How to write a software RFP that gets real quotes (with a template)

Most software RFPs are too long. A 30-page document full of boilerplate takes weeks to write, and vendors answer it with boilerplate of their own. For SaaS, a good RFP fits on one page. It tells a vendor exactly what you use today, what you need, and what you pay, so they can come back with a real number.

This post covers the seven things a vendor needs to quote you, what to leave out, and a template you can copy.

What a software RFP is for

A request for proposal asks several vendors to bid on the same job. For software that usually means one of two things:

• Replacing a tool you already pay for, because it costs too much or no longer fits.
• Renewing a tool and wanting proof that the price is fair before you sign again.

Either way, the goal is comparable quotes. If every vendor answers a slightly different question, you can't compare them. Being specific is what makes the bids line up.

The seven things vendors need

1. What you use today

Name the product and plan you're on now, for example "Zendesk Suite Team" or "Slack Pro". Vendors price against the incumbent, and it tells them which features you rely on without you listing everything.

2. Seats

How many people need a paid seat. Count the people who actually use the tool, not everyone with a login. If you have different user types, such as editors and viewers or agents and light users, give each count separately. Seat type is often the biggest price lever.

3. Current annual spend

This is the number people most often hold back, and the one that matters most. Without it, vendors guess, and guesses come in high. With it, every bid has to beat a known figure. Use the total from your last invoice or contract, including add-ons.

4. Renewal date

When your current contract renews, and how much notice it needs to cancel. This sets the timeline. A vendor who knows you renew in 60 days moves faster and sharpens the price. Check the notice period first. Many contracts renew automatically unless you cancel 30 to 90 days ahead.

5. Usage numbers that size the deal

Most SaaS pricing scales with something besides seats: contacts, emails sent, tickets, storage, automation runs or API calls. Give the two or three numbers that drive your bill, for example "48,000 contacts and 200,000 emails a month". These come straight from your admin dashboard.

6. Must-have and nice-to-have features

Split requirements into two lists:

• Must have: a bid that misses one of these is out. Keep this list short, usually under ten items.
• Nice to have: useful, but you'd trade them for a better price.

Write each one as something you actually do, such as "SSO with Okta" or "Salesforce two-way sync", not as a general category like "security" or "integrations". A note on how you use a feature, such as "used by 3 people for monthly reporting", helps vendors judge whether a cheaper tier covers it.

7. How you'll decide

One or two sentences on what matters most. For example: "Price first, as long as all must-haves are covered. We'd move for 20% savings." It saves everyone a round of back-and-forth.

What to leave out

• Company history and mission statements. Vendors skip them.
• Long legal terms up front. Negotiate those with the finalists.
• Every feature you have ever used. If it isn't a must-have or a real nice-to-have, cut it.
• Questionnaires with dozens of yes/no rows. Every vendor answers yes. Ask for the price and the plan name instead.
• Anything identifying, if you'd rather not say. You can describe your company as "a 40-person B2B software company" and still get accurate quotes.

A template you can copy

Replacing: [Product and plan] · Seats: [number, split by user type] · Current annual spend: [$ amount] · Renewal date: [date, and notice period]

Usage: [2 or 3 numbers that drive price, such as contacts, tickets per month, or storage]

Must have: [3 to 10 specific requirements] · Nice to have: [a few more]

What we want: [replace or renew, what would make you switch, and when you need to decide]

A filled-in example

This is an illustration, not a real company or quote:

Replacing: a help desk on a mid-tier plan · Seats: 12 agents · Current annual spend: $14,000 · Renewal date: 1 March, with 30 days' notice

Usage: about 3,000 tickets a month across email and chat

Must have: shared inbox for email and chat, macros, SLA timers, Slack notifications, a CSV export of ticket history · Nice to have: a public help centre, CSAT surveys

What we want: the same workflow for less. We'd switch for 25% savings if migration help is included. Decision by 1 February.

That fits on one screen, and any help desk vendor can price it in minutes.

After you send it

1. Give a deadline. One to two weeks is enough for SaaS.
2. Compare like for like. Line up each bid's plan name, seat count, annual total and what's excluded.
3. Check the year-two price. First-year discounts are common, so ask what the renewal will cost.
4. Take the best bid back to your current vendor. Even if you stay, a written competing quote is the strongest lever you have. Our guide to negotiating a SaaS renewal covers that conversation.

If you don't know where your spend is going yet, start with a SaaS audit. It gives you the seat counts and spend figures this template needs.

Post it in five minutes

The RFP form on SaaS RFP asks for exactly these fields: the product you're replacing, seats, annual spend, renewal date, usage numbers, and must-have and nice-to-have features. Vendors and resellers then bid on it. You can browse vendors first to see what's out there. It's free, and you can post anonymously.