get the project. Depending on how many bidders there are for the project, there can be times when the potential responses coming from bidders are limited.
Without RFPs, there will be bias as to who gets the project. Friends and/or close associates with the procurement manager or admin will be awarded the contract for the proposal without looking at the other bidders. Most of the time, this system fails because the one who gets the contract is not able to finish the project. If they do, the results are often poor.
Conclusion
The year 2026 brings both challenges and opportunities to the field of procurement.
The article highlights the crucial role of the Request for Proposal (RFP) process, offering a concise 7-step strategy for its effective implementation. Emphasizing transparency and fairness, the RFP process is instrumental in counteracting biases and ensuring projects are awarded to qualified entities.
The outlined steps provide a clear guide for establishing a robust RFP process, promoting cohesion within the procurement team. As organizations adopt this strategy, they equip themselves to navigate the complexities of procurement in 2026, fostering adaptability and strategic decision-making.
Frequentlyasked questions
What is the RFP process?
The RFP process is a series of actions that allow for the efficient use of RFPs or requests for proposals.
What are the key steps to ensure an efficient RFP process?
Following a structured 7-step plan, from initiating the project to evaluating and awarding vendors, ensures clarity, fairness, and successful outcomes.
What is the key difference between an RFI and an RFP?
The key difference is that an RFI is used to gather general information about vendors and their capabilities, while an RFP is a formal request with clearly defined requirements, pricing, and strict procurement rules.
About the author
My name is Marijn Overvest, I’m the founder of Procurement Tactics. I have a deep passion for procurement, and I’ve upskilled over 200 procurement teams from all over the world. When I’m not working, I love running and cycling.
