Writing a Request for Proposals (RFP) – A Tip Sheet
What is an RFP?
An RFP is a notice for competitive bidding on a project or program and includes details on all aspects of the bidding process, the requirements and the desired outcomes of a project.
An RFP can be as detailed as the person writing it would like it to be – a broader scope means more consultants can reply, while a more specific scope narrows the field to a few candidates. Specific elements may include:
- Project description;
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Objectives;
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Strategic Considerations;
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Target Audiences;
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Experience required;
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Budget.
The RFP should contain a brief description of the organization and a brief description of the work to be accomplished, stated in terms as concise and explicit as possible. The RFP should also include details on any work that has been done on the project to date, or any social, political environmental or financial factors that might impact the organization or completion of the work.
Also indicate any requirements or constraints that you may have with respect to the consulting relationship; ie: deadlines, reporting requirements, grant requirements, and so forth.
Finally, the RFP should also contain your requirements for the content of the proposal to be submitted, and any guidelines on its format. And of course, the RFP should include the name and contact information of the person in charge of collecting the RFPs.
RFP Elements
Below is a comprehensive list of elements that can be put into an RFP. The items with an asterisk (*) beside them should be in every RFP, but others can be completed if details and time are available. See the sample RFP at the bottom of this document for examples.
1. letter of transmittal
2. title and contact information *
3. table of contents
4. introduction
5. project purpose *
6. project benefits
7. approach, scope* and potential plan
8. project schedule
a. milestones or deadlines*
b. progress reports
c. deliverables*
9. costing summary
a. progress or other payments required
10. personnel qualifications
11. subcontracts
12. use of client personnel
13. requirement for senior management support
14. steering committee function if applicable -output material included
15. project management plan
16. disclaimers
17. literature references
18. summary and closing of proposal
19. consultant skills and competencies*
20. a list of similar projects completed in the past together with reference individual associated with each previous client organization OR
21. a list of additional referees who can testify as to the skills and competencies of the applicant*
22. guidelines, if any, on response format and content*
Circulating the RFP
The electronic age has made circulating RFP’s a very convenient process. You can post your RFP on the cultureconsultants.ca website, or forward it to any consultants or similar organizations that you know of, where it can be forwarded to others. You can also post it on cultural sector job boards.
After the RFP is posted
After the RFP has been circulated, ensure that there is a person at your organization who is available to answer questions. Give respondents as much time as possible to put together a response.
If no one appropriate responds
You may find that in posting an RFP you may not get the response you hoped for, or indeed, any response at all. This may be because you have made the scope too narrow, or the requirements too restrictive.
Take a critical look at your RFP. Ask yourself, am I asking for too much work for too little money? Do I need to break this project down into smaller more focused tasks rather than looking for one consultant to do it all? Have I left room for a flexible approach to solving the problem? You may want to send the RFP to colleagues and ask for their opinion regarding the scope, deliverables and structure of the project.
Unless your budget for consulting fees for this project exceeds $10,000, you should consider inviting quotes rather than using a formal RFP process. The cultureconsultants database will give you some leads on which consultants to call for quotes, as will other sites such as the Charity Village Marketplace. Have a conversation, and invite consultants who seem to be a good fit to send a resume and an quote of one to two pages. Or invite them for an preliminary discussion to learn more about you so they can prepare a more meaningful quote. Since many good consultants no longer reply to RFPs, open competition is not always the best way to find assistance.
Sample RFP
Below is a sample RFP. You can choose to expand any of the sections, or include more from the RFP Elements list.
Request for Proposals – Capacity Building Project for Jack and Jill’s Dance Ensemble
Contact:
Ms. Jill Blogs
Executive Director
Jack and Jill’s Dance Ensemble
111 Any Street
Anytown, ON, 1A2 3B4
Tel: (555) 555-5555
Fax: (555) 555-5555
Email: jillblogs@jackandjillsdanceensemble.com
Brief Description of the Organization:
Jack and Jill’s Dance Ensemble (JJDE) is a young dance company specializing in dance performance for young people. We do this by creating works that are interactive and storytelling, and we are committed to a diverse and audience friendly approach to dance.
We hold 20 performances each year at various elementary schools in the Anytown region.
Brief overview of the Project:
Following a feasibility study completed last year, JJDE would like to undertake a fundraising capital campaign for a rehearsal studio in downtown Anytown. The space would allow JJDE to increase its ability to create and rehearse new shows, and increase the number of productions the company is able to perform.
We would like to engage a consultant to work in partnership with JJDE to create a comprehensive fundraising plan for the space. This plan would include the creation of a fundraising plan, identifying sponsor prospects in the community, training board volunteers to make sponsorship requests, creating materials related to the fundraising plan, and helping to gain media attention for the project. In addition, due to grant restrictions, the project must be completed by the end of May 2007.
Consultant Skills and Competencies
Ideally, the consultant would have experience working with the local community, and in raising funds for the dance sector and capital campaigns.
Deliverables
1. Complete fundraising plan
2. List of identified sponsorship prospects
3. Training plan for volunteers to make requests for donations
4. Creation of related marketing and support materials
5. Media kit or similar
Response format and guidelines:
Please send in a two-page outline detailing skills, competencies and any related projects you have completed. Also, please attach three personal references and contact information.
Deadline: Sept 25, 2006 by 5:00pm.
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