In this article:
- The RFP functionality | Enable RFP | Set deadline | Set criteria | Add evaluators | Add weights | Advertised RFPs
Related resources:
The Bid Express request for proposal (RFP) functionality allows owner-agencies to solicit detailed proposals and score responses according to their specified criteria and weights.
For a phased project approach involving multiple solicitations, enabling the RFP function lets agencies create a shortlist of vendors to help narrow the pool of eligible respondents.
Click to expand the following sections and learn more.
Enabling the RFP functionality when drafting a solicitation allows your agency to:
- Enter a basic score for each response post-bid opening
- Opt to use the Bid Express evaluation function to assign evaluation criteria, deadline, and evaluators
- Opt to allow for the creation of a vendor shortlist
RFP scoring in Bid Express is a simple multiplication of weights and scores given for each component of your evaluation criteria. For agencies with more complex criteria, this may not be a suitable scoring system; however, you can still enable the RFP feature, evaluate responses outside of Bid Express, and enter their scores into your RFP's Responses panel. For this route, you do not need to enable the evaluation function.
Enabling the RFP function also allows you to create a vendor shortlist by selecting top respondents. Shortlists can then be used to promote later solicitations by inviting your shortlist to bid.
When drafting a solicitation, expand the Solicitation Options to access the RFP on/off toggle. If the Mark solicitation as an RFP toggle isn't already set to Yes, click the toggle to the Yes position.
Good to know
- If your team already has an RFP template, the RFP option should already be enabled. We always recommend working from a template.
Once you have marked the solicitation as an RFP, you will see two more options appear beneath the main function:
- Enable evaluations for this RFP | Select this checkbox if you want to use the Bid Express evaluation function. You'll assign scoring criteria, set an evaluation deadline, and select team members to add as evaluators.
- Enable shortlisting for this RFP | Select this checkbox to remove the Award component and enable the ability to create a shortlist of top vendor choices from the responses you receive. Vendor shortlists can help you narrow down your pool of eligible respondents to award, and will allow you to invite your shortlist to bid on future solicitations.
When you select Enable evaluations for this RFP and click save on General Info, a new component called Evaluation will appear in your draft. This is where you will set the evaluation deadline, set the scoring criteria, and invite evaluators (see the following sections to learn more).
The Evaluation Deadline is the date and time by which all scoring must be completed. The deadline also dictates when the Scoring Report becomes available for download by your agency.
The evaluation deadline must be after the solicitation deadline because responses must be opened by a Manager or Contract Administrator in order to be scored.
Prior to the solicitation deadline, the evaluation deadline can be extended to allow for more time for evaluation or, if scoring is completed early, reduced to close the evaluation period and make the Scoring Report available.
To set the evaluation deadline:
- In your draft solicitation, find the section titled Evaluation.
- Click Edit.
- Click the Deadline field to expand the calendar widget.
- From the calendar, select the date of your deadline.
- Using the Time drop-downs, select the time for your deadline.
Remember, the evaluation deadline must be after the solicitation deadline.
Optionally, use the Remarks field to enter any comments or instructions for your evaluators. You can expand the Remarks field for easier entry by using the expander arrow in the bottom right corner of the field.
Scoring criteria will be visible to evaluators and provide instructions on how they should score each component of the RFP, including the range of scores and a description for each score number.
How it works
The numbers entered here in the Score column will become selectable options for each weighted component during the evaluation period. Each score that is selected will be multiplied by the weight of that component, and those numbers will be totaled for the final score shown in the Scoring Report.
When defining scores, we recommend that agencies use simple increments, such as 20 lines scored 1-20 in increments of 1 or 20 lines number 5-100 in increments of 5.
Set scoring criteria
To enter scoring criteria:
- From your draft solicitation, find the Evaluation component. Click Edit.
- Click Add Score.
- In the Score field, enter a number as recommended above.
- In the Description field, enter a concise summary of what the score applies to.
- Repeat as needed.
- When you have entered all of your scores, click Save.
Good to know
- If you decide to turn your solicitation into a template, the Evaluation table with invited evaluators and scores will not save historical information to the template.
Only agency members with the following roles can be invited to score an RFP:
- Manager
- Contract Administrator
- Solicitation Manager
- Evaluator
See owner-agency user roles for help managing agency roles.
To add evaluators:
- From your draft solicitation, find the Evaluation component. Click Add Evaluator.
- In the Add Evaluator window, use the drop-down menu to select an evaluator from eligible members of your agency.
- Click Add.
- Repeat as needed.
Good to know
- You can add evaluators before advertising, post-advertising, and post-bid opening.
- Agency members invited to be evaluators will immediately receive a notification email once you add them.
Weights are a part of the evaluation function. They provide another factor in the scoring process by indicating the importance of a particular bid form component.
Typical weighted bid form sections include item lists, informational tables, and required documents lists; your agency will determine which components should be weighted and how.
Good to know
- Sections that are not marked with a numerical weight can still be commented on during the post-bid opening scoring process. This lets the agency communicate to other evaluators any concerns or comments regarding each vendor's response.
To add or edit a bid form component's scoring weight, first be sure you have selected the checkbox to Enable evaluations for this RFP. Then follow these instructions.
- From your draft solicitation, find the component you want to add weight to. Click Edit.
- In the Weight field, enter a numerical value (allowable values are between 0 - 9,999.9).
- Click Save.
- Repeat as needed for each bid form section you want to weight.
Good to know
- You can enter a weight of "0" (zero), but doing so will calculate a final score of "0" once the Scoring Report is available. Think, 0 multiplied by any number = 0.
- Weight values may include only one decimal place (ex: 1.5 can be entered, but not 1.55).
- If your solicitation is turned into a template for future use, the weights in each section will appear in future solicitations generated from the template.
- If you're adding weight to a Build Your Own component, use the blue navigation trail at the top of the page to return to your draft solicitation after saving your weight.
While the solicitation is advertised, you can still:
- Add or remove evaluators
- Adjust the weight for each component
- Change scoring information
without having to issue an addendum. Once the solicitation deadline passes, you will no longer be able to adjust the weight of each component.
Vendor view
When the RFP functionality is enabled, vendors will see some slight differences from solicitation advertisements. To purchase a solicitation, vendors will click Respond instead of Select for bidding. In other areas, their submission will be called a response vs. a bid.