PROPOSALS

Request for
Proposal
(RFP)
Solicited
Unsolicited
Formal
Informal
A request for proposal (RFP) is a solicitation made often
through a bidding process, by an agency or company
interested in procurement of a commodity, service or
valuable asset, to potential suppliers to submit business
proposals. It is submitted early in the procurement
cycle, either at the preliminary study, or procurement
stage.

A request for proposal (RFP) is a document that an

organization posts to elicit bids from potential vendors,
typically for the development of a business component
or system or the provision of a business service.
A solicited proposal is usually a response
to a published requirement, most of the
time this is done in writing. Usually,
requirements are contained in
RFP/Request for Proposal, IFB/Request
for Bid or in an RFQ/Request for Quote.
RFP’s are normally issued by customers
and this shows a detailed requirement of
what customers want. They are normally
issued during those times wherein the
customer’s needs are no longer met.
A solicited proposal is one that is submitted in
response to a specific work statement from the
sponsor. A Request for Proposals (RFP) or
Request for Applications (RFA) is sometimes
used by sponsors to solicit proposals for
specific research, development, or training
projects or to provide specific services or
goods. The RFP or RFA generally includes
standard terms, conditions, and assurances
that the institution is asked to accept.
• An unsolicited proposal is initiated by the applicant
and submitted according to the sponsor’s broad
guidelines. The funding arrangement for unsolicited
proposals is usually a grant.
• an unsolicited proposal, as what its name imply, is not
a response to any buyer’s need. Most of the times, this
type of proposal is being used to advertise a new
product. They come in brochures or leaflets. Usually,
these proposals have indirect connection to what
customers need; thus, as said above, the proposal is
just used to introduce the product.