RFP Go or No-Go Decision Rubric

When you’re first starting out it can be exciting to get an RFP in your inbox. Especially from a new client—must be fate right? Of course your first reaction is to jump at the opportunity to bid on work for new prospective clients and spend a full day (or more) crafting the perfect proposal.

BUT not all RFPs are created equal. If everything lines up and you have the time, the interest, and the experience then apply. Otherwise, pass and focus your energies on other ways to build new client relationships.

We've narrowed down the decision-making process to 8 critical considerations:

1️⃣ Is the proposal turn-around time realistic? Does it you enough time to ask questions and put together a proposal you're proud of?

2️⃣ Do you have a relationship with any of the stakeholders? This doesn’t always automatically disqualify you, but it definitely makes your job harder.

3️⃣ Do you have past experience that aligns with the project scope? This is HUGE. RFPs are about trust. If you can’t easily prove that you’re the best fit through experience—pass.

4️⃣ Does the timeline align with your availability and workload? Be realistic about how much time you can dedicate to the project, especially if you have other clients or commitments.

5️⃣ Is the budget sufficient to cover your costs and provide a reasonable profit margin? You’ll have to formulate an initial ballpark to answer this question. Be generous — include a good cushion in to ensure you and any team members or subcontractors will be compensated fairly

6️⃣ Does the vision and values align with yours? It's important to work with clients who share your values and would benefit from your approach.

7️⃣ Can you reuse the content for future RFPs? If the content for each section is generally applicable for future RFPs, then there’s an ROI regardless of whether you win or lose.

8️⃣ Does the RFP seem unnecessarily confusing or complicated? "Trip up" language is language that is intentionally confusing or misleading. The goal of using "trip up" language is to disqualify bidders quickly or to create an unfair advantage for a specific bidder.

This decision rubric breaks down these factors so that you can score each from 1 to 4. Once you add them up, you'll weigh your total against your threshold and voilà—you'll have your answer!