Writing an effective and useful RFP for content management can be a complex, lengthy process. Learn how to leverage available resources and templates to get a document that puts the vendors to work for you, and helps you get the right solution for your business.

1. How to Write a Request for Proposal for
Web Content Management
Presenter:
Kemal Demirhisar
Manager of Solutions Engineering

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The reality is….
No one likes RFPs
Customers don’t like writing them,
Vendors don’t like responding to them.
But sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do…

3. Before you begin
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Do your initial research of vendors, speak to them,
see demos
Have a high level understanding of what you can afford
Start brainstorming on what you “actually” need
Create an RFP preparation committee that consists of
stakeholders from each of your business units

4. Understand your needs
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• Is your RFP a re-design RFP? CMS RFP? Or both?
• Are you looking for a cloud-based products or on premise?
• Is your RFP written for Content Management? Marketing
Automation? CRM? or all three? Don’t bundle all your
technology needs into one RFP.
Get to know the vendors, speak to organizations similar
to you about their CMS and experience with their vendor

5. Have a plan
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What is your RFP process?
Don’t set your RFP award date in stone.
Chances are, you are going to have to push it...
RFP
Issue
Pre-Bid
Conference
Call
RFP
Responses
Due
Internal
RFP
Review
Shortlist Award

6. Utilize existing resources
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RFP templates are everywhere, use them to
your advantage
Check-in with your Procurement Team.
Chances are, they have done this before and
they can provide you with content
Review previous RFP’s your organization has
released in the past

7. Write your own RFP questions
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Don’t pull questions directly from a template.
Most RFP templates are written by vendors, for the benefits
of the vendor. Not the customer.

8. Avoid the “Yes” / “No” questions
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Avoid the “Yes”, “No”, “With Customization” responses
• Is there a convenient way to browse through
User Extensions?
A vendor will never say “No” to a questions like this.
Instead, word it like this:
• Please explain how user extensions are viewed
and added to pages using your CMS. Please
provide a screenshot of a list of your built-in
extensions.

9. Avoid the vague question
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If you ask a vague question, you will get a vague answer.
Be specific.
Avoid questions like these:
• Must provide browser based GUI
• Must provide high security during
deployment
• Must support on-the-fly pages
Instead, rewrite them like this:
• Explain how content authors use your system
to create content from their browsers. Provide
screenshots.
• Explain in detail the layers of security
provided as a part of your deployment. Attach
a diagram.
• What is the process of creating new pages?
Please provide a step-by-step guide of how a
user would create a new page in your system.

10. Ask them to explain. If you don’t, they wont.
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Always ask for detailed explanations, scenarios and use
cases
• Please explain how a new
template is created within the
CMS? Provide examples and use
cases.
• Does the CMS allow for
customization of templates?

11. Case Studies & References
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• Ask vendors to include Case
Studies, References and Past
Experience in the RFP.
• Setup reference calls with the
ones that are similar to your
organization.

12. Benefits vs. Features
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Focus your questions on the
benefit of a feature rather than
the feature itself.
Feature NeedBenefit

13. Scoring Criteria
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 Create a scoring mechanism that works for you (also
don’t let the vendor do the scoring for you).
 Allow your business units to score independently,
take an average
 Don’t score based on the amount of “Yes’s” in the
responses. Score based on how much the answer is
fulfilling the requirement.

14. Pre-Bid Meeting
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Conduct a pre-bid meeting following the launch of the RFP.
Pre-bid meetings help provide:
• Clarity to any unclear questions
• Data needed by vendors to provide detailed pricing
• Deeper insight into the project
• Visibility into technologies that are not the right fit
If you have the option, have vendors attend an on-
site pre-bid meeting.
This will allow you to get to know the vendor better.

15. Our RFP Template
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Take a look at our RFP template
Here’s the link http://www.percussion.com/RFP
We utilize the best practices mentioned above
Adapt and modify as needed

16. When your RFP is ready...
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Give us a call! We’d be glad to review and respond to it!

17. Questions?
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