Request for proposal (RFP)
A request for proposal (RFP) invites suppliers to describe a solution and submit an offer, often including price, method and evidence. UK organisations may use RFP and ITT differently, so the issued documents and stated evaluation method matter more than the label.
Reviewed
When a buyer wants both a proposed solution and an offer, it may issue a request for proposal (RFP). An RFP commonly asks for a response to quality or technical questions, delivery method, evidence, assumptions, pricing and contractual acceptance. In UK public procurement, some buyers use RFP as a general label for an ITT or other competitive request; it is not a separate statutory procedure.
What an RFP should tell you
Check the scope, outcomes, required response format, timetable, clarification route, evaluation criteria and draft contract. Identify which answers are pass or fail, which are scored and how price is evaluated. If the RFP is for a framework or call-off, check whether you are competing for a place on an agreement or for a specific contract. A framework place does not guarantee call-off work.
Build a coherent offer
Tailor the proposal to the stated customer need. Explain how activities, people, dependencies, controls and measures produce the required outcome. Align the pricing schedule with the written solution and disclose material assumptions. Submit only through the specified route and retain the receipt.
For example, an RFP for a council data platform may request architecture, migration, support, security evidence and a five-year price model. A supplier should answer each requirement and accept the final contract terms instead of sending a generic brochure.
The RFP name cannot override the buyer’s procurement rules or the instructions in its tender notice.