What Is an RFP? A Plain-English Guide
A request for proposal (RFP) is a document buyers use to solicit and compare vendor bids. Here's how RFPs work and how they differ from RFIs and RFQs.
An RFP — request for proposal — is a document a buyer issues to invite vendors to bid on a project. It lays out requirements and asks each vendor to explain how they would meet them, at what price, so the buyer can compare responses on a level field.
RFP vs RFI vs RFQ
- RFI (request for information) gathers early, high-level detail to shortlist vendors.
- RFP (request for proposal) asks shortlisted vendors for a full, comparable proposal.
- RFQ (request for quote) focuses narrowly on price for well-defined goods or services.
Why teams use software to respond
A single RFP can carry dozens or hundreds of questions with a tight deadline. RFP software organizes knowledge, drafts responses, and coordinates reviewers — turning a multi-week scramble into a review-and-refine workflow. See our scored comparison of the leading tools.
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