When putting together an RFP (Request for Proposal) for FF&E and OS&E procurement services, the following is a list of key points that clients are usually looking for:

Firm Description

• Firm overview
• Location of offices
• Org Chart
• Annual purchasing volume

Transparency

• Is your purchasing fee transparent and disclosed?
• Will your fee be the sole source of compensation for this project?
• Is there a fee for software? If so, is it paid by the vendors or the client?

Experience

• With brand and with particular flag
  • Recently completed projects with this brand/flag as well as projects that your firm is currently working on with this brand/flag
  • Projects that have been completed with this brand/flag specific to the region
  • All experience lists should include: project name, location, number of rooms, years when services were provided, level of service
• Experience of the overall firm
  • How many projects has your firm completed?
  • How many years has your firm been in the industry?
• Experience of professionals that will be working on this project
  • What their role will be?
  • Resumes/BIO’s that include their past experience

References

• Owner, Designer, Project Manager and Vendor references

Approach; timing and extent of involvement

• How will your firm manage the budget, schedule, and process in general as it applies to the project?

Quality Control

• Does your firm have international offices to oversee product fabrication?
• List any international staff as well as their experience

Quality Assurance

• How does your firm monitor quality assurance?

Problem resolutions

• Give examples of problems that your firm has overcome and what steps were taken to overcome them

Software System

• Does your firm offer online capabilities/client log in
• Is your firm able to run custom reports?
• Explain how your purchasing and accounting software is integrated to assure quality reporting

Samples

• Provide sample budgets, purchase orders, tracking logs, online capabilities, accounting reports
• Provide a sample contract and scope of services

Certificates of Insurance

• Provide proof of liability and workers comp. insurance

When reviewing multiple RFP’s the above are great key points that a client should keep in mind. One thing that is not mentioned in the above list in detail is the fee. Although the fee is an important component of an RFP, it is not the best deciding factor on who should be awarded the project. A client needs to take many factors into the decision of picking the best firm that is capable for the job. For example: What is the overall savings that the purchasing agent can achieve in your budget? Often times a good purchasing agent can save their fee in one PO alone due to the firm’s vendor relationships and leverage. When deciding on the purchasing firm that would be best for your project, you need to know what are you really “buying”. You are buying the firm’s vendor relationships and the stronger the relationship the more likely your budget will decrease, the products will arrive on schedule, and problems will be resolved in a timely manner.

Written by: Alexa Docheff, Business Development Coordinator