The RFP checklist for the Buyer will differ from the checklist a Vendor would use when they are responding to your proposal. The Buyer will focus on the scope of work detail, compliance, selection criteria and commercial pieces. The Vendor may want to include related success stories or work history as part of their response and a third checklist might be one provided by the Buyer which is often called a proposal checklist or a list of items they want to be included in a supplier response. Seasoned Vendors will pay close particular attention to this checklist.

Confused? Let us elaborate – we have the Buyer checklist (1), proposal checklist supplied by buyer for the vendor (2) and last we have the supplier or offeror’s checklist (3).

1. Buyer checklist: The owner of the RFP will have a checklist which they will use to ensure they have included all necessary components for the document to be considered sound. Some of these necessary components would be a Scope of Work, Technical Requirements, Project Timelines, Budget, Business Requirements, Regulatory and Environmental Requirements, Selection Criteria, Submission Timetable and others.
2. Proposal checklist: As a buyer or as the owner of the RFP we recommend you include a checklist of deliverables for your suppliers. Bidders will find this beneficial as it will ensure they do not miss providing any of the required information in their bids. Typically this checklist will form part of the owners evaluation matrix and as a vendor you want to make sure there are check marks in these columns. To win your business, be clear as to what you expect them to include with their RFP response. Some items on a proposal checklist might include – Completed Bid Form, Bidder Qualifications, Staff or Project Personnel CV, References, Company Profile, and necessary Insurance Coverage.
3. Vendor or Offeror checklist: As a Vendor you will have your own checklist of items you will want to include with your RFP response to help you improve your chances at being awarded the bid. Some items on your checklist might include – Did we use the forms provided? Did we respond to all items in the RFP and in any Addenda? Did we follow the format required in the RFP? Who are the contacts? Are there any meetings we are required to attend? Is our insurance and work coverage policies current? Nothing more embarrassing than providing expired documentation. These are just some points to consider.

If you are looking for a sample RFP checklist (more…)