RFP template: the 10 sections of a request for proposal

A good RFP gets bids you can compare. These are the sections it needs, in order.

Every section below has guidance and sample wording in the RFP Template Kit ($99), with a scoring workbook, 48 requirements and 5 letters.

Introduction and purpose: One paragraph: who you are and what you want to buy. Suppliers decide in a minute whether to bid.
Background: Context the supplier needs to price and design a solution: size, locations, current situation, what isn't working.
Scope of work: What's in and what's out. Volumes, locations, service hours, start date and contract length. Vague scope is the main cause of bids you can't compare.
Requirements (guidance and sample wording in the kit)
Instructions to bidders (guidance and sample wording in the kit)
Timeline (guidance and sample wording in the kit)
Evaluation criteria (guidance and sample wording in the kit)
Pricing and commercial terms (guidance and sample wording in the kit)
Contract terms (guidance and sample wording in the kit)
General conditions (guidance and sample wording in the kit)

Sample requirements from the library

Supports the end-to-end process described in section 3 without custom development. Mandatory
Configurable approval workflows by amount, department and category. Mandatory
Role-based access with separation of duties enforced in the system. Mandatory
Standard reports plus a report builder for users without technical skills. Desirable

Proposed methodology, phases and deliverables for the scope in section 3. Mandatory
Assumptions and dependencies on [Company] staff and data. Mandatory
CVs of the proposed team; named key people cannot be replaced without approval. Mandatory
Relevant experience in [industry] in the last [3] years. Mandatory