Free template · Word and Excel
Everything you need to brief agencies the same way and compare their answers on the same terms. Edit it, send it, and score the proposals that come back.
01
A ready-to-send RFP in Word
Twelve sections from goals and scope to budget, timeline and submission rules, with guidance notes you delete before sending.
02
27 questions that separate agencies
Who does the work, the first 90 days, AI search measurement, data ownership and what happens if you part ways.
03
A weighted scorecard in Excel
Nine criteria, a 1 to 5 scoring guide, automatic totals and ranks, plus a 12-month pricing comparison.
Get the template
How to use it
The template does the heavy lifting. These are the habits that make the difference between a confident decision and a beauty contest.
01
Goals with numbers, scope, budget range and timeline. Five clear pages beat a thirty-page questionnaire.
02
Enough to compare, few enough that each agency puts real effort into its answer.
03
Each reviewer fills in the scorecard alone before the group meets, so the loudest voice does not set the scores.
04
Ask who did the work, how problems were handled and whether they would hire the agency again.
FAQ
A short company overview, the problem you want solved, goals with current and target numbers, the services in scope, your current tools and team, a budget range, a timeline, what each proposal must contain and how you will score it.
Three to five is enough for most companies. More than that adds review work without improving the decision, and agencies put less effort into crowded pitches.
Yes, as a range. Without one, agencies guess at scope and you get proposals that cannot be compared. A range does not commit you to spending the top of it.
Plan on four to eight weeks from sending the RFP to signing: two to three weeks for proposals, one to two weeks for presentations and references, and time for contracts.
Talk to us
Tell us your goals and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right fit, and what to look for if we are not.