# Request for Proposal (RFP)

Drafts a structured request for proposal that gives vendors the information they need to respond accurately. Use it when you are sourcing a service, solution, or complex supply requirement and need competitive proposals.

## Prompt

## Context
You are a procurement specialist helping me draft a Request for Proposal (RFP) for [ORGANIZATION NAME]. We are sourcing [WHAT IS BEING PROCURED]. This RFP will go to [NUMBER OF VENDORS] vendors. The procurement is governed by [APPLICABLE RULES OR POLICY, e.g., FAR, state procurement code, internal policy, or none specified]. Key background:

- Requirement description: [REQUIREMENT DESCRIPTION]
- Estimated budget range (if releasable): [BUDGET RANGE OR "not disclosed"]
- Period of performance or delivery timeline: [TIMELINE]
- Evaluation criteria and weights: [EVALUATION CRITERIA]
- Submission deadline: [SUBMISSION DEADLINE]
- Points of contact: [POC NAME AND CONTACT INFO]

## Task
Draft a complete RFP document with these sections:
1. Introduction and background
2. Scope of work and requirements
3. Proposal instructions (format, page limits, sections required)
4. Evaluation criteria and how scoring will work
5. Submission instructions and deadline
6. Terms, conditions, and any required certifications
7. Questions and clarification process

Use plain language throughout. Vendors of varying sizes will read this.

## Standards
- Do not invent requirements, dates, dollar figures, evaluation weights, or compliance rules the user did not provide.
- Write each requirement as a clear, testable statement. Avoid vague phrases like "world-class" or "best-in-class."
- Mark any section where the user left a variable blank with [NEEDS INPUT] so nothing is published incomplete.
- Keep the tone direct and professional. This is a legal procurement document: note that final legal and contractual review by appropriate authority is required before issuance.
- Do not invent vendor names, past contracts, or agency history.
- If a named input is missing or ambiguous, ask before drafting that section.

## Variables

- ORGANIZATION NAME
- WHAT IS BEING PROCURED
- NUMBER OF VENDORS
- APPLICABLE RULES OR POLICY
- REQUIREMENT DESCRIPTION
- BUDGET RANGE OR "not disclosed"
- TIMELINE
- EVALUATION CRITERIA
- SUBMISSION DEADLINE
- POC NAME AND CONTACT INFO

## Input checklist

- [ ] Clear written description of what you are buying: the requirement, deliverables, and any technical specifications
- [ ] Evaluation criteria and their weights or priority order, confirmed from your acquisition plan or team decision
- [ ] Submission deadline, period of performance, and any other dates from your procurement schedule
- [ ] Applicable procurement rules or internal policy (FAR, state code, organizational policy) to include or reference
- [ ] Budget range decision: whether to disclose it, and if so, the figure from your approved budget documents
- [ ] Confidentiality: keep vendor-sensitive pricing targets and internal scoring deliberations out of the prompt

## Verification checklist

- [ ] Confirm every date in the RFP against your procurement schedule before publishing: AI does not know your calendar
- [ ] Check that evaluation weights add up to 100 percent using your own arithmetic, not the AI's output
- [ ] Verify that no dollar figures, contract values, or past-award data appear in the draft unless you provided them
- [ ] Read the scope section against your original requirement description to confirm nothing was dropped or invented
- [ ] Check all compliance references (FAR clauses, state statutes, policy citations) against the actual documents before including them
- [ ] Have your contracting officer, legal counsel, or designated authority review the final draft before issuance: this prompt is not legal or contractual advice
- [ ] Confirm no [NEEDS INPUT] placeholders remain in the version you send to vendors

## Sample output

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
RFP No.: NW-2026-LOG-007
Northwind Distribution LLC

1. Introduction and Background
Northwind Distribution LLC (Northwind) is a regional third-party logistics provider headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. We are issuing this RFP to solicit proposals for a warehouse management system (WMS) to support our new Atlas fulfillment center opening in Q3 2026. This RFP is governed by Northwind's internal procurement policy.

2. Scope of Work and Requirements
The selected vendor must provide:
- A cloud-hosted WMS capable of managing up to 50,000 SKUs
- Real-time inventory visibility with barcode and RFID scanning support
- Integration with Northwind's existing ERP (Microsoft Dynamics 365)
- Role-based access for warehouse staff, supervisors, and finance
- Training for up to 40 users prior to go-live
- 99.5 percent uptime SLA with a documented incident response process

Delivery and go-live: no later than August 15, 2026.

3. Proposal Instructions
Submit proposals in PDF format, maximum 30 pages, structured as follows:
- Section 1: Technical approach and system architecture
- Section 2: Implementation plan and timeline
- Section 3: Training and change management plan
- Section 4: Pricing (include one-time and recurring costs separately)
- Section 5: References (minimum three, similar scope)

4. Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be scored on the following criteria:
- Technical capability and fit: 40 percent
- Implementation plan and timeline: 25 percent
- Pricing and total cost of ownership: 20 percent
- References and past performance: 15 percent

Northwind reserves the right to conduct demonstrations before final award.

5. Submission Instructions
Submit proposals by email to procurement@northwinddist.com no later than July 11, 2026 at 5:00 PM Eastern. Proposals received after this time will not be evaluated.

6. Terms and Conditions
Northwind is not obligated to award a contract as a result of this RFP. Costs incurred by vendors in preparing proposals are not reimbursable. Northwind reserves the right to cancel this RFP at any time.

7. Questions and Clarifications
Submit written questions to procurement@northwinddist.com by June 27, 2026. Answers will be distributed to all vendors by July 3, 2026. No oral questions will be binding.

Point of contact: Maria Chen, Procurement Manager, (614) 555-0182.

## Customization notes

For government contracting, replace the terms section with a reference to the applicable FAR parts and required clauses. For high-dollar or regulated procurements, add a mandatory pre-proposal conference section. Adjust page limits and section structure to match your organization's standard RFP template. If evaluation is conducted by a board, add a section explaining the board composition and protest rights.

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From The Logistics, Operations & Project Management Library at vetslearn.com/libraries/logistics-pm