A telecom vendor Request for Proposal (RFP) can seem overwhelming but understanding the purpose can simplify the process. An RFP is a document that solicits a quote from telecom vendors by providing thorough information on current and expected usage. Ensure your telecom vendor RFP includes the following details for fast, accurate proposals.
Start With an Outline
As with any business document, a full copy is rarely turned out on the first try. A thorough outline is a great way to ensure you get all the needed parts of an RFP into the final document. Go over the final outline and make sure your RFP answers who you are, why you need a new vendor, what services you need provided, and when you expect responses.
Statement of Purpose
A statement of purpose is the introduction. It summarizes what your company is looking for and why. This simple, short statement should provide telecom vendors with a quick assessment of what services your company needs.
Company Background
The company background can provide key information for telecom vendors. Not only should you provide a quick overview of your company and its history but also include previous vendors and services used. This will allow potential vendors to understand your previous level of service and exposure to other companies. A company background is also a great place to address where your company is headed and how your telecom needs will evolve in the coming years.
Telecom Requirements
The requirement section is by far the most important part of the RFP. Here is where the absolutely necessities for your telecom services will be listed. A well developed RFP will have a clear differentiation between wants and needs which will result in this section being clear about what items are non-negotiable for the company. A well thought out requirement section based on previous and current usage allows telecom vendors to truly understand the standard and quantity of services your company will need.
Provide Selection Criteria for Choosing a Telecom Vendor
Selection criteria should be included in the RFP to show telecom bidders how you are choosing the winning bid. This process may be as simple as stating that the decision of a winning bid will be determined by the company or as complex as providing a graded rubric. Selection criteria not only make choosing a telecom provider easy for your company but allows vendors to determine what services are most important in a winning bid.
Set Up a Timeline
Providing ample time for each vendor to assess your needs and ask questions needed for an accurate proposal is essential to getting the right company to serve your telecom needs. Create clear dates for submitting the letter of intent, asking questions, attending conferences, and submitting the proposal. This will not only structure the proposal process for your employees but allow vendors time to prepare an accurate proposal.
Provide the Right Contacts
Regardless of the thoroughness of your RFP, vendors will still have questions. Make it easy for vendors to contact the right people by providing contact information to managers involved in the decision making process. If time allows, set up conference calls with vendors so all team members can participate in a timed question and answer session with each telecom company.
Request a Telecom Proposal
While an RFP by its nature asks for a proposal, including what information your company wants in its proposals helps telecom vendors to develop an accurate and personalized proposal. If your company is sending RFPs to multiple vendors, a guideline for response can help you assess each proposal in a more time efficient manner.
[author_bio username=”Ken” name=”yes”]
