Acquiring the products and services you need to complete your projects starts with your RFP email to vendors.
An RFP (Request for Proposal) is a letter to potential vendors inviting them to submit proposals for the supply of products or services you need for your project.
However, drafting an effective RFP is not an easy task. Know that the best suppliers do not want to waste their time. So, a run-of-the-mill RFP will not get the very best suppliers to look your way.
But how do you write an effective request for proposal email capable of helping you get the right partners?
This article will examine the steps to write an RFP invitation email, effective strategies for success when drafting an RFP email, and the best templates for RFP invitation emails.
Steps to Writing an RFP Invitation Email to Vendors
The following steps will help you write a compelling RFP invitation email to vendors:
Step 1: Start with a Formal Greeting
Needless to say, a formal greeting shows respect for the recipients of your RFP email. It also signals that your organization values professionalism in business interactions.
Know that professionalism breeds trust in business settings. People who perceive you as professional would be more willing to enter a business relationship with you.
Thus, simply starting your RFP with a respectful, formal greeting can make potential vendors trust you and desire to enter business partnerships with you.
An RFP email is a business letter, so formal letter-writing techniques apply. This means your salutation should be something like:
Dear {{Vendor Name}}
Step 2: Express Interest
When potential vendors open your RFP invitation email, they should immediately see what it is about. So, after a respectful salutation, the next thing is to clearly express your interest in receiving proposals from qualified vendors.
Here, you don’t need to go into the details of the project. That’d come later. Just state that this is an invitation to submit proposals and state what the proposal is for.
Going forward, we’ll illustrate with an organization inviting vendors to submit proposals for the development of a website.
A typical example of an expression of interest is:
We are reaching out to invite your esteemed company to participate in our Request for Proposal (RFP) process for the development of a cutting-edge website for our organization.
Step 3: Provide a Brief Introduction
After potential vendors know what the RFP email is about, they’d want to know who they might be partnering with. So, the next thing after expressing your interest is to provide a brief introduction of your organization.
Know that vendors are more likely to respond positively if they have a clear understanding of the organization they might be partnering with (who you are and what you do). For this reason, the introduction is the foundation for relationship building.
Give an overview of your company’s background, mission, and values. You may also highlight your expertise in the industry or unique qualities that set your organization apart.
The introduction is one of the most powerful parts of your RFP invitation email in helping you get qualified responses. This is because not only does it help potential vendors familiarize themselves with your organization, but it helps you build credibility.
You may write the introduction under an “About Us” section as below:
About Us:
{{Your Company Name}} is a {{brief description of your organization}}. For the past 10 years, we have been at the forefront of {{your industry}}.
As we continue to evolve, we recognize the pivotal role that an innovative website plays in enhancing our digital presence and engaging our audience effectively.
Step 4: Define Your Project’s Purpose and Goals
Now that the potential vendors know who you are and what you do, they need to know what you are trying to accomplish specifically. So, you should follow the introduction with a brief description of the project.
In this section, clearly articulate the goals and objectives of the project, outlining the goods or services you are seeking.
Note that this section is not for specific details about the scope of work – It’s for a high-level description. Simply give an overview of the project and the expertise you are looking for.
Write this section under a “Project Overview” section, as below:
Project Overview:
We are looking for a qualified and experienced web development partner to collaborate with us on the creation of a dynamic website that reflects our brand identity, aligns with industry best practices, and provides an intuitive and seamless user experience.
Our goal is to develop a website that instills confidence in visitors and builds trust in our brand.
Step 5: Highlight the Requirements of the Project
After vendors get a high-level description of your project, they’ll immediately want to know what it entails. Therefore, follow the “project overview” section with the specific requirements of the project.
In this section, outline the scope of the project. You may use bullet points to highlight specific criteria that proposals should address, such as technical specifications, deliverables, and timelines.
Now, let’s continue our illustration of an RFP invitation for a web development project. Using that, this section can be written under a “Project requirements” section as below:
Project requirements:
The features and functionality of the website should include (but not limited to):
- Responsive design for various devices.
- Intuitive navigation and user experience.
- Intuitive content management system for easy updating and maintenance of website content.
- Search functionality.
- Integrate with third-party tools/platforms.
- Scalable design that accommodates future growth and changing business needs.
- Have robust security measures to protect user data, prevent unauthorized access, and safeguard against potential threats.
- Contact forms, chatbots, and customer support interfaces that enable effective communication with users.
Step 6: Include Submission Guidelines
After vendors know what the project entails, they’d be ready to submit their proposals. But first, they’ll want to know if there are any specific terms and conditions they must adhere to. Thus, after a detailed description of the project, you should add submission guidelines.
The submission guidelines must state clear instructions that vendors should follow in preparing and submitting their proposals, such as:
- Proposal format: How you want vendors to format their proposals, including file formats, font size, margins, spacing, and other design elements.
- Proposal content: Specific details you want vendors to include in their proposals, including information about their company, team qualification, references from past clients, previous projects, and other important information.
- Submission deadline: Deadline for submitting proposals.
- Submission address: The address for submitting proposals, such as an email address, a physical mailing address, or an online submission portal.
An example of submission guideline for our example project:
Submission guidelines:
A submission must include a description of your company, including the qualifications of your project team and a one-page pitch of why we should partner with you instead of other vendors.
Proposals must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. (EST), January 15, 2024. Proposals should be sent to henryjakes@jukesconsulting.com.
Step 7: Include Selection Criteria
After providing all the information vendors need to prepare and submit their proposals, the next step is to outline your selection criteria.
Selection criteria help vendors understand the specific factors you will use in evaluating proposals. Also, outlining your selection criteria makes your selection process transparent and enhances credibility.
Common selection criteria included in RFP invitations to vendors are:
- Technical competence: If vendors have the requisite technical expertise, they’ll be better placed to meet your project’s requirements.
- Experience: If vendors have successfully delivered similar projects in the past, you can have confidence they can deliver yours.
- Cost and pricing structure: Will you prioritize vendors with the best pricing or those that allow you to spread payment over a period?
- Timelines: When will the vendor deliver key milestones and the overall project deliverable?
- Implementation plan: How will the vendor approach the project?
An example of a selection criteria for our example project is:
The ideal vendor must:
- Demonstrate expertise in web development technologies such as HTML5, JavaScript, and responsive design.
- Have a strong portfolio showcasing innovative and visually appealing web design.
- Provide clear documentation of the proposed development methodology, including milestones, timelines, and project management approach.
- Provide clear protocols for identifying and resolving bugs during and after development.
- Be able to adapt to Agile development technologies and provide regular updates.
Step 8: Add a Courteous and Professional Conclusion
Know that your RFP invitation email to vendors is like any other business letter. So, you should end your RFP invitation to vendors with a formal conclusion.
Start the conclusion by expressing gratitude for the vendors’ time in participating in your RFP process. Also, restate the importance of their role in the potential project. Doing this reinforces a collaborative and respectful tone.
In your conclusion, also encourage vendors to seek clarification on any aspect of the RFP. Lastly, wrap up the RFP with a professional closing statement.
You can write your RFP conclusion under a “Next Steps” action as below:
Next Steps:
We appreciate your time and interest in collaborating with {{Your Company’s Name}} on this project. Your contribution will be crucial to our continued growth.
We have included a PDF file containing all the information related to the proposal process. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us using this email.
After the submission deadline, our evaluation team will carefully review all proposals and select a partner based on our selection criteria. After our final selection, we will notify every vendor who submits a proposal about our decision by {{Notification Date}}.
Thank you for considering this opportunity, and we eagerly await your proposal.
{{Your Name}}
{{Your Company’s Name}}
Effective Strategies to Boost Vendor RFP Engagement
The following tips will help you maximize vendor engagement, ensuring you get a good number of responses from qualified vendors.
Choose the Right Vendors
You cannot reach out to less-than-ideal vendors and expect great responses. Thus, good engagement starts with a company sending out RFP emails to the right vendors.
Don’t make the mistake of making Google your primary research tool for finding the right vendors. Conduct thorough market research. Use industry reports, trade publications, and online directories to identify companies that specialize in the products or services you require.
Another mistake is reaching out to too many vendors. This will hurt both you and the vendors. For one, you’ll have too many proposals to evaluate, and you may be unable to review each one properly.
Since you’ll select only one winning proposal, the more proposals you get, the more vendors you’ll turn down. However, this may hurt your relationship with vendors and your reputation in the industry. So, ensure you narrow your list to a small number of qualified vendors.
Don’t also make the mistake of going for only the biggest names. Big guns may be interested in only equally big client companies. In any case, big names do not always guarantee satisfactory project outcomes.
Email Each Vendor Individually
Mass mailing is not likely to result in good vendor engagement. So, after narrowing your vendor list, send individual emails to them.
Mailing each vendor individually allows you to customize your request for proposal emails. This signals to the recipient that you are a serious buyer.
Consider this: in your RFP to a vendor, you mention one or two of their past projects and outline aspects of their work that stood out for you and make you think they’re a good fit for your project.
This RFP will pique the vendors’ interest and is more likely to earn you a response than a generic one.
Use a Compelling Subject Line
The subject line is the first thing recipients see when your RFP email lands in their inbox. And it is what they’ll use in deciding whether or not to open your email.
Therefore, if you want your vendors to open and read your RFP email, make your subject line compelling.
Pro Tip: Clearly state that the email is for a request for a proposal. An example is: Request for Proposal – Supply of Computers.
Include Necessary Attachments
When sending RFP emails, ensure to double-check that you’ve included the necessary attachments before you hit the send button.
Reach Out to the Right Person
If an email intended for someone else lands in your email, you’re more likely to ignore it, right?
So, your request for proposal email is not likely to get a response if it lands in the wrong person’s inbox. That said, if you want to get the right RFP responses, ensure you reach out to the right person in the vendor company.
If you’re inviting vendors you’ve not worked with before, consider reaching out with a pre-RFP email or putting phone calls through to the company to get the contact information of the right person.
Send them at the Right Time
Make no mistake, there’s a right time to send business emails. If you send your RFP emails at the wrong time, they’re unlikely to be opened.
Research shows that the best time to send business-to-business emails is between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
So, to give your RFP emails a higher chance of being opened and read, send them in that window.
Use Reader-Friendly Formatting
Vendors may not want to struggle through an RFP email that is not easy to read. Thus, a strategy to boost vendor engagement when sending RFP emails is to make them reader-friendly.
Don’t make your RFP emails walls of text. Structure the emails into sections, making them scannable and easy to read. Don’t pack too much information in an email. Instead, include only essentials and put other information in an attached file.
Proofread Your RFP Emails Before Sending them
Mistakes in your RFP email may pass you off as unprofessional, and this can make vendors not give the RFP the treatment it deserves.
Thus, if you want your RFP emails to get positive responses, ensure they are error-free. An easy way to do this is to proofread the emails before sending them out.
Send RFP with Mailsuite
One of the best ways to boost vendor engagement during RFP campaigns is to track email open rates and follow up with an appropriate follow-up email. After all, if you do not get through to someone on a first call, you may on the second!
This is where Mailsuite comes in!
Mailsuite is a leading email marketing tool with unlimited email tracking capabilities and more.
As a Google extension, Mailsuite supercharges your Gmail account. It lets you send emails from your Gmail account and track whether your recipients open them or not.
When you send RFPs using Mailsuite, you can track each email on a dashboard. You’ll know when the email recipient opens it and clicks on the in-mail attachment. This can help you draft effective follow-up emails to make your campaign successful.
Also read: How to use Mailsuite for a PR outreach campaign
Best Templates for RFP Invitation Emails to Vendors
An RFP template makes it easy to write your RFP invitation to vendors. You simply customize the template with both your and your recipient’s information, and you’ll be ready to send your RFP in no time.
RFP Template 1
The first template we’ll examine is a very short RFP email template you can use for virtually every kind of project. The beauty of this template is that it is light on information about your project, packing everything in an attached file.
The template is:
Dear {{Vendor’s Name}},
I am {{Your Name}} and we want to invite you to participate in this process to select the right partner for our project.
We are {{describe your company here}} and we want to continue leading {{describe clearly your goal}}.
For this project, we have selected a group of potential partners. We want to start a process that will end up with one selected partner.
We have included a PDF file with all the information related to this RFP.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us directly using this email.
The deadline to receive the proposals is {{Due Date}}.
In the RFP, we have included a template you need to fill out. We have done it this way to facilitate your process in terms of creating the document you need to submit.
Thank you very much for your time, and we look forward to working with you.
VERY IMPORTANT: Confirm you will enter this process by replying to this email. We want to keep the list updated, and if you do not want to participate, we will exclude your email from this list.
Best regards,
{{Your Full Name}}
{{Your Title}}
{{Your Company}}
{{Your Contact Information}}
RFP Template 2
Our second RFP template is a relatively longer RFP email template with all the relevant details about your project. You may not need attachments when using this template.
The template is as follows:
Dear {{Vendor Name}},
I trust this email finds you well. We are excited to announce the opportunity for your company to participate in our upcoming project, {{Project Name}}. Based on your expertise and reputation in the industry, we believe your organization could be a valuable partner in delivering the successful completion of this project.
Project Overview:
{{Provide a brief overview of the project, including its goals, objectives, and any relevant background information}}.
Scope of Work:
{{Detail the specific tasks, deliverables, and outcomes expected from the project. Be clear and concise in outlining the project requirements}}.
Proposal Submission Guidelines:
- Proposals must be submitted by {{Submission Deadline}}.
- Submit your proposal electronically to {{Your Email Address}}.
- Late submissions will not be considered.
Key Information to Include in Your Proposal:
- Company Profile: Briefly introduce your company, including its history, mission, and relevant experience.
- Project Approach: Outline your proposed approach to the project, including methodologies, timelines, and key milestones.
- Team Qualifications: Provide details about the qualifications and experience of the team members who will be involved in the project.
- Cost Breakdown: Include a detailed cost breakdown, outlining all relevant expenses and fees associated with the project.
- References: Include references from previous clients for similar projects.
Evaluation Criteria:
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Understanding of Project Requirements: The extent to which the proposal demonstrates a clear understanding of the project’s goals and requirements.
- Technical Approach: The proposed technical approach and methodology for project execution.
- Team Expertise: The qualifications and expertise of the team members assigned to the project.
- Cost Competitiveness: The overall cost of the proposal in relation to the value provided.
- References: Past performance and references from other clients.
Timeline:
- Proposal Submission Deadline: {{Submission Deadline}}
- Evaluation Period: {{Start Date}} to {{End Date}}
- Vendor Selection: {{Decision Date}}
We encourage you to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification. Your participation in this proposal process is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to reviewing your submission.
Thank you for considering this opportunity, and we anticipate the possibility of collaborating with your esteemed organization.
Best regards,
{{Your Full Name}}
{{Your Title}}
{{Your Company}}
{{Your Contact Information}}
You may also like: 2023 Guide to Building Email Templates in Gmail Effortlessly
Takeaway: Craft Effective RFP Emails and Get Qualified Vendors
Securing the partnerships that help you achieve your business goals starts with sending out RFP emails that invite vendors to submit bids.
Writing an RFP email can seem a daunting task, but it shouldn’t be so. Following the steps outlined above, you’ll be able to write compelling RFP emails that pique the interest of qualified vendors and make them respond.
When it comes to getting RFP responses, one of the most effective strategies for boosting vendor engagement is tracking sent RFP emails. This is where Mailsuite comes in!
When you send RFP emails with Mailsuite, you can track the email’s performance (like when recipients open it or click on links). This helps you craft more effective follow-up emails to help you forge better relationships with the right partners.
Use Mailsuite to make your RFP emails more successful. To get more insight into using Mailsuite to boost your business communication, read: Can Mailsuite Improve Your Communication?