with Realm
If you've ever stared at a blank RFP template wondering what "good" actually looks like, you're not alone.
I've reviewed hundreds of RFPs over the past few years—some that attracted top-tier vendors and sparked competitive bidding, others that languished in inboxes or drew generic copy-paste responses. The difference usually comes down to three things: specificity, structure, and showing (not just telling) what you need.
Whether you're a procurement team building your first RFP or a response team trying to decode what buyers actually want, studying real-world examples is your shortcut to better outcomes. This guide analyzes 30 actual RFPs across 5 industries, breaking down what makes each one work and how you can apply those lessons to either write better RFPs or craft winning responses.
Why real RFP examples matter more than templates
Generic templates give you structure, but real examples teach you strategy.
Templates are useful. They provide the skeleton: sections for background, scope of work, submission requirements, evaluation criteria. But they're also fundamentally generic. A template can't show you how a healthcare organization explains complex patient privacy requirements, or how a nonprofit signals its values to attract mission-aligned vendors.
Real RFP examples show you how organizations actually communicate needs. You see the language they use, the level of detail they provide, how they structure evaluation criteria, and what they emphasize. You learn not just what to include, but how to say it effectively.
I've also noticed clear patterns across industries. Marketing RFPs tend toward creative, conversational tones. Financial services RFPs are data-heavy and formal. Government RFPs include extensive boilerplate for legal compliance. Understanding these conventions helps you meet expectations or deliberately break them when differentiation matters.
For response teams, studying RFPs from a buyer's perspective is illuminating. You start to see what makes an RFP easy to respond to versus frustrating, what signals a serious buyer versus a tire-kicker, and where buyers tend to bury the real problem under generic language.
At Realm, we've analyzed thousands of RFPs. When you see enough of them, patterns emerge quickly. The best RFPs balance clarity with context. The worst ones waste everyone's time with vague requirements and buried evaluation criteria.
How to use this guide
This guide serves two audiences with different needs.
If you're issuing RFPs:
Study the examples in your industry for structure, language, and approach. Note how successful RFPs balance detail with clarity—too vague and you get misaligned proposals; too prescriptive and you miss creative solutions. Borrow evaluation criteria and question formats that resonate with your needs. Pay attention to examples that attracted quality responses, not just lots of responses.
If you're responding to RFPs:
Focus on understanding what buyers prioritize in each industry. Learn to spot well-structured versus poorly-structured RFPs—this tells you how sophisticated the buyer is and how competitive the process will be. Identify patterns in winning proposal requirements. And see how modern teams use AI to accelerate responses without sacrificing quality. (More on that later.)
Let's dive into the examples.
Advertising and marketing RFP examples
Marketing RFPs range from highly structured to conversational—your approach should match your brand and the type of relationship you're building.
Agency RFP for creative and media buying
The Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau issued an RFP seeking an agency of record for a long-term partnership covering creative and media buying services.
What makes it work:
This RFP stands out for the extensive background it provides. The bureau includes links to their business plan, details about their target market, and information about their internal team structure. This context is gold for agencies trying to assess fit and develop strategic proposals.
The RFP clearly signals that they're not looking for a one-off project vendor—they want a strategic partner. That framing attracts a different caliber of response. Agencies can see the scope for ongoing relationship-building and creative development over time.
Key takeaway:
When you're seeking a strategic partner rather than a project vendor, context is everything. Don't just describe the immediate project. Share your business goals, market position, competitive landscape, and growth plans. Help vendors understand how they'll contribute to your success beyond the contract.
Branding RFP with personality
The Children's Defense Fund, a nonprofit organization, created a branding RFP that immediately stands out from the crowd.
What makes it work:
Most RFPs have a formal, official-sounding tone loaded with jargon. This one takes a conversational, approachable approach. The language reflects the organization's values and mission. It reads like a human wrote it for other humans, not like a procurement department generated it from a compliance template.
This approach serves a strategic purpose beyond being pleasant to read. It's a screening mechanism. Agencies that resonate with that tone and approach are more likely to be culture-fit partners. Agencies that prefer corporate formality will self-select out.
The RFP still maintains necessary structure and includes all required information—scope, timeline, budget parameters, submission requirements. But it wraps those elements in language that gives vendors a genuine sense of what working with the Children's Defense Fund would be like.
Key takeaway:
Your RFP tone can be a powerful screening tool. Formal, legalistic language attracts traditional, process-oriented vendors. Conversational, personality-driven language draws vendors who value culture fit and shared values. Choose deliberately based on what kind of partner you want.
Communications consultant RFP
The Town of University Park issued an RFP for a communications consultant to handle a range of services from content creation to social media management.
What makes it work:
This RFP strikes a nice balance between background, participation guidance, and questions. The town outlines their needs clearly—what services they're looking for, what outcomes they want, and what success looks like.
The scope is broad (content, social media, strategy, execution) but the RFP structures questions to assess vendors' full-service capabilities. This is important when you need one vendor to handle multiple functions. You want to understand not just their capability in each area, but how they integrate those services.
Participation guidance is clear and realistic. The timeline allows adequate time for proposal development. Submission requirements are straightforward. The town isn't asking for elaborate presentations or excessive documentation—just clear answers to their questions.
Key takeaway:
When you need multiple services from one vendor, structure your RFP to assess their full-service capabilities without overwhelming respondents. Ask questions that reveal how they integrate different functions, not just whether they can do each one independently.
Digital advertising services RFP
Lake Land College created an RFP for digital advertising services that exemplifies clarity and transparency.
What makes it work:
This RFP is exceptionally easy to navigate and read. The service requirements are clearly outlined in digestible sections. The submission requirements are stated upfront so vendors know exactly what to prepare. Most importantly, the scoring criteria is transparent and includes a helpful grid format showing how proposals will be evaluated.
When vendors understand how they'll be scored, they can address your priorities directly. If you weight cost at 20% and strategic approach at 40%, vendors will allocate their effort accordingly. This improves response quality dramatically.
The grid format makes evaluation consistent across reviewers. Everyone assesses proposals using the same framework, reducing subjectivity and making comparative analysis easier.
Key takeaway:
Transparency around evaluation reduces vendor confusion and improves response quality. Share your scoring criteria, ideally with weights. You'll get proposals that directly address what matters most to you, making your decision easier.
Digital media RFP
The City of Savannah, Georgia issued an RFP for a marketing firm to help recruit qualified police officers—a specific, challenging campaign goal.
What makes it work:
This RFP demonstrates how project-specific context improves vendor selection. The beginning includes standard municipal terms and conditions (unavoidable in government procurement), but the meat of the RFP delivers crucial campaign-specific information.
The detailed scope of work outlines the recruitment challenge, target demographics, competitive landscape for police recruitment, and desired outcomes. The RFP questions are tailored to this specific project, not generic marketing questions. Reference requirements ask specifically about public sector or recruitment campaign experience.
The evaluation process and timeline are crystal clear. Vendors know when decisions will be made and what the selection process entails. The required capabilities list helps vendors self-qualify before investing time in a proposal.
Key takeaway:
Project-specific RFPs should include industry or campaign-specific context. Generic "marketing services" RFPs miss opportunities to find vendors with directly relevant experience. The more context you provide about your specific challenge, the better vendors can demonstrate their fit.
Graphic design and copy editing services RFP
WE ACT for Environmental Justice created an RFP for graphic design research report services that gets straight to the point.
What makes it work:
This RFP gets right down to business without delay. They outline the scope of services on the very first page. This no-nonsense approach translates to their proposal criteria which is only three items: qualifications, examples of work, and proposed fees.
Key takeaway:
Sometimes brevity and directness work best. For short-term, project-specific work, you don't always need an exhaustive RFP.
Graphic design services RFP
As a counterpoint to the short, project-based RFP above, this RFP for ongoing design services is considerably longer at 57 pages.
What makes it work:
The RFP includes background information, proposal and submission instructions, their RFP timeline and scoring criteria. The length reflects the ongoing nature of the relationship.
Key takeaway:
Longer-term partnerships require more detailed RFPs that help vendors understand your organization deeply.
Public relations RFP
Brand USA created a PR RFP that reflects their brand standards.
What makes it work:
The attention to detail, visual appeal and thoughtful approach convey the high expectations of the organization. The document itself reflects The Brand USA's style and values, attracting agencies with similar high standards.
Key takeaway:
Your RFP design and presentation is part of your brand. Make it reflect the quality you expect from vendors.
Social media RFP
Newcap, Inc. created a social media RFP seeking a year-long partnership.
What makes it work:
The document clearly specifies the company's goals and the help they need to achieve them. However, the RFP questions are relatively general which may make vendor evaluation difficult.
Key takeaway:
Balance broad goals with specific questions to enable meaningful vendor comparison.
Business operations RFP examples
Operations RFPs demand precision—vague requirements lead to misaligned proposals and failed implementations.
Data analytics consultant RFP
New Jersey City University (NJCU) issued an RFP to find a consultant who could help them leverage data to understand their big-picture impact.
What makes it work:
This RFP leads with desired outcomes rather than deliverables. The university doesn't just say "provide data analysis"—they explain what they want to understand and achieve with data. That outcome-focused framing helps consultants propose the right methodology rather than generic services.
The RFP includes a supplier diversity policy requirement, signaling organizational values upfront. This helps values-aligned consultants prioritize their response and helps the university find partners who share their commitments.
The question list is thorough and guides vendors through demonstrating capabilities across the engagement lifecycle: discovery, analysis, insights, delivery, training, and ongoing support.
Key takeaway:
For consulting engagements, define success in outcome terms. "Help us understand our enrollment trends and demographic impact" is infinitely clearer than "provide data analysis services." Outcomes guide consultants toward the right approach; generic deliverables invite boilerplate responses.
Legal services RFP
Great Rivers Greenway District, a political division in Missouri, created an RFP for comprehensive legal services covering research, drafting, regulatory advice, and litigation.
What makes it work:
The comprehensive scope reflects the reality of legal partnerships—you need one firm that can handle diverse needs, not specialists for every situation. The RFP's question list is specific to legal service procurement, covering areas like conflicts of interest, regulatory expertise, litigation experience, and response time expectations.
What sets this RFP apart is the two-stage evaluation process. Written proposals are reviewed first, then shortlisted candidates are invited to interviews with presentations. This recognizes that legal services require chemistry beyond credentials. You need lawyers who communicate well, understand your culture, and will be responsive partners.
The interview stage assesses intangibles: communication style, personality fit with your team, and how they think through problems in real-time.
Key takeaway:
Professional services often require chemistry beyond credentials. Build interview stages into your evaluation for high-touch relationships. The best firm on paper isn't always the best partner in practice.
Insurance broker RFP
The Public Health Institute issued an RFP for an insurance broker capable of serving their diverse coverage needs including crime, inland marine, cyber liability, and standard coverages.
What makes it work:
The RFP clearly lists specific coverage needs, helping brokers immediately assess whether their carrier relationships can meet requirements. Not every broker has strong relationships across this range of specialized coverages.
Most notably, this RFP shares weighted scoring values with vendors. Brokers can see exactly how the organization will evaluate proposals: carrier relationships might be weighted at 30%, cost at 25%, service model at 25%, and experience at 20% (hypothetically). This transparency helps brokers prioritize their proposal content.
The emphasis on carrier relationships as a key qualifier is smart. A broker's value is largely determined by their ability to access the right carriers at competitive rates.
Key takeaway:
When evaluation criteria have different weights, share them. Vendors waste less time on low-value sections and deliver stronger responses where it matters. Everyone benefits from this transparency.
Project management RFP
Morrow County issued an RFP for project management services ahead of a potential facility remodel.
What makes it work:
This RFP includes something you don't often see: clearly stated pass/fail criteria. Three non-negotiables are listed upfront: on-time submission, proposal completeness, and the required number of copies. While these seem minor, they communicate seriousness.
Vendors who can't follow basic instructions won't manage complex projects well. The pass/fail criteria filter out vendors who don't read carefully or take the process seriously, saving the county's evaluation time.
The scope is specific: help determine facility needs, explore options, and analyze the merits of remodeling versus new construction. This is preliminary strategic work, not design-build. The RFP makes that distinction clear so vendors propose appropriately.
Key takeaway:
Pass/fail requirements for basic compliance save evaluation time and signal that you run a tight process. They're not about being difficult—they're about ensuring vendors take your RFP seriously from the first interaction.
Construction and architecture RFP examples
Construction RFPs must balance technical specificity with flexibility for creative solutions.
Architectural services RFP
The City of Urbana issued an RFP for architectural services covering three specific projects plus potential future work.
What makes it work:
This RFP addresses a common challenge: do you want one firm for everything or are you building a roster of qualified partners? The city makes their approach clear—they're selecting a primary firm for these three projects with potential for additional work if the relationship works well.
The RFP provides detailed scope for each of the three projects, helping firms understand the scale and complexity. But it also leaves room for firms to demonstrate how they'd approach future partnership opportunities.
Evaluation criteria balance technical capabilities (relevant project experience, technical approach, team qualifications) with relational factors (communication style, responsiveness, local presence).
Key takeaway:
Multi-project RFPs should clarify whether you're selecting one firm for everything or building a roster of qualified partners. This affects how firms price proposals and structure their teams.
Architecture and engineering RFP
The Metropolitan School District of Washington Township in Indianapolis issued an RFP for a unique project: ensuring equitable access throughout the school district.
What makes it work:
The project goal—equitable access—is stated prominently and repeatedly. This isn't just about building or renovating facilities; it's about mission. That framing attracts firms with relevant experience and genuine commitment to the goal.
The RFP specifies desired qualifications and experience with equity-focused projects, not just technical architecture and engineering credentials. It includes visual elements showing current facilities and accessibility challenges, helping firms understand the physical constraints they'll be working with.
Mission-driven language throughout the RFP signals what kind of partner the district wants: technically capable, yes, but also values-aligned and experienced in equity work.
Key takeaway:
For projects with social impact goals, lead with mission. You'll attract firms with relevant experience and commitment, not just those looking for another contract. The right partners will get excited about your mission, and that enthusiasm shows in their proposals.
Commercial real estate brokerage RFP
Clean Power Alliance of Southern California issued an RFP for a real estate broker after outgrowing their communal coworking space.
What makes it work:
The RFP provides specific context that helps brokers target their search effectively: moving from coworking to dedicated space, team size of 40 employees, and organizational values around sustainability and accessibility.
The timeline is clearly stated with realistic milestones. The scope of broker services expected is detailed: market analysis, space identification, lease negotiation, move coordination. This comprehensive scope helps brokers price their services accurately.
Evaluation criteria match organizational priorities. For a clean energy organization, building sustainability features might be weighted heavily. Location accessibility for employees using public transit matters. The RFP makes these priorities explicit.
Key takeaway:
Real estate RFPs should include team size, work style preferences, growth projections, and location priorities. The more context you provide about your organization and culture, the better brokers can target properties that actually fit.
Construction management RFP
Incourage Community Foundation issued an RFP for construction management services for their Tribune Building remodel.
What makes it work:
This RFP is only seven pages but it's information-dense. On page one, you find the foundation's vendor priorities: local company, commitment to diversity, talent development focus, and sustainability practices. These priorities immediately help construction managers assess fit.
The RFP provides rich background about the building—its history, architectural significance, and role in the community. This context helps construction managers understand that this isn't just a remodel; it's a community asset that requires care.
Values-based vendor screening is built into the structure. The foundation doesn't hide their priorities in boilerplate—they lead with them. Construction managers who don't align with these values will likely self-select out.
Key takeaway:
Short doesn't mean superficial. A focused RFP with clear priorities often outperforms 50-page documents. Clarity and conciseness respect vendor time and improve response quality.
Design-build RFP
Summit County, Colorado created an RFP for a public shooting range using a design-build delivery method.
What makes it work:
The RFP clarifies what design-build means for this project: one entity is responsible for both design and construction. This is important because responsibility handoffs and integration expectations differ from traditional design-bid-build projects.
The deliverable timeline is clearly established with milestones for design phases, construction phases, and completion. The detailed evaluation criteria list helps design-build teams understand how they'll be scored across design creativity, construction feasibility, budget management, and timeline adherence.
Public safety considerations are integrated throughout—appropriate for a shooting range project where safety is paramount.
Key takeaway:
Alternative delivery methods like design-build require extra clarity on responsibility handoffs and integration expectations. Don't assume vendors understand your chosen delivery method's implications. Spell it out.
Engineering services RFP
The County of Caroline, Virginia issued an RFP for engineering services covering a three-year contract period.
What makes it work:
The RFP breaks responsibilities down by project phase: research, planning, design, negotiation, and construction. Each phase has bullet-pointed responsibilities that help engineers understand the full scope and staff appropriately.
This phase-based breakdown is especially useful for long-term contracts. Engineers need to demonstrate capabilities across the entire project lifecycle, not just design or construction administration. The structured format makes it easy for evaluators to assess whether firms have experience in each phase.
The three-year timeline also helps engineering firms understand resource commitment and plan their staffing.
Key takeaway:
Long-term service agreements need phase-based scope definitions so vendors can demonstrate capabilities across the project lifecycle. A chronological breakdown helps vendors structure proposals logically and helps you evaluate whether they can truly serve your needs long-term.
Financial services RFP examples
Financial RFPs are typically detail-heavy and data-driven—rightfully so when money management is at stake.
Banking services RFP
The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence issued an RFP for banking services with a distinctive values-based approach.
What makes it work:
The RFP includes vendor qualification requirements around demonstrating social responsibility—not typical in banking services RFPs. Questions explore how banks serve vulnerable populations, their commitment to financial inclusion, and their policies around domestic violence survivors' needs.
This mission-aligned screening makes sense for a domestic violence organization. Your banking partner touches sensitive financial information about survivors. Values alignment isn't a nice-to-have; it's essential.
The RFP also includes wide-ranging insightful questions about service approach, accessibility, fees, and relationship management. The balance between values and capabilities ensures the organization finds a bank that's both mission-aligned and oper ationally strong.
Key takeaway:
Nonprofits and mission-driven organizations should screen for value alignment explicitly. Your banking partner represents your brand and touches sensitive information about your constituents. Don't assume basic banking services are commodities—the right partner matters.
Endowment manager RFP
The Office of the State Treasurer of Delaware issued an RFP for endowment management services with the thoroughness you'd expect for public funds.
What makes it work:
The RFP includes extensive background and context about the endowment's purpose, current state, and goals. This context helps investment managers propose appropriate strategies rather than generic approaches.
Tables are provided for standardized reporting: assets under management, client base composition, performance history, and fee structures. These standardized formats enable apples-to-apples comparisons across firms with different reporting styles.
The question list is extensive and covers investment philosophy, risk management, performance measurement, reporting capabilities, and transition planning. Each area has detailed questions that help evaluators thoroughly assess capabilities.
Key takeaway:
High-stakes financial decisions require standardized data formats so evaluators can make objective comparisons. Don't leave data formatting to vendors' discretion. Provide templates that ensure you can compare proposals directly.
Investment management services RFP
The Investments & Wealth Institute created an investment management RFP that achieves near-perfect balance.
What makes it work:
This RFP strikes an ideal balance between detail and conciseness. It's thorough without being overwhelming. Questions are organized into clear themes: firm strength and stability, investment process, service structure and accessibility, performance reporting, and fee structure.
Each section has focused, insightful questions that go beyond surface-level credentials. For example, instead of "Do you have a risk management process?", questions explore "How do you identify emerging risks? Walk us through a recent example where you adjusted strategy based on risk assessment."
The thematic organization makes evaluation faster and more consistent. Multiple reviewers can assess different sections using the same framework, then compare notes systematically.
Key takeaway:
Well-organized question sections with clear themes make evaluation faster and more consistent across reviewers. Thematic structure also helps vendors organize their responses logically, improving overall proposal quality.
Healthcare RFP examples
Healthcare RFPs must navigate complex regulatory requirements while focusing on patient outcomes and operational efficiency.
Digital transformation is driving rapid change in healthcare. Electronic medical records, patient portals, telehealth platforms, and data analytics are evolving constantly. Healthcare organizations often need partners who understand both technology and clinical workflows—a combination that's harder to find than pure technical expertise.
Health clinic services RFP
Deschutes County, Oregon issued an RFP for health clinic services covering everything from employee health clinic marketing to pharmacy operations.
What makes it work:
The scope is broad, spanning multiple service categories. The RFP provides an extensive vendor requirement list specific to healthcare: clinical licensing, HIPAA compliance, infection control protocols, quality assurance processes, and regulatory certifications.
To standardize pricing comparisons across this diverse scope, the RFP includes an attached pricing table form for vendors to complete. This is crucial when services range from clinical care to marketing to pharmacy operations—without structure, cost proposals would be impossible to compare.
Regulatory compliance requirements are clearly stated upfront, helping vendors self-qualify. If you can't meet HIPAA requirements or maintain necessary clinical licenses, you know immediately that you're not qualified.
Key takeaway:
When procurement spans multiple service categories, provide pricing templates so vendors quote consistently across all areas. This saves enormous evaluation time and ensures you're comparing proposals accurately.
Health portal RFP
The National Learning Consortium created a health portal RFP template that's been widely used across health systems.
What makes it work:
The template format allows customization for specific health systems while maintaining comprehensive structure. In-depth explanations clarify complex technical requirements: interoperability standards, data exchange protocols, patient authentication methods, and mobile accessibility requirements.
The background context on the regulatory environment helps vendors understand compliance obligations: HIPAA, HITECH, Meaningful Use requirements, and state-specific regulations. This context is essential because healthcare IT vendors must navigate unique regulatory complexity.
Vendor requirements explicitly balance technical capability and healthcare-specific knowledge. The RFP asks not just "Can you build a portal?" but "Do you understand clinical workflows, patient needs, and healthcare compliance?"
Key takeaway:
Healthcare IT RFPs should address both technical specifications and healthcare-specific knowledge. Software expertise alone isn't enough if the vendor doesn't understand clinical workflows, patient safety implications, and regulatory requirements.
Hospital strategic planning consultant RFP
The University of New Mexico Hospital issued an RFP for a strategic planning consultant to conduct a comprehensive evaluation.
What makes it work:
The objective is clearly stated: evaluate current state, analyze major competitors, identify new opportunities, and forecast potential future trends. This scope helps consultants understand they're being hired for strategic insight, not just facilitation or data gathering.
The evaluation criteria explicitly emphasize the "consultant trifecta": technical approach (methodology and tools), management approach (how they'll lead the engagement), and experience (relevant healthcare strategic planning projects). Cost is important but balanced against quality factors.
Deliverables tie to the hospital's strategic planning cycle, showing that this consultant work feeds into a broader internal process. Consultants can see how their work will be used and tailor recommendations accordingly.
Key takeaway:
Consulting RFPs should specify your internal planning process so consultants can align their methodology and timeline with your needs. Consultants aren't working in a vacuum—show them how their deliverables fit into your broader strategic work.
Technology RFP examples
Technology RFPs must balance technical specifications with business outcomes—vendors need to understand both what you're building and why it matters.
Case management software RFP
The City of Duluth, Minnesota created an RFP for legal case management software with the thoroughness government procurement demands.
What makes it work:
The RFP is detailed and comprehensive on technical requirements: system architecture, data structures, user interface requirements, reporting capabilities, integration needs, and security specifications.
Additional contracting forms are included for faster closeout once a vendor is selected. This is practical—legal review and contract negotiation often delay implementations, so handling standard terms upfront accelerates the process.
The RFP requires both paper and digital responses, common in government procurement due to public records requirements. The RFP clearly states this upfront so vendors aren't surprised.
Most importantly, the requirements are specific to legal case management workflows. The RFP demonstrates understanding of legal processes, document management needs, court filing requirements, and collaboration patterns among attorneys.
Key takeaway:
Industry-specific software RFPs should include workflow descriptions or process maps. Generic "case management" means different things in legal services, social services, and project management. Show vendors you understand your industry's unique needs.
Information systems risk assessment RFP
The National Association of State Workforce Agencies issued an RFP for a comprehensive information systems security assessment.
What makes it work:
The scope is clearly defined: assess current security posture, identify vulnerabilities, evaluate controls, and provide recommendations. The expected deliverables are listed explicitly: risk assessment report, vulnerability findings, remediation roadmap, and executive summary.
Security-specific vendor qualifications are detailed: relevant certifications (CISSP, CISM, etc.), experience with similar assessments, methodology for testing without disrupting operations, and protocols for handling sensitive findings.
The RFP balances technical depth with accessibility for non-technical stakeholders. It acknowledges that assessment findings need to be communicated to both IT teams and executive leadership, requiring vendors to demonstrate communication skills alongside technical expertise.
Key takeaway:
Security assessments are high-stakes. Your RFP should demonstrate you understand the risks and what thorough assessment entails. Vendors need to see that you're sophisticated buyers who'll evaluate their methodology rigorously.
Mobile app development RFP
The Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation issued one of the most unusual RFPs you'll see: an augmented reality mobile app for a memorial park experience.
What makes it work:
The unique project—AR-enhanced memorial tree experience—is thoroughly explained. Visitors would walk through a park filled with trees planted in memory of loved ones, and the app would provide AR experiences tied to each tree.
The RFP blends creative brief with technical specifications. There's a general vision of the user experience alongside specific functionality requirements: GPS integration, AR frameworks, content management system, offline capabilities, and accessibility features.
Maps and visual aids help developers understand the physical space and user journey. Photos of the park, site plans, and user flow diagrams provide context that text alone couldn't convey.
Key takeaway:
Innovative projects need extra context. Don't assume vendors understand your vision from a brief description. Paint the picture with visuals, user stories, analogous examples, and detailed functionality requirements. The more unusual your project, the more context you need to provide.
Software development RFP
Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County issued an RFP for custom software development spanning two distinct systems.
What makes it work:
The RFP clearly separates two projects: a meeting tracking system and a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request system. Each system has its own scope, requirements, and timeline.
The full lifecycle scope is defined from project planning through implementation, training, and support. This helps vendors price accurately and staff appropriately across all phases.
Specific directions for vendor responses are provided: which questions to answer for each system, whether vendors can bid on one or both systems, and how proposals should be structured.
The detailed project timeline guides vendors' resource planning. They can see when each phase begins, what milestones need to be met, and what the overall timeline looks like.
Key takeaway:
Multi-system RFPs should clarify whether vendors must bid on all systems or can propose on individual components. Also clarify whether you're selecting one vendor for everything or potentially different vendors for different systems. This affects pricing and how vendors structure their proposals.
Website design and development RFP
Design Lights Consortium created a website RFP that sets vendors up for success.
What makes it work:
The RFP is thorough and detailed without being overwhelming. It addresses strategy, design, development, content, and ongoing maintenance—the full website lifecycle.
Project-specific direct questions enable easy comparison. Instead of open-ended "Tell us about your approach," questions ask "How would you approach our information architecture given that we have 200+ resources across 15 categories?" This specificity helps vendors demonstrate their thinking and helps evaluators compare approaches directly.
The balance of creative and technical requirements is appropriate. Design questions explore visual direction and user experience. Technical questions cover platform, hosting, security, performance, and integration needs. Content questions address migration, creation, and management.
Key takeaway:
Website RFPs should address strategy, design, development, content, and ongoing maintenance. Vendors need to understand the full scope to price accurately and propose the right team. Don't assume they'll infer unstated requirements—spell them out.
How to write an RFP that attracts top vendors
The best RFPs balance three elements: clarity, context, and respect for vendor time. If you have reviewed hundreds of RFPs, Iit'seasyto can spot the ones that will attract quality responses versus those that will get ignored or receive generic proposals. The difference usually comes down to how well you've thought through the vendor experience.
Provide context, not just requirements
Don't just list what you need—explain why you need it and what you're trying to achieve. Share your business goals and strategic priorities. Explain how this project fits into larger initiatives. Include background on your organization, market position, and competitive landscape.
When vendors understand the bigger picture, they can propose solutions that actually address your underlying needs rather than just checking boxes on a requirements list. I've seen this make the difference between generic proposals and truly strategic responses.
For example, instead of "We need a new CRM system," try "Our sales team has grown from 10 to 50 reps in two years, and our current CRM can't support our territory management needs or integrate with our new marketing automation platform. We're losing deals because reps can't access customer history quickly enough during calls."
That context helps vendors understand what problem you're actually solving.
Be specific about evaluation criteria
Share your weighted scoring if possible. If cost is 20% of your decision and strategic approach is 40%, tell vendors. This transparency helps them allocate their effort appropriately and helps you get proposals that address your actual priorities.
Clarify must-haves versus nice-to-haves. If certain certifications or experience are non-negotiable, state that upfront as pass/fail criteria. This saves time for both you and vendors who don't qualify.
State pass/fail requirements explicitly: "Proposals submitted after 5 PM on the deadline will not be accepted" or "Vendors must have at least three healthcare clients with similar scope."
Explain how you'll compare proposals. Will finalists be invited to present? Will you conduct reference checks? Is there a pilot or trial phase? This helps vendors understand the full evaluation process and timeline.
Structure for easy response
Number your questions clearly. Use a consistent format: "Question 1.1, Question 1.2" rather than unnumbered paragraphs scattered throughout the document. This makes it easier for vendors to ensure they've answered everything.
Use tables or templates for pricing and data. If you want to compare pricing across vendors, provide a standardized format. Don't make vendors invent their own pricing presentation—you'll get incomparable proposals.
Provide response format guidance. Specify page limits, required sections, file formats, and submission methods. "Proposals should not exceed 20 pages excluding appendices, submitted as PDF via email to [address] by [date and time]."
Set realistic deadlines that allow for quality responses. Two weeks is often the minimum for anything beyond simple commodity purchasing. Complex RFPs might need 4-6 weeks. Rushed timelines signal desperation or poor planning and often result in lower-quality responses.
Show, don't just tell
Include examples of what you're looking for when possible. If you want vendors to redesign your website, link to your current site and share examples of sites you admire. If you're seeking content services, provide samples of your existing content and aspirational examples.
Provide visual aids when relevant. Site plans, workflow diagrams, screenshots of current systems, or photos of facilities help vendors understand context that's hard to convey in text.
Share samples of your current state (with sensitive information redacted). If you want someone to improve your current process, show them what that process looks like today. Don't make them guess.
Link to additional resources rather than attaching everything. Your annual report, strategic plan, brand guidelines, or product documentation might be useful context, but don't force vendors to download 50 pages of attachments. Provide links and let them explore what's relevant.
Signal your values
The tone of your RFP attracts culturally aligned vendors. Formal, legalistic language attracts traditional, process-oriented firms. Conversational, personality-driven language attracts innovative, culture-focused firms. Choose deliberately.
Mention diversity, sustainability, local business preferences, or other priorities explicitly if they matter to you. Don't bury these in boilerplate—put them upfront if they're real priorities.
Demonstrate that you've done your homework. Reference industry trends, acknowledge challenges in your space, or cite relevant research. This shows vendors you're a sophisticated buyer worth working with.
Respect vendor time with clear, concise documents. Every unnecessary page reduces the likelihood of quality responses. Edit ruthlessly. If a section doesn't help vendors write better proposals or help you evaluate them, cut it.
How to respond to RFPs effectively
The difference between winning and losing proposals rarely comes down to who has better credentials or lower pricing. It usually comes down to who demonstrated the clearest understanding of the buyer's actual needs and addressed them most directly.
Decode what they're really asking
Many RFPs bury the real need under generic language. The stated requirement might be "marketing services," but the real need is "we're losing market share to a competitor and our leadership is panicking." Look for pain points in background sections.
Identify gaps between current state and desired outcomes. If they describe struggling with manual processes, long turnaround times, or inconsistent quality, those are the problems you need to solve—not just the stated deliverables.
Address unstated concerns. Buyers worry about budget overruns, missed deadlines, and vendor responsiveness but might not explicitly ask about them. Proactively address these concerns: "Our fixed-price model eliminates budget surprises" or "You'll have a dedicated account manager available within 4 hours during business hours."
Read between the lines of their evaluation criteria. If they weight "experience with similar organizations" at 30%, they're nervous about vendors who don't understand their context. Address that anxiety directly.
Structure answers to match their evaluation
If they shared weighted scoring, allocate your effort accordingly. Don't spend five pages on something weighted at 10% and two paragraphs on something weighted at 40%.
Lead with the answer they're looking for. If they ask "How do you ensure project timelines are met?", start with "We use a three-part approach: detailed planning with milestone dependencies, weekly client check-ins, and proactive risk escalation." Then elaborate.
Support your claims with evidence, examples, and case studies. Don't just say "We have extensive healthcare experience"—say "We've completed 15 hospital website redesigns in the past three years, including three academic medical centers similar to your organization."
Don't bury key points in long paragraphs. Use formatting—bold, bullets, subheadings—to make your key points scannable. Evaluators often review dozens of proposals. Make it easy for them to find your strengths.
Differentiate on insight, not just features
Show you've done research on their organization. Reference their recent initiatives, challenges in their industry, or competitive dynamics they face. This demonstrates genuine interest and understanding.
Offer a perspective on their challenge. Instead of just proposing to solve the stated problem, show you understand the underlying dynamics: "Hospital recruitment challenges stem from three factors: competition with higher-paying systems, negative perceptions about urban hospitals, and limited career development visibility. Our approach addresses all three."
Suggest approaches they may not have considered. "Most organizations approach this as a technology problem, but we've found it's actually a change management challenge. Here's how we'd address both dimensions."
Demonstrate expertise through point of view, not just credentials. Anyone can list certifications and past projects. Share your perspective on industry trends, what works and doesn't work in your experience, and how your approach has evolved based on lessons learned.
Use AI strategically to accelerate your RFP response process
This is where the RFP response process has fundamentally changed in the past few years.
Modern proposal teams use AI to draft initial responses from their knowledge bases. At Realm, our customers cut RFP response time by 80% using our AI agents that automatically pull relevant information from past proposals, product documentation, case studies, and other company knowledge.
Here's how it typically works: You receive an RFP with 100 questions. AI handles the 70-80 standard questions—company background, certifications, security practices, implementation methodology. Your team focuses on the 20-30 strategic questions that require customization, insight, and relationship-building.
The goal is speed without sacrificing quality or personalization. AI handles boilerplate and factual questions. Humans add strategy, customization to the specific buyer, and the insights that actually win deals.
We use this approach ourselves. When responding to RFPs, our team uses Realm's RFP AI to generate initial drafts for standard questions, then we heavily customize sections about strategic approach, implementation planning, and how we'd specifically serve that customer's needs.
The vendors who win aren't those with the most sophisticated AI—they're those who best combine AI efficiency with human strategic thinking.
Make it easy to say yes
Follow their format exactly. If they want responses in a specific order with numbered questions, do that. Don't reorganize because you think your structure is better. You're making evaluators work harder.
Answer every question directly. Don't say "See Section 3.2 for our approach to project management" when they asked a specific question about project management. Repeat key information if necessary. Evaluators shouldn't have to hunt for answers.
Include all required attachments and forms. Create a checklist of everything they requested and verify you've included it all. Missing attachments disqualify more proposals than you'd think.
Proofread ruthlessly. Errors signal carelessness. If you can't be careful with a proposal, buyers assume you won't be careful with their project. Have multiple people review before submission.
Submit early if possible. Last-minute submissions risk technical problems, missed deadlines due to time zone confusion, or overlooked requirements. Aim to submit at least a few hours early, ideally a day early.
Final thoughts
The gap between mediocre and exceptional RFPs comes down to empathy.
Whether you're writing an RFP or responding to one, ask yourself: "Am I making this easy for the person on the other side?"
The best procurement teams craft RFPs that vendors actually want to respond to—clear, respectful of time, and demonstrating that you've done your homework. You're not just issuing requirements; you're inviting partners to help you solve real problems.
The best proposal teams decode what buyers truly need and address it directly. You're not just answering questions; you're demonstrating understanding and building trust.
I've seen both sides of the equation. When I'm evaluating vendors, I appreciate proposals that are clear, direct, and show they've actually read our RFP. When we're responding to RFPs, we focus on understanding the buyer's underlying challenge and addressing it strategically, not just checking boxes.
The examples throughout this guide span industries, but the principles are universal: clarity, context, and respect for everyone's time.
If you're regularly responding to RFPs, consider how AI can help you scale without sacrificing quality. Realm's RFP AI automates responses to standard questions by pulling from your knowledge base, freeing your team to focus on strategy, customization, and the insights that actually win deals. We've seen teams cut response time from weeks to days while improving quality because they can invest their time where it matters most.
Whether you're issuing your first RFP or your hundredth, whether you're responding to RFPs weekly or building your response process from scratch, start with empathy. Understand what the other side needs. Make their job easier. The rest follows from there.