Request for Proposal

An RFP describes a requirement or outcome and asks suppliers to propose an approach, timeline, team and price. It is used where the solution is not fully defined and method matters as much as cost.

Because responses are not directly comparable line by line, RFPs need a scoring matrix agreed before proposals are opened — typically weighting technical merit, capability, risk and commercial terms.

Where an RFQ is a price contest for a known specification, an RFP is a judgement exercise. The evaluation record is what makes that judgement defensible afterwards.