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Answers · Procurement

How do we write an ERP RFP that gets us the outcomes we want?

Short answer

Write the RFP around the outcomes and scenarios you need rather than a spreadsheet of thousands of yes or no requirements. Ask for fixed pricing tied to deliverables, and score vendors on how they perform your scripted demos.

In my experience the giant yes or no requirements matrix is where good intentions go to die, because every vendor answers "yes" or "yes with configuration" to nearly everything and you learn very little about who can actually deliver. A better RFP describes your current environment honestly, lays out the ten or fifteen business scenarios that matter most, and asks each vendor and implementation partner to explain how they would get you there, who will be on the team, and what the price is for each phase. I also like to see the evaluation weighted toward scripted demos and reference checks with similar agencies, with cost scored separately so the cheapest bid does not quietly win before anyone has seen the product work. If you are working through procurement now, the Start at Zero Navigator has a section on RFP structure and evaluation, and it is free to download.

Written by Abhijit Verekar, Founder and CEO of Avero Advisors, an independent, vendor-neutral advisory firm that works only with the public sector. I write these answers myself and update them as the market changes. Updated . See all answers or write to us.