1. The Request for Proposal (RFP) is your "official" statement to vendors about the services you require. Vendors typically try to respond, point by point, to your RFP when they make their proposals. Therefore, the RFP "leads" vendors by focusing their attention on certain issues. In addition, it shapes their first impressions of your training development group and the project to be completed. Most importantly, the RFP is the foundation upon which the vendor's relationship with you is built.

2. For these reasons, the RFP must be carefully crafted and reviewed before distributing it to vendors.

The typical RFP includes the following sections:

I. The General Training Goals

This section includes the general business goals which are met by the new product or process on which the training will be based. In addition, it describes the key components of the new product or process (how it works) and compares these to existing products or processes with which vendors may be familiar.

II. The Target Audiences

This includes brief summaries of the jobs of the people who are to be trained. Both primary and secondary audiences, if any, should be described. Include information on how their responsibilities will change as a result of the introduction of the new product or process. Include also numbers of people to be trained, by job category and geographic location.

III. Objectives

This should describe exactly what the target audience will be required to do as a result of going through the training. Each objective should be listed.

IV. Project Details

This section should include:

__ Brief summaries of needs and task analyses, if any

__ Brief summaries of content and suggested treatment, if applicable

__ Description of anticipated project team organization, especially reporting relationships among your team and other players

__ Description of your ultimate client

__ Description of required development process and revision cycles

__ Listing of expected deliverables, if appropriate

__ Information on standards of quality and quantity

V. Constraints on Budget, Schedule, and Design

This section should describe:

__ How much money may be spent with the vendor on this project (budget boundaries)

__ Specific dates for completion of milestones such as: the analysis*, design plans, drafts, test sessions, master deliverables, and reproduced copies to the field

__ Implementation plans (locations, dates, types and numbers of instructors, etc.)

__ Constraints on the design such as a need to deliver the training in a self-study format, on interactive videodisc, or whatever

*This assumes that you are requesting that the vendor complete the analysis. You might consider doing the analysis yourself.

VI. Resources Provided

This section should describe the resources to be provided by you. Specifically, it should include a description of the subject matter experts, market research, technical documentation, equipment or facilities, and any other resources that will provided to the vendor during the development process.

VII. Criteria for Evaluating Success of the Training

This is a statement of specifically how the completed training will be judged by you and/or your client to be successful.

VIII. Criteria for Selecting a Vendor

This is a list of the criteria which will be used to determine the best vendor proposal. Typical criteria include: vendor quality as evidenced in samples of work, vendor price, vendor's understanding of the product class (subject matter), track record within you, quality of proposed solution, creative use of media, and so on.

If you intend to use a weighting method (for example, assign twice as much value to creative use of media as you assign to price) then describe this weighting system to the vendor.

IX. Requests for Vendor Suggestion or Creativity

This includes areas in which you are uncertain about the strategy and seek vendor recommendations. It can also include areas in which you are flexible regarding design.

Vendors are often experienced professionals who are capable of conceiving several creative alternatives. However, if your RFP leaves the vendor with the impression that you have already locked in on a specific mode of instruction (self-study, driven by audio tape, for example), vendors are not likely to propose something drastically different. After all, they want your business!

Therefore, you should openly state those areas in which you are flexible or seek vendor recommendations.

X. Terms and Conditions

Attach blank contract or spell out special conditions/requirements that vendors must meet.

TEMPLATE

Your Request for Proposal should contain all the parts listed below. Check off those which are actually present:

____I.The General Training Goals

____II.The Target Audiences

____III.Objectives

____IV.Project Details

• Needs/Task Analysis Summary
• Content/Treatment Summary
• Team Organization
• Your Client
• Required Development Process
• Expected Deliverables
• Quality/Quantity Standards

____V.Constraints on Budget, Schedule, Design

• Budget Boundaries
• Milestones Dates
• Implementation Plans
• Constraints on Design

____VI.Resources Provided

____VII.Criteria for Evaluating Success of the Training

____VIII. Criteria for Selecting a Vendor

____IX.Requests for Vendor Suggestions/Creativity

____X.Terms and Conditions