software development rfp template

1. Company & background

• Company name, website, industry, size.
• One-paragraph summary of what your business does.
• Who the software is for (internal team, customers, both).

2. Project overview & objectives

• The problem you’re solving in 2-3 sentences.
• Top 3 business outcomes you expect (e.g. reduce manual work, launch a new product).
• How you’ll measure success (KPIs).

3. Scope of work

• Core features / modules you need (bullet list).
• What is explicitly OUT of scope for v1.
• Platforms: web, iOS, Android, admin dashboard.

4. Technical requirements

• Any required stack, hosting or cloud (or ‘vendor to recommend’).
• Integrations needed (payments, CRM, auth, analytics, etc.).
• Security, compliance and data-residency requirements (SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR).

5. Deliverables

• Working software + source code (you own the IP).
• Documentation, test coverage, and a deployment/runbook.
• Post-launch support / warranty period expectations.

6. Timeline & milestones

• Desired start date and any hard deadline.
• Preferred delivery model (fixed-price, time & materials, sprints).
• Key milestones or a phased/MVP approach if applicable.

7. Budget

• Budget range (a range is fine and speeds accurate bids).
• Payment structure expectations (milestone-based, monthly).

8. Vendor requirements

• Relevant portfolio / case studies.
• Team composition and who we’d work with day to day.
• References from 2-3 past clients.

9. Proposal format & evaluation

• What to include: approach, timeline, team, price, assumptions.
• Evaluation criteria and weights (e.g. relevant experience 30%, approach 25%, price 25%, communication 20%).
• Submission deadline, format, and contact for questions.