Website RFP Template
Ask vendors the same questions so you can compare proposals fairly and choose with confidence.
Guide
A good RFP creates comparable responses. It states goals, scope boundaries, timeline, budget expectations, and evaluation criteria so vendors compete on fit — not on who invents the most optimistic assumptions.
Include what is out of scope as carefully as what is in. Ask who does the day-to-day work, how change requests are handled, and what happens after launch. Those answers reveal delivery reality better than a glossy case study alone.
Score vendors with a simple rubric before demos. Prefer clear assumptions and phased options over the lowest sticker price with hidden risk.
Include in your RFP
Give every vendor the same brief so proposals can be compared honestly.
- Company background and project goals
- Audience and conversion priorities
- Scope outline and out-of-scope items
- Timeline milestones and decision dates
- Budget expectations (range) and commercial model preferences
- Evaluation criteria (process, experience, communication, price)
Questions for agencies
Use identical questions to surface how teams actually work.
- Who will do the work day-to-day?
- How do you handle discovery, design, and change requests?
- What does your typical communication cadence look like?
- How do you approach SEO, accessibility, and performance?
- What happens after launch (support, warranty, retainers)?
- Can you share relevant case studies and references?
Examples
Comparable shortlist
A nonprofit scored five responses on process, team composition, and assumptions clarity — eliminating two low bids that lacked delivery detail.
Change-request transparency
Asking how change requests are priced revealed one vendor’s rigid fixed-bid trap versus another’s staged discovery model that better fit incomplete requirements.
Post-launch clarity
Explicit warranty and maintenance questions prevented a “launch and leave” engagement that would have left the client unsupported.
Common mistakes
- • Writing an RFP so vague that every proposal invents a different scope
- • Optimizing solely for lowest price
- • Skipping evaluation criteria until after demos
- • Failing to ask who actually does the work
- • Ignoring post-launch support in the decision
Practical tips
- • Prefer comparable scopes over lowest sticker price.
- • Ask for assumptions — vague proposals hide risk.
- • Score vendors with a simple rubric before final demos.
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Evaluating agency proposals (upcoming)
Placeholder for a CodeActivv walkthrough on scoring RFP responses without overweighting aesthetics or sticker price.
FAQs
How many vendors should we invite?
Three to five well-chosen teams is usually enough. More creates comparison fatigue without improving decision quality.
Should we share budget?
Sharing a range improves proposal quality. Without it, vendors guess — and you compare mismatched scopes.
Fixed bid or time and materials?
It depends on requirement clarity. Incomplete requirements often benefit from discovery plus phased delivery rather than a brittle fixed bid.
How long should vendors have to respond?
Two to three weeks is common for a website RFP of moderate complexity. Rush timelines favor superficial answers.
Can we invite CodeActivv?
Yes. Share your RFP and we will respond with a clear process, scope view, and next steps.
Download / print
Copy this structure into your RFP document (Docs/Word), fill company-specific details, then export to DOCX or PDF for distribution to vendors.
Duplicate this structure into your RFP document and export to DOCX/PDF.
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