Things that agencies probably won’t tell you about your RFP process, but should…
by Ben Ostrower, Founder/Executive Creative Director at Wide Eye
Wide Eye has made available an RFP template that can be adapted for most creative projects here.
If you work at a nonprofit, there’s a good chance that you’ve undergone an RFP (Request For Proposal) process to solicit bids from outside partners to execute or perform a specific project. Wide Eye responds to somewhere around 50–75 RFPs per year for various types of creative rebrands, strategic engagements, website redesigns, technical projects, or general creative services. And we see far more RFPs than that in a given year. Responding to RFPs takes a substantial amount of time and effort from agencies like ours, so we have to be discerning. Our sincere hope is that the following piece offers a perspective that organizations rarely get — a (brutally) honest perspective from folks that see A LOT of RFPs: The good, the bad, and the ugly.
The brutal truth is that many RFPs — er, most — are actually very bad. We get it, procurement language is what it is. And having multiple stakeholders providing input can make building consensus around a definition of success tricky. That being said, many RFPs break a slew of unspoken rules that will potentially dissuade the best-matched agencies and the RIGHT partner who truly understands how to address your challenge from replying. And yet many more throw red flags that will provoke an immediate “move to trash.” A bad RFP leads to bad relationships and can, in aggregate, do real damage over time. But good RFPs, conversely, can help everyone thrive. Not unlike an online dating profile, an RFP is really just an R.F.R. (Request For Relationship) — the first step in a dance that can either result in a successful relationship or lead to a messy break-up.
If you want to solicit responses from the best matches and the partners best suited to solve your problem, here are some of our tips:
1. Communicate what you need out of the project
The best agencies know when you’re trying to solicit free work or free ideas from an RFP process, or, even worse, that you have no idea what you want and need. Vague or open-ended RFPs without a clear indication of what you’re trying to accomplish in an engagement with a partner is a big red flag to potential respondents. Be specific and avoid buzzwords. ‘Raising conversions by 10%’ is better than saying ‘Robust synergistic audience engagement.’ Knowing what your goals are will get you better RFP responses and a better long-time partner.
If you don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish yet, then say so. Honesty is always the best policy — a foundational element of any partnership or relationship. A good partner can help you define success metrics and narrow your approach.
2. Share your RFP with 5 pre-selected firms or fewer
Unless you are required to do so legally, we strongly recommend not sharing an RFP publicly or with more than five pre-selected firms. And we strongly recommend sharing with a diverse set of firms to ensure an equitable process. But soliciting responses from a wide range of types of partners (small agencies, large agencies, tiny consultancies, and lone freelancers) can be a red flag to agencies as it sends a signal that you don’t know what you’re looking for or that any respondents stand a really low chance of winning the project. Agencies have to be strategic about where they spend valuable time and resources, and if the odds are already stacked, you might miss out on a great partner participating.
Our advice: Go broad pre-RFP. Cultivate a list of eight-to-ten agencies whose work you like, who you feel reflects your values, and provides the full scope of services you’ll need. Approach them in advance of sharing the RFP and build an initial relationship so they know you’re interested. Ask them some pre-qualifying questions and record the conversation. Then, when it comes time to share your RFP, narrow this list with a small selection committee to four-to-five firms. When they finally get the RFP, they’ll already know who you are and will be that much more likely to offer a thoughtful and fully considered response. While this may seem like more work, it ultimately helps you be more equitable and fair to a broader range of firms. Plus, ten 30-minute conversations is MUCH less work than scoring and reading ten or more full proposals.
3. Be willing to talk to interested partners
Partners that are likely interested in replying to the RFP will often reach out first to chat and get to know you. Engage them. Talk to them and get to know them. If you say “no, we’re not talking to vendors one-on-one” that sends a clear message to respondents that you’re not looking for a relationship, you’re only looking for a transaction. That could cost you a great partner firm. You could also be missing out on recommendations from agencies who don’t feel they’re a good fit or who can’t take on your project right now, but know other firms who may be better suited to partner with you.
4. Provide a reasonable amount of time for a response
Set a reasonable amount of time for an RFP response. Roughly three weeks minimum is appropriate depending on the size of the project. Less time or a rushed turnaround won’t just yield less thoughtful proposal responses, it tells a potential partner that you likely don’t appreciate that it takes time and effort to do good work. A big red flag.
5. Explicitly communicate your budget expectations
Any agency or freelancer worth their salt won’t want to reply to an RFP without a clearly communicated budget range unless it’s for a dream client (hi, Beyonce, Lego, or NASA 👋). Most respondents will simply guess at what number you have in your budget (or in your head) and will most likely get it wrong — getting proposals that aren’t properly tailored to your unique needs. And you don’t get a good deal by holding these cards close to your chest, you only waste time, and burn folks out at the start of a project realigning expectations. Being transparent with your expectations demonstrates respect for all those involved and yields better work.
6. Explicitly communicate your schedule expectations
Always provide an honest and realistic timeline for a project. If something needs to get done quickly, simply acknowledge that and communicate what is motivating the rush. Smart professionals will know how to help you navigate around extenuating circumstances and challenging timelines. If a potential partner says they don’t have the bandwidth to meet your deadline, everybody avoids the unnecessary guessing game. No harm done. If a potential partner tells you a deadline is unrealistic even if they do have the bandwidth, take that seriously and consider revising your timeline, or consider ways to phase work to accomplish what’s needed short term versus long term.
7. Explain how decisions will be made
Smart respondents will want to know how you make organizational decisions and who will provide feedback throughout a project. Sharing this candidly in an RFP will help a relationship and project plan start off on the right foot. Similarly, it’s also beneficial to share the criteria that will be used to evaluate proposals.
8. Don’t use the word vendor
This is a private nitpick of a lot of top agencies and talented freelancers. “Vendor” suggests a purely transactional relationship which is oftentimes what most creatives aim to avoid in a client partnership. “Partner” is a perfectly reasonable alternative and is a show of respect to potential respondents.
The specifics of an RFP will be contingent on the individual needs of an organization or project, but, based on our extensive mileage as a company, these are the initial ingredients that we feel are mission-critical for a good creative relationship. Remember, ultimately this is about building a relationship (potentially a lasting one) that yields positive and fruitful outcomes for everyone involved, so honesty and candor is truly the best starting point.
Wide Eye helps organizations undergoing digital transformation with a range of creative services. If you want to get a rebrand, website redesign, or rename underway on the right foot, have us give you a hand with a digital audit. Please contact our team to learn more.
Wide Eye is a creative agency specializing in design, branding, and digital products for the 21st-century’s changemakers & visionaries.
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