emplates to your situation, you may receive fewer supplier responses. Which can result in insufficient competition. Which can result higher costs and suboptimal supplier performance.<\/p>\n
Therefore, follow these tips to make sure that you\u2019re properly using \u2013 and not abusing \u2013 your RFP templates:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Add a specification that adequately describes the product\/service you want to buy<\/li>\n
- Make all requirements appropriately specific (e.g., \u201cmust be capable of displaying monetary values in US Dollars and Euros\u201d is appropriately more specific than \u201cmust be capable of displaying monetary values in multiple currencies\u201d)<\/li>\n
- Clearly indicate the total estimated purchase quantity and the timeline for those purchases<\/li>\n
- Add a summary of all supplier information required, how to submit it, and the deadline for submissions<\/li>\n
- Remove all non-essential template language, making the RFP no longer than it truly needs to be<\/li>\n
- If global suppliers are being asked to bid, remove all template references to domestic-specific requirements<\/li>\n
- Eliminate any requirements that are unreasonable\/inappropriate for the situation (e.g., excessive insurance limits)<\/li>\n
- Avoid requiring \u201ccompliance with the unknown\u201d (e.g., requiring compliance with a supplier code of conduct without providing or linking to that code of conduct)<\/li>\n
- Eliminate any redundancies \u2013 repeating the same requirement multiple times<\/li>\n
- Eliminate any language conflicts \u2013 two sections that specify different requirements for the same topic<\/li>\n
- Eliminate any template language that places on your suppliers any excessive costs just to respond (e.g., requiring that suppliers provide with their proposals a certificate of insurance naming your company as an additional insured)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
If you\u2019re SPSM-Certified or enrolled in the SPSM Certification Program, a free RFP template is one of the many templates you have access to in the NLPA Library.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>