Are you searching the market for an IT Service Management (ITSM) solution that meets your organization's specific business needs? Then this ITSM RFP template is exactly what you need to make a smart decision.
RFP stands for Request for Proposal, and is a crucial element to ensure that the tool you choose to invest in aligns with your particular requirements. It will support your purchase process by standardizing the criteria across the different vendors, so that the comparison has a common ground, and is fair and effective.
To make this whole process easier, we have put together an RFP sample with the basic elements to consider when designing your document. So, if you're new to this or are just looking for additional guidance, download the template below and keep reading to learn more about each stage of the process.
ITSM RFP template free download
After years of expertise in handling numerous RFPs for organizations worldwide, we have developed a standardized sample that serves as an excellent starting point to create your own ITSM RFP request. By utilizing this guide, you can save time and effort while ensuring you include all the main points and ask the right questions to potential vendors.
Remember, an intelligent purchase should always align with your business requirements. And the best way to achieve that is to clearly define what you’re looking for in a document that allows you to easily compare different vendors – in other words, an RFP.
What is an IT Service Management RFP?
Whether you are looking to purchase your first service desk or want to replace your current one because it isn’t working for your organization, an ITSM RFP will help you through the process.
It should help you ensure that you have a structured and comprehensive document that outlines your requirements and expectations regarding your IT Service Management practice and expectations for the solution. Thus, it should include all the functionalities and capabilities your organization needs to perform its support strategy, as well as some other extra features that might not be essential but will make your team’s job easier.
By sending out this document to multiple suppliers and evaluating their responses using the same criteria, you can gain insights into which vendor offers the best fit for your organization.
It is common to encounter ITSM and ITAM (IT Asset Management) RFPs that are combined into a single document. Depending on what the organization is looking for, they may need to send separate RFPs or a consolidated one with the combined requirements.
Why is an ITSM RFP important?
Let's delve into the reasons why a complete and well-built RFP is crucial to the process of selecting an ITSM solution and explore its main benefits:
- Standardizing of the process - It ensures that all potential solutions are assessed using the same set of criteria, allowing for a fair, transparent, and consistent evaluation process.
- Identifying pain points - By thoroughly analyzing and documenting your requirements, you will gain a deeper understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of your current operations. You may also uncover potential improvements or enhancements.
- Obtaining better prices and contractual conditions - Providing a detailed overview of your requirements allows you to obtain competitive bids from vendors and have a stronger position when negotiating pricing, licensing terms, support agreements, and other crucial contractual aspects.
- Mitigating risks and ensuring scalability - An ITSM RFP helps reduce risks by ensuring that what you ultimately purchase can scale and fulfill the current needs (and maybe some of your future needs) of your organization. You can select a vendor that aligns closely with your requirements, minimizing the chances of implementation challenges or future scalability issues.
The stages of the help desk RFP plan
When it comes to establishing a plan for the ITSM RFP process, there are several essential steps to follow. This section will guide you through each stage, helping you understand how to create the plan and who should be involved.
1. Research and identify critical needs
The first step involves assembling a team, typically comprising technical experts and operational personnel, who will evaluate and understand the critical needs that must be addressed by the ITSM solution. This assessment should encompass both existing requirements and opportunities for improvement.
2. Conduct tool research
In this stage, the research team explores the market for available solutions that can meet the identified needs. This involves requesting product demonstrations, conducting trials, and reviewing customer feedback and industry reviews - remember you can book an InvGate Service’s Desk demo with one of our experts!
During this process, you may discover solutions that not only address your known challenges but also uncover unforeseen issues or desirable features, which can influence the content included in your RFP. If you need a hand with this, these top ITSM tools comparison might come in handy.
3. Create the RFP
Once the research team has gathered sufficient information about potential solutions, it's time to create the RFP itself. It should clearly outline the necessary and desirable requirements (it's crucial to distinguish between the two).
The information should be organized as a comprehensive list of items, including any specific security and compliance requirements that need to be addressed. To do so, you can use the template provided in this blog post as a starting point and fill in your specific requirements.
Don’t worry, we will explore in more detail every category the RFP should include in the next section to guide you through the template.
4. Send the RFP to vendors
After finalizing the RFP, it should be distributed to the selected list of vendors that were identified as potential candidates based on your earlier research. They will fill in the document with their responses and proposals for your consideration. Some of them may have doubts or questions, so remember to include an open communication channel.
5. Evaluation and final decision
Once the vendors' responses have been received, the evaluation process begins. Here, the research team reviews and validates the proposals, comparing them against the established criteria. The ultimate goal is to select the best solution that not only meets critical needs but also covers a significant number of desirable features.
It's important to note that the best solution may not always be the cheapest one, as factors like support, scalability, easy-to-use interface, and other considerations play a role in the decision-making process.
Also remember that the research team shouldn’t be making this decision alone, all stakeholders must be involved in this stage. Consider using a scoring system to fairly compare the RFPs sent by the vendors, especially if you’re in a licitation process.
Once you have made the decision, let all the vendors know that you closed the process, whether you’re choosing their offer or not.
And that’s it! The next stages are the buying and implementation processes – with which this ITSM implementation checklist can help!
What should a service desk RFP include?
In this section we have broken down the RFP writing process. When creating such a document for your service desk or ITSM solution, you must make sure to include every feature you want and pain point you want to address.
Here are the eight main sections outlined in the template that you should incorporate into your document:
- Introduction - Provide a brief introduction to your organization, its objectives, and the purpose of the RFP. This section sets the context for potential vendors.
- Project overview - Outline the scope and goals of the project, including any specific requirements for the ITSM solution. Clearly define what you aim to achieve through the implementation or migration.
- Proposal requirements - List the information that vendors must provide in their proposals. This section should include details such as the vendor's company overview, relevant experience and case studies, their proposed solution, implementation timeline and methodology, as well as pricing and licensing details.
- Technical requirements - Detail the specific technical requirements for the ITSM solution. This section should cover aspects such as integration with existing systems (e.g., LDAP, ITAM tools), support for multiple platforms, mobile access and support, customization options, security, and compliance features.
- Functional requirements - Specify the desired ITSM features and capabilities that the solution should possess. This section may include Incident, Problem, and Change Management, Service Request and Catalog Management, Knowledge Management, reporting and analytics, self-service portal, and Service Level Management.
- Vendor support and services - Inquire about the support and services provided by the vendors. This section should cover details such as technical support availability and response times, training and documentation, implementation and customization assistance, and regular updates and upgrades.
- Evaluation criteria - Define the criteria that will be used to evaluate the proposals. This section should cover aspects like compliance with technical and functional requirements, vendor experience and reputation, implementation methodology and timeline, pricing, and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
- Submission details - Provide information on how vendors should submit their proposals, including the submission deadline, contact person for questions, the preferred format for proposals (e.g., PDF, Word), and submission method (e.g., email, online portal).
What should you expect from an RFP?
Here are some key points you need to have a clear understanding of what you should expect in return from the vendors when you issue an RFP:
- The complete document as specified - The proposal should demonstrate a thorough understanding of your organization's needs and state if they are able to offer a solution that aligns with your objectives.
- Partial compliance and additional development or integration needs - Some vendors may partially fulfill your requirements or identify areas where additional development or integration may be necessary. Their proposal should clearly outline such instances and provide suggestions or recommendations for addressing these gaps.
- Evidence of compliance and how it is achieved - Vendors should provide evidence and explanations that demonstrate how their solution meets the requirements outlined in your RFP. This can include case studies, product demonstrations, customer references, or technical documentation that supports their claims.
- Evaluation of criticality - As you review the proposals, evaluate whether the areas where vendors don't fully comply with your requirements are critical to your organization. Determine if these gaps can be addressed through customization, integration, or alternative solutions.
- Licensing model - Vendors should provide details about their licensing model, including the costs, terms, and any specific conditions related to the usage of their ITSM solution. This information is essential for evaluating the overall cost and value of the proposed solution.
To sum up
In the realm of ITSM, it is crucial to seek a solution that not only aligns with best practices but also accommodates the maturity level of your organization. It should provide the flexibility to drive ongoing improvements in a cost-effective manner.
An ITSM RFP serves as a valuable tool for comparing the capabilities of different vendors. It allows you to evaluate and compare proposals based on a common set of criteria, helping you make an informed decision when selecting a Service Management solution. Use the template as a starting point and customize it to suit your specific needs
To evaluate InvGate Service Desk as your IT Service Management solution, book a meeting with our experts and get to know our product!
