cover letter for rfp invitation

How to Write a Winning Proposal Cover Letter (Plus 5 Real Examples)

First impressions are important—especially in the world of proposals.

That’s why writing a good cover letter is an essential step towards winning a bid. In the request for proposal (RFP) process, this single-page letter marks your first opportunity to grab a prospect’s attention and make it clear that your company is uniquely positioned to solve their problem. So if you’re currently using boilerplate copy… Stop. Immediately .

In this blog, you’ll learn how to write custom proposal cover letters that grab a prospect’s attention and increase your chances of winning RFP responses . Plus, five examples of real proposal cover letters from industry pros.

In this article, you’ll learn: 

What is a Proposal Cover Letter?

• What to Include in a Proposal Cover Letter
• How to Write a Proposal Cover Letter
• 5 Real Proposal Cover Letter Examples ⭐

Next Steps: Build Quality Proposals Faster

A proposal cover letter is a single-page document used to pitch your business offerings to a potential client. In it, the customer can tell whether you’re genuinely engaged and have done your research—or if you’ve simply copy and pasted generic language from past business proposals.

It’s also your first opportunity to convince a client to why they should continue reading your proposal. Considering the average team spends 32 hours writing a single RFP response , it’s critical that your proposal cover letter makes a good impression.

“This is the most important five paragraphs one can write as it’s the only part everyone will read. You must knock it out of the park or you’ll lose.”

What Should You Include in a Proposal Cover Letter?

Like any good cover letter, your proposal should open with a unique offer or positioning. It’s important to establish early on why your team is best suited to solve a client’s problem.

A strong proposal cover letter includes:

• A greeting : Introduce your company and what you do.
• Clear summary: Describe your value propositions at a high-level. Be sure to connect these points to your client’s needs. ( Also known as an executive summary. )
• Personalized offer: Explain to the client what you can uniquely provide to solve their problem.
• Relevant references: Help the prospect understand why they should choose you over competitors.
• Visuals: If you have a designer on your team, include visuals that help emphasize the most important content on this page. For example, use callout boxes to make value propositions stand out for busy procurement teams who are skimming the page.

From the offer you present, to the visuals you include, the details in your proposal cover letter should be all about the client. The goal is to show how your company shines before they even get into the details of your proposal. Demonstrate the qualities that you bring to this potential customer by starting out your relationship on the right foot.

Jon Williams, Managing Director of Strategic Proposals , shares the key points you should concisely hit to be successful.

“Thank the customer, show enthusiasm, demonstrate senior sponsorship, briefly introduce win themes–and then shut up and leave the rest to a brilliant exec summary!”

How to Write a Winning Proposal Cover Letter

From reading the RFP thoroughly, to outlining a clear offer, there are six critical steps that seasoned proposal professionals recommend you take to craft a quality cover letter. ( Psst…you can fast-track these steps by using AI for proposal writing . )

Step 1: Read the RFP Cover to Cover

This step seems obvious, but it’s surprising how many teams skip it. You must read the RFP thoroughly, from cover to cover, before beginning your letter.

While reading, take note of any recurring themes from your prospect. Perhaps they focus on quality of design and ease of use. Or maybe they emphasize needing certain functionalities or features—whatever the case, Kori Warriner of KCI Technologies recommends you consider the following questions as you read through the request for proposal:

Questions to consider:

• What is the client’s reason behind the project? (revitalization, aging infrastructure, etc.)
• ​​Where is the funding for the project coming from?
• Does the client have any hot-button issues regarding the project?
• What is the desired end-result?
• What would speak to the client? (retirement-friendly, aesthetics, budget, etc.)

“You need to make the client feel as though you are speaking directly to them.”

While questions may differ by industry, the idea remains the same. Reading the RFP thoroughly helps you better understand the problems your prospect is facing. Which in turn help you paint a clearer picture of how your company can support them.

(It can also help spark ideas for win themes, or specific language, that truly resonates with the prospect—more on that later.)

“Instead of saying ‘we are pleased’ or other overused statements such as that, I introduce my company, and then switch back to talking about what we can do to help the client reach their goals,” Kori explains.

Step 2: Capture Your Prospect’s Attention Early

Chances are, your prospect is extremely busy. They’re likely to skim your proposal cover letter—which is why you should focus on making it memorable. Use it to create a connection to your prospect and capture their attention early in the proposal.

In the structure of a proposal , the first paragraph is the best place to earn your reader’s attention, shares Senior Proposal Consultant Kelly Allen.

“Try to capture the reader in the first paragraph by relating to them in some way. If they are a current client, leverage your relationship. If not, demonstrate a clear understanding of what they need.” Kelly Allen, Senior Proposal Consultant, UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group)

Step 3: Use Clear, Competitive Win Themes

Once you identify their distinct needs, you can formulate which key themes need to be identified in your cover letter. Then, narrow it down to the most persuasive reasons that your prospect should choose your proposal over a competitor. Eileen Kent, President of Custom Keynotes, explains that these are also known as “ win themes ”.

Win themes should be based on what the customer told you they wanted. Position yourself as the one company that can deliver exactly what your prospect is looking for. To do this well, it’s essential that you also understand what your competition is doing.

Here’s how to brush up on what your competitors are offering:

• Review competitors’ websites
• Read competitors’ financial statements
• Look at review websites like G2 or Forrester reports including your competition
• Ask if clients are willing to share competitors’ past RFPs (You never know, unless you ask)

At this stage, you’ll want to focus on how you can stand out from the competition. Eileen also recommends acknowledging any elephants in the room. By that, she means anything that the client may consider your team’s weakness.

She recommends addressing weak points head on to leave a good impression, “The elephant in the room could be your business size. Address it by talking about how you formed a tight team who have exceeded performance expectations, and worked together for years, so they see that as a strength instead,” she explains.

Step 4: Provide a Personalized Offer

Now that you’ve grabbed your prospect’s attention, you need to maintain it. Do this by outlining clear benefits, which speak directly to their pain points in an enticing and clear way.

You should outline how your product will positively impact the buyer and identify what they will get out of your partnership.

“Choose the top 3-5 features of your solution and describe how they will benefit your customer in a single line. Be direct: Here’s what we offer. Here’s how it will solve your problem.”

Step 5: Use a Strong Closing Statement

Your closing statement should be concise, reiterate your capabilities, and highlight the value you deliver. But don’t forget that it’s also an opportunity to connect with your prospect through the proposal process.

“To build a connection, you have to ignore outdated writing advice and not be afraid to use real language” says Rebecca Baumgartner, Sr. Manager, Proposals, PFS .

“Whoever is reading your cover letter can immediately tell if you’re hiding behind jargon or parroting the language of the RFP because you don’t understand what they need,” she explains.

“But when you write authentically, you have the opportunity to show the client you’ve been listening.”

“A great cover letter isn’t stuffy or formal–it’s a conversation between real people, a chance to put aside the technical language of procurement and connect with the human being on the other side.”

Step 6: Add the Finishing Touches

When crafting your proposal cover letter, there are a few final checkpoints to leave your prospect with a good impression.

Graphics aren’t necessary for a proposal cover letter, but they can be helpful. For example: highlighting a quote from a customer in a different font, or using callout boxes to emphasize your key value propositions. Use visuals that help to emphasize your main points, not distract from them.

Here’s what Izane Cloete-Hamilton, CPP APMP, of nFold recommends.

• Use a company letterhead
• Address the letter to the individual specified in the RFP
• Sign the cover letter from a senior person at your company
• If the response is from a strategic partnership between two companies, use dual signatures
• Ensure your letter is no longer than one page

“Sign the proposal cover letter from the highest-level person with signature authority, preferably someone that the customer knows personally.”

Proposal Cover Letters (5 Real Templates)

Now that you know what steps to follow, it’s time to look at some real examples of business proposal cover letters. While you don’t want to copy a boilerplate letter, these templates may provide helpful guidance for your next proposal.

Here are the types of proposal cover letter examples you’ll see above:

• Real proposal cover letter example from a security company
• Example proposal cover letter for an amusement park
• Real proposal letter & executive summary from an enterprise design consultancy
• Winning cover letter example from KCI technologies
• Another proposal cover letter example from a security company

Looking for a sample grant proposal cover letter? Check out this article .

“Remember, your cover letter isn’t about you, it’s about your client. Let them know that you understand them. Then you can talk about how your company can solve their potential challenge.”

To make more time for writing winning proposal cover letters, you’ll need to make some efficiency gains in your overall RFP process. Start by setting your team up with a proposal software that can improve speed and collaboration amongst your team.

Take Aspen Medical for example. Their business development team started using Loopio’s proposal platform in October of 2019. Within a few short months, they were putting together proactive proposals in just 15-30 minutes and seeing a big return on investment (ROI).

In fact, a survey of 165 companies RFP ROI found that those who consistently use proposal software have achieved results of:

• 51% more RFP responses
• 42% less time spent answering proposal questions
• 85% of companies win more business

If you’re looking to improve the pace of your next proposal, try Loopio’s software.

Improve Your Proposal Writing 📝

Want to learn how to master your craft? Read more about proposal writing skills or how to craft a repeatable RFP response template .

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Mastering RFP and Proposal Cover Letters: Strategies and Templates

The article provides an extensive guide on creating effective RFP cover letters. It highlights the cover letter's importance as a first impression and as a summary that introduces your company and addresses the client's needs. Key elements of an effective cover letter are discussed, such as a strong opening, understanding of the client's problem, and a persuasive closing with a personalized touch. The article emphasizes customizing the cover letter for each RFP and showcasing your understanding and expertise. It concludes by advising the use of templates wisely and leveraging proposal management software like Arphie to streamline the RFP process.

Introduction to RFP Cover Letters

Understanding the importance.

An RFP (Request for Proposal) cover letter is more than a formality; it's your first opportunity to make an impression and set the tone for your proposal. It's a crucial component that can significantly influence the reader’s interest in your proposal.

Defining the Purpose

The cover letter serves as an executive summary, introducing your company and proposal, and highlighting how you specifically address the potential client's needs. It should encapsulate the essence of your proposal, drawing the reader into wanting to delve deeper into the full document.

Components of an Effective RFP Cover Letter

Structural elements.

The cover letter should begin with a strong opening sentence to grab the reader's attention. This is followed by a section that demonstrates your understanding of the client's problem, outlining your proposed solution. The cover letter should conclude with a persuasive closing, expressing your eagerness to discuss the proposal further and a courteous acknowledgment of the opportunity​​.

Key Details to Include

A successful cover letter should include a personalized greeting, a concise summary of your value proposition (akin to an executive summary), a tailored offer demonstrating your unique capabilities, relevant case studies or references, and visually engaging elements to highlight key points. It's important to ensure the content is client-focused, underscoring your alignment with their specific needs and objectives​​.

Strategies for Writing an Impactful Cover Letter

First impressions matter.

The opening of your cover letter is critical. It should be compelling, concise, and formulated to instantly capture the reader’s attention. Utilize powerful language and convey your unique value proposition succinctly.

Tailoring Your Approach

Customize your cover letter to mirror the tone and requirements of each RFP. This includes matching the language and terminology used by the potential client, addressing specific aspects of their RFP, and ensuring that any reused content is appropriately adapted to fit the current context​​.

Showcasing Understanding and Expertise

Demonstrate a deep comprehension of the client's problem or challenge and articulate how your proposal directly addresses these issues. This section should reflect your thorough research and understanding of the client’s needs, showing that your solution is not just effective but uniquely suited to them.

Concluding the Cover Letter Effectively

Creating a strong call-to-action.

End your cover letter with a clear call-to-action, inviting the client to engage further with your proposal. This could be an offer to discuss the proposal in more detail, address any queries they might have, or suggest a meeting to elaborate on your solutions.

Professional Closure

The signature on your cover letter should come from a high-level executive or someone with significant authority in your organization. This lends credibility and shows the client that your proposal is backed by senior leadership. Include contact details for professionalism and ease of communication.

Differentiating Your Cover Letter

Standing out from the competition.

Use your cover letter to differentiate your proposal from others. Highlight unique aspects of your solution and why your approach is more advantageous than others. This is where specific case studies or examples of past successes can be particularly effective.

Conciseness and Clarity

While detail is important, clarity and brevity are equally crucial. Avoid overloading the cover letter with excessive information. Instead, focus on clear, concise points that convey your message effectively and encourage the reader to explore the rest of your proposal in detail. If you're having trouble editing down your cover letter, consider using AI tools to help give you a great first draft to start with.

Leveraging Templates and Additional Resources

Using templates wisely.

Templates can be a great starting point, but it’s vital to customize them for each RFP. Use the structure provided by the template as a guideline, but fill it with content that is specifically tailored to the client and their RFP. Remember, the goal of the template is to provide a framework, not to offer a one-size-fits-all solution.

In conclusion, an RFP cover letter is a critical tool in your proposal writing arsenal. It's your chance to make a strong first impression and set the stage for your detailed proposal. By following these detailed strategies, you can craft cover letters that not only resonate with potential clients but also significantly increase your chances of winning RFP responses​​. Remember, the cover letter is not just an introduction; it's an opportunity to showcase your understanding, expertise, and the unique value you bring to the table.

Next Steps: Accelerate Your Proposal Development Process

To allocate more time for crafting impactful proposal cover letters, it's essential to streamline your overall RFP process.

Begin by equipping your team with proposal management software that enhances speed and fosters collaboration.

For those wanting to enhance the efficiency of their proposal processes with cutting-edge AI technology, trying out Arphie’s software could be a game-changer.

Arphie Team

Arphie's product and content marketing team.

Learn about the latest, cutting-edge AI research applied to RFPs and questionnaires, as well as practical tips and tricks to win more proposals.

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RFP Cover Letter: The Dos and Don’ts

Table of Contents

You’re not alone if you feel like completing RFPs is a never-ending process. Time, research and planning all take an organized effort from your team. There are myriad documents to assemble and requirements to meet. But, just when you think you’re finally finished, you may realize that you’re forgetting that all-important ‘first impression’: your RFP cover letter. Cover letters are often not on the list of the issuer’s requirements, so they’re easy to forget. Some people also feel uneasy writing cover letters because they’re so different, both in purpose and tone, from the rest of the bid. But, as with the icing on the cake, the cover letter tops off your information-full RFP with a personalized touch. 

Your RFP cover letter’s objectives are:

• To thank the company for the opportunity to bid.
• To provide a short explanation of who your company is.
• To quickly summarize why your company is qualified to meet the requirements of their RFP.

In this article, we share some notions of what to do (and what not to do) when writing your RFP cover letter. 

Do: Match Your Style to the RFP

As the cover letter is the first page of your RFP package, tailor the formatting to align with the issuer’s requirements. Issuers typically include a specific formatting guideline they ask responses to follow, including font and font sizes. For example, if the issuer requires the response to be in Times New Roman in 12-point font, implement the same into your cover letter. 

Don’t use any fonts meant for party invitations (i.e., Comic Sans, Scripts, or any that reflect handwriting). If the issuer does not list a requirement, select a font that’s clear, professional and easy to read (i.e., Roboto, Arial).

Don’t: Write a Lengthy RFP Cover Letter Introduction

Your response is filled with many pages detailing, defining and fulfilling a complete scope of work. The procurement manager will be spending all of their time reviewing and comparing your response to others with similar information. Don’t overburden the reader by writing a long, overly detailed cover letter. 

Rather, impress them with a quick, smart and to-the-point RFP cover letter not exceeding one page in length. Your team has put together the perfect set of responses to all of the questions of the RFP. So, leave that information to speak for itself within the remainder of the document.

Do: Follow All the Rules of Business Letter Formatting Etiquette

Although the RFP cover letter is an introduction to your fun and exciting team, this isn’t the place to go rogue by using perfume-infused paper. Rather, stick to proper business letter formatting . However, you may introduce a visual of your business logo using your letterhead. This also adds a pop of color to the sea of black-and-white information that follows.

We then recommend applying formalized business letter etiquette rules such as:

• Include the issuer’s business name, address and contact information.
• Insert the final date of when your response was completed.
• Address the letter to the key person at the organization who’s reviewing your bid. Don’t address your letter “To Whom It May Concern” or the like. If the RFP doesn’t list a contact person, take the extra step and contact the organization to ask for the contact name(s). This little bit of effort shows the reader that you’re invested in creating a relationship with them. As simple as it is, the person on the other end of the RFP will likely continue reading your full introduction letter.

Do: Be Compelling 

When writing RFP cover letters, it’s easy to come off as sounding impersonal or even repetitive. But don’t fall into this trap! Introduce your company’s compelling personality by directly engaging the customer.

Do follow these steps when crafting your letter:

• Thank the issuer for the opportunity to bid. But not right away! Avoid starting the opening line in your RFP cover letter using any “Thank you for…” statements. Instead, be creative and address a fact about your potential client. For example, “ Our team recognizes the impact DigitalSolutions Inc. made by upgrading the software solutions for the University of Neptune. “ Now, you’ve gained the attention of the reader. Because you’ve directly addressed a successful project they completed in the past, they’ll pay attention when you discuss continuing that success in the future.
• Reiterate the details of their RFP. Next, address their pain point(s). This should quickly sum up the details of their RFP and state that your business is prepared to resolve that need.
• Explain why your organization is qualified to respond. By now, you’ve done your homework on your potential client. So, use this part of the RFP cover letter to state why your team is uniquely situated to deliver solutions. Remember, it’s not a sales pitch; it’s an alignment pitch.
• Provide a short list of deliverables.  This should acknowledge your inclusion of their requested main requirements. Don’t get into too much detail.
• Close the cover letter. Close your RFP cover letter with a call to action. A simple sentence letting the team know that you’re happy to provide them with any additional information is usually a safe bet. Then finish with a handwritten signature. This small step is the sprinkle on the cake that tops off the total investment you put into the bid.

Final Thoughts

Remember, the RFP cover letter should be the icing on the cake, and you want the reader to enjoy it. And you should also enjoy creating it. After all, your team dedicated their hard work, time and resources to crafting a perfect response for that customer. Your company is more than just a black-and-white response; use this area to your advantage and convey your commitment and personality! Just know that the more you engage, the more memorable you’ll be.

You Don’t Have to Go It Alone

At The Bid Lab, we work with clients who don’t have the time, resources, or experience to manage, write and build their bids. So whether you’re still learning the RFP process basics, looking for the perfect RFP recipe , or trying to avoid making common mistakes , The Bid Lab has your back. (Yes, even if you’re looking for non-RFP ways to expand your business altogether.) After all, we’re experts on both sides of the equation. We know how to write an RFP and how to respond to an RFP. Bids and RFPs are our business – all day, every day! So reach out for a free consultation by calling 1-844-4BIDLAB or emailing [email protected].

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What To Include In Your RFP Cover Letter

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. The same is true when responding to request for proposal (RFP) opportunities. A successful RFP response establishes its tone immediately through a well-thought-out cover letter that provides a concise overview detailing to the reader exactly why your organization is best-suited to meet the issuer’s needs.  

An effective cover letter sets clear expectations for your proposal from the start, which makes a world of difference in the eyes of a reviewer. So, the question evidently becomes how can you ensure your proposal’s cover letter is as impactful as possible?

Here are our five tips for writing the perfect RFP cover letter:

1. Reuse previous content strategically.

When responding to multiple RFPs it is not uncommon to leverage standardized responses and templates. There is nothing inherently problematic about reusing content, as long as it is directly relevant to the bid at-hand. Problems present themselves when the writer neglects to tailor its cover letter response to the requesting organization. (There is arguably nothing worse than accidentally forgetting to omit the name of another organization in your cover letter.)

A few simple customizations (that you’ll read about below) can help establish your organization as a responsive bidder that pays close attention to detail.

2. Match your cover letter’s tone to that of the requesting organization.

If you’re responding to a potential government contract, you most likely want to keep things simple and straightforward. But, if you’re instead responding to an RFP from an innovative startup, some creativity through imagery and humor won’t hurt.

Imagine writing a letter to your mom. Now, imagine writing a letter to your best friend. Those letters are going to sound very different. They should. So should your RFP cover letters.

3. Include specific references to the opportunity for which you are applying.

Identify one or two unique characteristics about the requesting organization and incorporate them into your overview. For example, if the RFP involves work in a rural community, reference your organization’s specific experience driving progress in similar contexts. From there, focus on three or four key needs of your potential client. Explain how your team is uniquely situated to deliver solutions in these specific areas, and provide examples that demonstrate the positive impact your team can provide.

Trust us, the person reviewing your bid response wants to know that real thought and effort was applied. Investing energy into providing a few bespoke details in the cover letter will pay dividends for your entire proposal.

4. Address your letter to a specific contact person at the requesting organization.

More often than not, the person to whom you addressed the actual bid response is also the person reading said bid response. And, usually, that contact person has a role in the evaluation of the response itself, helping choose the winning entity. As you would with any letter, you should address the letter to that individual, not an entire organization or “whomever this may concern.”

5. Conclude the cover letter with a forward-looking call-to-action.

Express your willingness to discuss any aspect of your proposal in greater detail with the reviewer at any time. You may also offer to provide additional references or point them in the direction of collateral that will help them in their decision-making. For example, some organizations have informative websites that the issuing party may not know where to find given your mail-submitted RFP. If you have an impressive website, notable reference or a highly-publicized project, mentioning it off-the-bat in your cover letter gives you a leg-up on the competition. It also makes your response more memorable.

If you follow the tips above, your cover letter will provide an effective introduction to your proposal that is specific, concise, and intriguing. The remainder of your bid will expound the key points raised in the cover letter in more detail, but the objective of the cover letter is simply to prove your organization’s response is well worth a closer look. From there, your team will be in a great position to close the deal!

As an organization founded by proposal experts that help our clients on both sides of the RFP marketplace, we have a unique perspective on how successful cover letters are created, and reviewed. The Bid Lab helps businesses navigate the RFP process from inception to submission.

If your organization needs help ensuring its cover letter, or any other aspect of its RFP response, is as reflective of your team’s excellence as it can be, contact us now for a complimentary consultation . You can also learn more about our BidBuilder and BidManager or check out our case studies .

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RFP Cover Letter Tips and Best Practices

How to write an engaging rfp cover letter that grabs the reader's interest from the start is crucial in an rfp stand out..

Jasper Cooper

May 28, 2024

A compelling RFP (Request for Proposal) cover letter with a strong introduction can significantly influence the selection committee's perceptions and decisions, establishing a positive relationship from the outset. Imagine being the decision-maker at a company, swamped with proposals, each vying for the same opportunity.

Your cover letter must rise above, captivating interest immediately with well-crafted content, especially when responding to an RFP or any competitive bid proposal.

Presenting a tailored, concise, and clearly articulated snapshot of your capabilities in your cover letter will set the stage for success, ensuring your RFP response stands out.

Capture Attention Immediately

From the introduction of your cover letter, ensure your executive summary captures the evaluator's interest, highlighting your value proposition. This will make your letter memorable from the outset.

Be direct yet compelling in your cover letter; outline how your unique skills and approaches align perfectly with the project requirements outlined in the RFP, ensuring relevance and immediate engagement while building a strong relationship with the client. Use strong, persuasive language to convey confidence and competence.

Provide a “hook” that makes evaluators keen to read more.

Start with a Compelling Summary

Begin your RFP cover letter with an engaging executive summary that highlights your unique value proposition.

A strong summary articulates your strengths and aligns them with your client's needs.

This initial section should succinctly capture the essence of why you are the best choice, referencing your experience and specific capabilities that solve the client's challenges.

Briefly, yet powerfully, outline your vision and how it integrates with the project's goals—ensuring evaluators that you are aligned with their objectives right from the start.

Personalise for the Client

Tailor your RFP cover letter to reflect the client's specific needs and preferences, perhaps by using a well-designed template that showcases your in-depth understanding.

Refer to specific points in the client's RFP to demonstrate your attentiveness.

Highlight relevant experience that directly addresses the client's unique challenges.

Use the client's language or industry jargon to create a sense of familiarity and trust.

Mention past collaborations or projects that align with the client's sector.

Customisation shows your dedication and willingness to go the extra mile, particularly when it includes carefully selected visuals that resonate with the client's brand.

It can significantly increase your chances of standing out among other proposals.

Remember, personalisation is key to establishing a strong relationship and building trust.

Have your CEO Sign it

Having your CEO sign the cover letter adds authority and shows commitment from the highest level of your organisation.

Sign of Leadership : A CEO's signature reflects the firm's dedication and serious intent in pursuing the project.

Builds Trust : It reassures the client that the proposal is backed by top-tier management.

Indicates Priority : Demonstrates to the client that their project is of paramount importance.

Enhances Credibility : Bolsters the credibility of the proposal, underscoring the firm's professionalism.

A CEO's involvement can significantly impact the client's perception of your proposal.

This gesture conveys confidence and positions your firm as a dedicated and reliable partner.

Ultimately, it can differentiate your proposal in a competitive field.

Highlight Your Unique Value

Emphasising your unique value proposition is imperative for distinguishing your proposal in a crowded marketplace.

Identify your organisation’s key differentiators and how these elements address the client's specific needs and objectives. Showcase proprietary tools, industry expertise, and any unique methodologies that exemplify your commitment to innovation and excellence.

Utilising terms such as “exclusive technology” and “bespoke solutions” can vividly illustrate your unique value.

Showcase Relevant Experience

Relevant experience is vital when demonstrating your capability to meet the client’s needs effectively.

In 2016, we collaborated with a renowned publishing house, managing their rebranding campaign, which included digital and print media strategies. This project exemplified our ability to integrate multimedia elements cohesively.

Moreover, we’ve also worked closely with fintech companies, ensuring that their digital assets remained both secure and user-friendly. This experience has honed our skills in creating robust and compliant digital solutions.

Each success story is a testament to our team's expertise across different sectors, highlighting a versatile and adaptive approach. Such experience underscores our readiness to tackle your project with precision.

Our extensive portfolio showcases a diverse range of projects, ensuring confidence in our ability to deliver exceptional results.

Underline Key Achievements

Highlighting key achievements within your RFP cover letter communicates your capacity to deliver outstanding results for the client.

In one recent project, we increased a major retail client's online sales by 120% within six months, showcasing our proficiency in e-commerce strategy development and execution. This quantifiable success underscores our capability to drive significant business growth.

Additionally, our team played a pivotal role in developing a cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) app for a leading automotive company, enhancing user engagement and elevating the customer experience. This achievement reflects our commitment to innovative digital solutions.

By presenting such accomplishments, we demonstrate a proven track record of achieving high-impact results. These examples not only validate our expertise but also provide concrete assurances of our ability to meet and exceed the expectations outlined in your RFP.

Address Client's Needs

Firstly, it’s essential to precisely understand the client's specific requirements, as articulated in the RFP document. Tailoring your response to address these needs explicitly showcases your attentiveness and ability to provide a bespoke solution that caters uniquely to their business challenges.

For example, if the client prioritises "increased user engagement," incorporate detailed strategies on how your services are specifically engineered to meet this goal. Use case studies, past project experiences, and relevant metrics to underscore your solution's effectiveness. By aligning your capabilities directly with their requirements, the client sees a partner who isn’t just competent but also deeply committed to resolving their unique challenges.

Identify Pain Points

Identifying the pain points of the client is a critical step in crafting a compelling RFP response.

In 2016, Harvard Business Review published an article emphasising the importance of understanding client pain points, arguing that addressing these effectively can lead to more successful project outcomes.

So, it’s not just about telling the client how your solution works; it is imperative to demonstrate a deep understanding of the issues they face and how your expertise uniquely positions you to resolve them.

Consider the nuances of the industry they operate in, recognising that a tech firm's challenges may differ drastically from a retail company's hurdles. Conducting thorough research and analysis beforehand will enable you to customise your approach accordingly.

Understanding these challenges not only sets the foundation for a tailored solution but also establishes your credibility and readiness to provide exceptional value.

Provide Tailored Solutions

Tailoring solutions to meet the specific needs of the client underscores your commitment to delivering exceptional results that resonate deeply with their unique requirements.

Each client has distinct challenges that require bespoke adjustments to your standard offering.

Your RFP response should reflect a nuanced understanding of these challenges, underpinned by strategic modifications to your services or products that directly address the client's pain points, workflow, and objectives.

Demonstrating how your solutions are adaptable to their specific scenarios will establish your position as a valuable partner who is both flexible and insightful. By showing readiness to "go the extra mile," you communicate a dedication to client satisfaction that distinguishes your proposal from the rest.

Close with Confidence

Wrapping up a compelling RFP cover letter means reinforcing your key points and leaving a lasting impression about your commitment, capabilities, and enthusiasm for the project, ensuring that your submission is both memorable and impactful. This should encapsulate your unique value, reinforcing why you are the ideal choice for the client, backed by your experience, skills, and client-centric approach.

Finally, express your eagerness to discuss the proposal further, encouraging the client to reach out with questions or to schedule a meeting to explore the details in deeper context.

Call to Action

Encourage the client to take the next step by explicitly requesting a meeting or call to discuss the proposal further, ensuring ease of contact and clarity in your closing statement.

Emphasise that your team is ready to provide any additional information required.

Reassure the company of your ongoing support and prompt responsiveness, fostering a sense of collaboration right from the start. Show enthusiasm for the opportunity to work together, highlighting your dedication to achieving shared goals.

Your call to action should be compelling enough to motivate the client to choose you as their preferred partner. For example, you might conclude with, "We look forward to the opportunity to discuss how our solutions can exceed your expectations. Please feel free to contact us at your convenience to arrange a meeting."

Emphasise Next Steps

Clearly outlining the next steps provides clarity and encourages prompt action from the client.

Initiate Contact : Invite the client to schedule a meeting or call to discuss your proposal in detail.

Provide Additional Information : Assure the client that your team is ready to offer any further information they may require.

Align Expectations : Confirm the timeline and process for the next phases of the project.

Demonstrate Support : Emphasise your commitment to being responsive and available for any follow-up queries or assistance.

Communicate these steps concisely to ensure the client understands the expected progression.

This approach fosters a sense of partnership and cooperation from the outset.

By delineating the next steps, you establish a clear path forward that enhances mutual understanding and expedites the decision-making process.

Top 5 Cover Letter Tips

1: write down your win themes before starting.

Process for collecting Win Themes for an RFP:

Understand the Client's Needs : Review the RFP document to grasp the client's requirements, goals, and challenges. Identify both explicit and implicit needs.

Identify Your Strengths : Assess your organisation's strengths and past successes that align with the client's needs. Highlight what makes your approach, team, or solutions unique.

Analyse the Competition : Research competitors to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Determine how your proposal will stand out.

Find Points of Alignment : Match your strengths with the client’s needs. Highlight areas where your expertise directly addresses the client's objectives.

Formulate Clear Statements : Write concise win themes that encapsulate your unique selling points. Each theme should highlight a specific benefit or advantage.

Use Evidence and Examples : Support your win themes with data, case studies, or testimonials that demonstrate your past successes.

Focus on Benefits, Not Features : Emphasise the benefits the client will gain from your proposal. Explain how each win theme provides value and solves their problems.

Align with Evaluation Criteria : Ensure your win themes align with the RFP's evaluation criteria. Make it easy for the selection committee to see how your proposal meets their requirements.

Prioritise Your Win Themes : Highlight the most compelling and relevant win themes in your cover letter. Organise them in order of importance.

Seek Feedback and Refine : Get feedback from colleagues or mentors. Refine your win themes to ensure clarity, impact, and alignment with the client's priorities.

Once created, use these to decide exactly what needs to be included in the RFP Cover Letter.

2. Integrate Compelling Graphics

Bringing in graphics such as current customer logos can significantly enhance your RFP cover letter by visually demonstrating your industry connections and credibility. Here's how to effectively integrate these elements:

Header and Footer Branding

Incorporate your organisation's logo and branding elements into the header and footer of your RFP cover letter. This establishes immediate brand recognition and creates a professional appearance.

Showcase Customer Logos

Highlight Reputable Clients : Include logos of well-known clients within a dedicated section or throughout the cover letter. This visual cue reinforces your experience and instils confidence in potential clients by aligning you with recognised brands.

Strategically Placed Logos : Place client logos near relevant sections of your cover letter. For example, if you mention a successful project with a prominent client, embedding their logo nearby can reinforce the success story visually.

Use High-Quality Images

Ensure that all graphics, including client logos, are high-resolution and professionally presented. Poor-quality images can detract from your proposal’s overall impression.

Visual Case Studies

Create visual elements like infographics or charts that illustrate key achievements you've accomplished with other clients. This not only adds a visual appeal but also clearly communicates your successes.

Consistency in Design

Maintain a consistent design theme throughout your cover letter. Use complementary colours, uniform styles, and alignments for your graphics to ensure a cohesive and polished look.

Add Captions or Context

Provide brief captions or context for each logo or graphic. Explain the nature of your work or partnership with the client, highlighting the relevance of the showcased logos to the current proposal.

By thoughtfully incorporating graphics and logos of current customers into your RFP cover letter, you can create a visually engaging and persuasive document that underscores your expertise and strengthens your proposal.

3. Tailor Your Cover Letter to the Specific Client

Personalise the Introduction

Address the client by name and mention specific details about their organisation or project to show that you have done your homework and are genuinely interested in their needs.

Focus on the Client’s Goals

Highlight how your proposal aligns with the client's strategic goals and objectives. Show that you understand their vision and are committed to helping them achieve it.

Use Client-Specific Language

Incorporate terminology and language that resonates with the client's industry and specific challenges. This demonstrates your familiarity with their environment and needs.

Address Their Pain Points

Identify and directly address the client's pain points and how your solutions can alleviate these issues. Provide clear, tailored solutions that speak directly to their concerns.

Demonstrate Understanding of Their Market

Show your understanding of the client's market conditions, competitors, and trends. Tailoring your message in this way demonstrates that you are not offering a generic solution but a well-thought-out proposal designed for their unique situation.

4. Showcase Your Team’s Expertise

Introduce Key Team Members

Highlight the key individuals who will be working on the project. Include their roles, expertise, and relevant experience to reassure the client that your team has the necessary skills and knowledge.

Provide Biographies

Include brief biographies of your team members, focusing on their professional backgrounds, key achievements, and specific expertise related to the project.

Highlight Relevant Experience

mphasise past projects or experiences that are particularly relevant to the client's needs. Highlight any successes or innovations your team has delivered in similar contexts.

Demonstrate Team Collaboration

Explain how your team works together to deliver successful projects. Highlight your collaborative processes and any tools or methodologies you use to ensure effective teamwork and project management.

Use Testimonials and Endorsements

Include testimonials or endorsements from previous clients that specifically mention the expertise and effectiveness of your team. This third-party validation can significantly boost your credibility.

5. Provide a Clear and Compelling Value Proposition

Articulate Your Unique Selling Points

Clearly state what sets your organisation apart from competitors. Emphasise unique capabilities, innovative solutions, or proprietary technologies that give you an edge.

Quantify the Benefits

Use specific numbers and metrics to quantify the benefits of your proposal. For example, mention potential cost savings, efficiency improvements, or expected ROI.

Focus on Tangible Outcomes

Describe the tangible outcomes the client can expect from your proposal. Whether it’s increased productivity, reduced risk, or enhanced customer satisfaction, make it clear what they will gain.

Show Long-Term Value

Explain how your solutions will provide value not just in the short term, but also over the long term. Highlight your commitment to ongoing support and continuous improvement.

Include a Call to Action

End your cover letter with a clear call to action. Encourage the client to take the next step, whether it’s scheduling a meeting, signing a contract, or requesting a demo. Make it easy for them to move forward with you.

By following these additional tips, you can craft a compelling RFP cover letter that resonates with the client, showcases your strengths, and clearly communicates the value you bring to the table.

Further reading

Jason Cooper

RFX Demystified: Insight into RFI, RFQ, RFP, RFT and etc.

RFP Automation Software 2024 Overview

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6 easy tips to write a killer RFP response cover letter

After weeks of work, you’ve finally put the finishing touches on your request for proposal (RFP) response. The proposal is a product of the hours you invested customizing past content, collaborating with subject matter experts, and refining your messaging.

Because of your efforts, the proposal is a masterpiece ⁠— creative, comprehensive and compelling. Consequently, you’re feeling confident. After all, your company  should  win this business — you’ve earned it. Now, there’s only one thing left to do … slap a proposal cover letter on top, submit it and move on to the next RFP.

But wait. Not so fast! When was the last time you read your boilerplate RFP cover letter? Like, actually read it. If you’re like many others, it’s been a while. Unfortunately, that means you might not be putting your best foot forward.

So, before you send off that RFP response, let’s take a closer look at your proposal cover letter and be sure it accurately represents your proposal. With a couple easy tips and a quick review, your cover letter will send just the right message.

In this post, we’ll explore what a proposal cover sheet is and why it matters. Then, I’ll explain what a cover letter includes, how to write a proposal cover letter, and a few sample RFP cover letters. Finally, I’ll share a proposal cover letter template you can download and customize to get a head start.

What is a proposal cover letter?

Why a well-written cover letter matters, parts of a proposal, components of a cover letter.

• What your RFP cover letter should do
• Six tips to writing a better RFP cover letter
• 3 common mistakes to avoid

RFP cover letter template

Proposal cover letter examples.

• Helpful response resources

A proposal cover letter is a single-page letter addressed to a prospective customer containing high-level information from a prospective vendor. The letter precedes an accompanying RFP response or business proposal.

Alternative names for the proposal cover letter include RFP response cover letter, bid proposal cover letter, RFP cover page, cover page for business proposal, and other similar variations. No matter what it’s called, the cover letter is your chance to introduce your business and offer to a potential new customer. As such, you need to make it count.

The proposal cover letter is an oft-overlooked sales tool. Indeed, it’s a zero-cost way to get your message directly to the people who decide whether or not your proposal wins. Furthermore, the RFP cover letter takes very little time to compose and offers you one more way to stand out from your competitors.

If you’re like most businesses, your cover letter can probably be summarized like this: “Dear Mr. or Ms. Company ⁠— Thank you so much for this opportunity. Included in this proposal you will find our answers that meet the requested specifications. Thank you for your consideration.” 

While common, this isn’t a terribly compelling way to introduce yourself to a new customer that could help you grow your business. Your RFP cover letter provides a first impression to the proposal evaluators and decision makers reviewing your proposal.

Think of it this way: If you were going to present your proposal in person, how would you greet the buyer? You’d probably wear your best suit, walk confidently, put on a warm smile and share a confident handshake to make a memorable introduction. It should be the same with your proposal cover letter. Unfortunately, if your letter is anything like the example above, it’s like showing up in sweatpants and offering an unenthusiastic, mumbled greeting.

The RFP cover letter can also be used to:

• Create or deepen the connection between you and your buyer
• Reinforce your brand, values and expertise
• Promote your key differentiators
• Establish primary points of contact

No matter how you use the RFP cover letter and what you put in it, remember that the person receiving it is just that ⁠— a person. The quality of your bid proposal cover letter determines whether they read it carefully, skim it quickly, or ignore it completely. Generally, proposal cover letters are memorable either because they are embarrassingly bad or extraordinarily good. Make your cover letter memorable for the right reasons.

Proposal cover letter basics

The RFP cover letter should be included as a normal part of every proposal, but it’s just one component. Indeed, most proposals also include a number of other elements that will generally appear in a specific order.

• Cover letter
• Exe cutive summary
• Terms and conditions
• Supporting documentation (case studies, references and additional data)

As the first element of your proposal, the cover letter is bound to be seen by a lot of people. So, it’s important to make sure it is the best possible representation of your company. But, how do you decide what to say? One of the biggest challenges when writing an RFP response letter is how to keep it short while also making an impact ⁠— remember, your cover letter should fit on a single page. To help you craft your message, focus on these five elements.

One of the biggest challenges when writing an RFP response letter is how to keep it short while also making an impact ⁠— remember, your cover letter should fit on a single page. To help you craft your message, focus on these five elements.

• Greeting and introduction
• Summary of RFP needs
• Your broad qualifications and differentiators
• Thank you and closing

Your RFP cover letter should…

• Be the first page of your RFP response followed by your executive summary and proposal
• Introduce your company to the buyer’s key decision-makers and any others reviewing or scoring your bid
• Be conversational, genuine and confident ⁠— but it shouldn’t be an overt sales pitch
• Offer an overview of your understanding of the company’s needs
• Clearly state why your business is uniquely qualified to win the RFP opportunity
• If possible, express your vision for the future partnership and how you can help the business reach its goals
• Follow the customer’s instructions if they ask you to include specific information in the cover letter

What’s the difference between a cover letter and an executive summary?

When building formal RFP responses, this question comes up a lot. What is the difference between a cover letter and an executive summary? The confusion is understandable as the two documents share a lot of similarities. They are both short, introductory documents that precede your proposal. 

The primary distinction is that a proposal cover letter is an introduction to your company while the executive summary is an overview of your offer for a specific project.

In addition, the cover letter should almost always fit on a single page while the executive summary may be two or three pages if necessary. Admittedly, the difference is subtle. While the contents may seem to naturally overlap, try to avoid repetition and ensure that each document provides unique information.

Beyond the basics: Six tips to writing a better RFP cover letter

1. address it to the right people.

Who is going to review your proposal? If you don’t already know, find out. Get in touch with the RFP contact and ask for the names of the key contacts who will weigh in on the decision. This may be a committee of people or a combination of procurement professionals, stakeholders and executives. 

If you start your RFP response letter with the standard “To whom it may concern” salutation, you’re blending in and sending a message. Unfortunately, this approach communicates that you couldn’t be bothered to update your cover letter template, didn’t do your homework, and don’t really care that much about winning the business. It certainly doesn’t reflect the hours of time you’ve likely invested creating the proposal that follows.

By specifically addressing the proposal cover letter to the key contacts, you make a quick connection and instantly improve the chances that they’ll actually read the bid proposal cover letter and your subsequent proposal. This attention to detail reinforces the idea that not only are you a good fit based on your qualifications, but you’re also invested in developing deeper relationships. You’re in it to be a strategic partner, not just another vendor. 

2. Keep it fresh and be human

Put yourself in your recipient’s shoes ⁠— You’ve just received dozens of proposals from vendors who more or less provide the same type of services. You are starting to sift through RFP responses that are admittedly, probably pretty dry. The initial review checking for proposal compliance is time-consuming, highly repetitive and gets old quick. 

So, if a cover letter starts with something like, “Thank you for the opportunity to earn your business,” it’s just adding to the tedium. It’s a classic and well-worn opening line. While it’s good to be humble and grateful, it’s far better to be unique and memorable.

APMP’s Winning the Business said, 

“… never start a cover letter with ‘thank you.’ It’s boring, and almost everyone does it. This seemingly respectful thank you does not help your organization to stand out or inspire your reader to keep reading.” 

The article goes on to recommend starting with something specific and complimentary about the business. This opener accomplishes two things; it quickly shows that this is no ordinary copy-and-paste proposal cover letter while reinforcing that you did your homework and recognize the business’s goals.

In an increasingly automated and efficient world, it’s easy to forget about the people behind the process. Even if you use RFP software to quickly complete the RFP itself, the RFP cover letter offers a rare opportunity to be human and genuine. 

3. Use formatting to catch their eye

Your cover letter only helps you win the business if it actually gets read by the right people. Just like using the perfect proposal format , the right cover letter format invites the reader to engage. So, make sure your cover letter is clean, visually appealing, approachable and not too dense. Remember that you’re trying to make an impression, not dive into every detail of your proposal.

Because your cover letter only uses one page, you have to be smart about how you use the space. There are three main places where you have the best chance to hook the reader: the first sentence, the center of the page and the closing. 

Opening Nothing catches your eye like your own name. So, as suggested above, address the letter directly to the evaluator(s). Then, include the buyer’s company name in a unique and impactful opening sentence. 

Center Make the most of the center of your RFP response letter using bullet points. Draw the eye directly to your biggest differentiators without specifically calling out your competitors. Include what you excel at like customer support, on-time delivery, cutting-edge features, value adds, scalability, customer growth and so on.

Closing Use the final line to move the deal forward. Offer the prospect a clear and direct call to action (see tip six for more information and an example). For example, provide details about how they can move forward with you, request the information you need to speed up contracting, or share what comes next in the process. 

If you can engage a reader in any one of these areas, they are far more likely to take the time to read your entire cover letter. Ideally, it’s intriguing enough that they continue on to check out your executive summary and proposal as well.

4. Tell a tale and express your understanding

Have a success story with a similar client that could boost your credibility? Tell it, but be brief. Share how a partnership has been mutually rewarding, how you’ve delivered a great customer experience or how you’ve been able to proactively solve problems. This reinforces your understanding of their business and goals.

In addition to telling a story, you can use your proposal cover letter to express your understanding of their pain. Every RFP starts with a need, and you received the RFP because the company believes you can meet that need. So, consider building on that foundation.

The relationship between buyers and sellers is evolving. More and more, businesses are looking for a long-term partner, someone who will actively find opportunities to create wins for both parties. RFP issuers want value but they also want a vendor that is invested in their success.

5. Stay true to your brand

Your company was included in the bid process for a reason, so stay true to the persona, culture, values and tone of your brand. Just because the RFP process is formal, doesn’t mean your RFP cover letter has to be. If your company prides itself on being down-to-earth, use that style in all of your communications. 

A cover letter shouldn’t be a lengthy essay, but it should demonstrate that you understand the prospect and their needs. Include “we” statements that hint at common goals. For example, “We believe our XYZ application will play an instrumental role in partnering with you to implement phase two of automating routine customer service processes, freeing your team to focus on reducing churn rates.”

Make sure that the tone of your cover letter accurately represents your brand and builds on the relationship you’ve cultivated. Don’t confuse your prospect by approaching them as if they were a stranger or in an unrecognizable style.

6. Close with a call to action, contact information and an actual signature

While the cover letter should be friendly, relatable and genuine; it’s also still a part of the sale. As with any good sales communication, state what you want them to do next and who they can contact to follow up. 

Wrap up your RFP cover letter with a call to action like:

• Please reach out with any questions you may have
• We’re eager to show you more ⁠— when we can schedule a demo with your team?
• Let me know if I can put you in touch with another customer for a reference
• To accelerate the contracting process, please send your standard terms and conditions

And the final element in a winning RFP cover letter is an actual signature (either handwritten or digital). It may not seem like a big deal, but it’s a nice touch and one last way to show your investment in winning the RFP opportunity.

Who signs the proposal cover letter?

Notice I didn’t title this section, “Who writes the proposal cover letter?” The person who writes it and the person who signs it may not be one and the same.

If your proposal team is fortunate enough to have a dedicated writer, then have them write the letter based on input from the frontline sales rep. Whoever writes the letter must be fully informed of response strategy and have intimate knowledge of the proposal and executive summary. Strategy, voice and style need to be consistent across all documents (cover letter, executive summary and proposal).

Who signs it depends on a variety of factors. In most cases, the frontline sales rep will sign the proposal cover letter. They have the relationship, own the strategy, and likely conducted the discovery that informed the proposal. However, it’s not uncommon for an executive sponsor such as a VP of sales to sign. The thinking being that executive reviewers may appreciate seeing a proposal that’s been vetted by a fellow executive.

There are also those cases when the executive of executives, the CEO, signs the letter. There are two common scenarios for this play. One, the RFP may be large enough to represent a significant percentage of a respondent’s annual revenue. Two, the responding organization is concerned with appearing relatively small, and in an effort to improve its stature, seals the proposal with a CEO’s signature.

There’s definitely some gamesmanship at play here. Even so, the name on the letter will never overshadow the content of the proposal.

3 common mistakes to avoid in your RFP cover letter

• Avoid repeating anything from the executive summary or proposal. Those documents need to live on their own, just like the proposal cover letter.
• Don’t waste space with your resume. Something like this … Responsive’s growing list of 1,800+ clients, including 65+ Fortune 500 organizations, continue to take advantage of our one-of-a-kind unlimited user licensing model, expanding their usage on the platform to scale organizational success. With Responsive as their team’s support system, every day they break down silos by facilitating collaboration and efficiency in their RFX response process  … is boilerplate that can appear elsewhere in the proposal or not at all, given that it’s likely available to the issuer on your corporate website.
• If a broker is involved, thank them too. The proposal cover letter is also an opportunity to directly address the issuer. This can be particularly valuable when a broker is involved. Some issuers rely on RFP brokers to sift through responses to make sure only the best possible solutions get serious consideration. Ignore these brokers at your peril. While the response and executive summary will address the issuer and the problem at hand, the cover letter is where you can give a nod to the broker.

Even for seasoned proposal professionals, it’s a challenge to start a brand new bid proposal cover letter from scratch, so below you’ll find an example. Hopefully, it will give you a head start on your next great RFP response. 

Ready to start crafting your own RFP cover letter in this style? Check out this RFP cover letter template that follows all the best practices covered above. You’ll also find helpful instructions in the template so you can quickly customize it to meet your needs.

Sample proposal letter – FedEx to State of Utah

If you only look at one other RFP cover letter sample, make it this one. This sample cover letter and accompanying proposal from FedEx is one of our favorites. Indeed, this request for proposal cover letter follows all the best practices. It includes:

• A specific addressee
• An engaging opening line
• Excellent formatting and bullet points
• A statement of experience
• Simple, but recognizable branding
• A real signature

Sample proposal cover letter – Insight Public Sector to Education Service Center (ESCO)

This proposal cover letter example introduces Insight Public Sector’s response to ESCO’s RFP for technology software, equipment, services and solutions. The letter fits on a single page, reaffirms the company’s qualifications, and uses colorful bullet points to draw the eye to the company’s primary differentiators.

Proposal transmittal letter example – SunPower/GSRP for Town of Nantucket

The RFP response letter focuses on the experience and financial stability of the two vendors partnering to win the business. In addition, the letter confirms the company’s ability to meet the specific qualifications set forth in the RFP for solar PV development for onsite energy generation.

RFP response cover letter sample – ISITE Design for Health Level Seven

Guide to writing an executive summary

Do you know the difference between the executive summary and your RFP cover letter? Learn more in this blog that explores how to write an executive summary that stands out. 

Your personal guide to writing a winning executive summary

• Bids and tenders: Best practices and process
• Understanding AI RFP software
• How to choose a proposal management solution

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Find out why leading response teams across the world turn to Responsive for their Strategic Response Management and RFP software needs.

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4 Steps: How to Compose a Request for Proposal Cover Letter

Blog » Blog , Proposal Elements

Writing a proposal cover letter is an excellent way to stand out from the competition. If your proposal is well-written and professionally presented, it can help you get the attention of evaluators and decision-makers at your target company. With Expedience Software’s proposal writing software , writing a proposal cover letter is a simple and straightforward process. Read along to learn more about strategies for writing compelling and engaging proposal cover letters.

What is a Proposal Cover Letter?

But what exactly is a proposal cover letter? A proposal cover letter is an introductory letter to your company that accompanies your RFP response or business proposal.

A proposal cover letter is a single-page document for a prospective customer that provides high-level information from a prospective vendor. The cover letter is read by the same individuals who decide if you will be awarded the business and is considered a sales tool to differentiate your company from the competitors. The proposal cover letter provides the first impression to decision-makers and is a vehicle to reinforce your brand and expertise.

Why is a Proposal Cover Letter Important?

A proposal cover letter is an opportunity for you to introduce yourself and your company to a prospect. The letter should also show that you’re genuinely interested in their business.

The proposal cover letter is your first impression on your potential client. And it’s not just any impression—it’s the one that determines whether or not they’ll keep reading your proposal.

A proposal cover letter should be very concise, on a single page, and focus on:

• A message of greeting and introduction to your organization
• Summary of the prospect’s needs outlined in the issuer’s RFP
• The unique qualifiers and differentiators your company brings to the project
• A closing salutation and thank you message

A proposal cover letter is an opportunity to highlight your expertise, offer an understanding of the prospect’s needs, and state why your company has the qualifications to win the opportunity.

4 Steps To Writing A Proposal Cover Letter

As you begin writing a proposal cover letter , it’s important to remember that your goal is to get the person reading it interested in what you have to say. You want to show them that you can do the job and convince them they should hire your organization.

Writing a proposal cover letter can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be. If you want to write a winning proposal cover letter, here are some tips on what to include and how to format it:

1. Address the Cover Letter to Key Stakeholders in the Decision Making

The first step to writing a proposal cover letter is understanding who you are writing it for. If you do not know the individuals involved in the decision-making, make it your business to find out. Contact the issuer of the RFP and find out the names of the key contacts making the decision. This will ensure the cover letter will be read along with the proposal to follow and helps establish relationships early on.

2. Keep the Introductory Statement focused on the prospect

Take the positive step to differentiate your company by offering a complimentary statement about the prospect company. As the decision-makers continue their process, this can make you stand out in the crowd and may give your company an advantage for further consideration as the RFP or Proposal response review phase comes into play.

3. A Perfectly Formatted Cover Letter is Essential

Be sure to use proper formatting to engage the reader. You want the letter to be easily read in a clean and appealing format. Open with a meaningful statement about the prospect company and direct the opening to the decision-makers. Include key differentiators about your company in the body of the letter. Finally, close with precise details about how the prospect company can engage with you further. Tell them who to contact and what the next steps will be. Always conclude the cover letter with a handwritten signature.

4. Provide Trust Signals to Add Credibility

Give a brief description of a similar success story with a client. Showcase how your company has partnered with the organization to solve problems for mutual benefit. This is also an opportunity to show that your company is interested in understanding its needs and pains as a potential partner going forward.

Why Sign the Proposal Cover Letter?

As mentioned, you should always conclude the proposal cover letter with an actual signature. This last step of personalization will convey your company’s desire to win the business. It also provides specific contact details for the review team as a point of contact for future reference.

Expedience Software Proposal Writing Software

Are you looking to write better proposals? If so, Expedience Software may be the solution for you. With Expedience Software’s Proposal Writing Software, you can create dynamic and persuasive proposals that win the business.

Expedience Software is an automated software application that helps you write better proposals. At Expedience, we understand the importance of producing polished, professional proposals. Our content library, which houses your proposal content, can contain anything that can be inserted into a Word document, including images, tables, charts, and videos. The content can be saved in the library with the formatting completely intact, saving countless hours of formatting and reformatting for the final proposal document.

Expedience has many resources to get you started writing better proposals and proposal cover letters. Our Proposal Writing Software offers everything you need to write the perfect proposal and proposal cover letter. Expedience Software is easy to use and fully integrated across the Microsoft Office suite.

With Expedience, writing proposals will be faster, easier, and more consistent across your proposal and sales teams. You’ll eliminate many time-consuming administrative proposal efforts and gain time where it matters – to customize the proposal at hand. With Expedience Software, you can create winning proposals in no time at all. Contact us to request a free demo !

Free Automated SOW Template For Microsoft Word

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31 min read

September 21, 2019

RFP: The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Request for Proposal

Challenges of the RFP process

The biggest mistake companies make in the rfp process, our rfp template: how to write an rfp the smart way, 1. company and business overview, 2. project scope, 3. team and metrics, 4. new project requirements, rfp deliverables.

We really empathize with where you are right now. You’re about to kick off an incredibly important, and expensive, process at your company by sending out a request for proposal, or RFP.

You’re sending out an RFP because you need help figuring something out. But, by definition, you aren’t the person to solve it, so how can you write the RFP?

Most standard RFPs are crap and you’re here because you don’t want to write the standard RFP.

Most standard RFPs are also long, legalistic documents that show how big organizations struggle to hire creative agencies and partners.

Your RFP will be the start of an ongoing conversation, not a standalone statement. It needs to set the right tone for the kind of conversation you want to have. Ultimately, it’s about relationships and finding the right partner.

The RFP process raises a lot of challenges that, no matter how awesome you are, you’re bound to run into. Let’s first identify a few of them, and then we’ll address how to solve them.

Most of the RFPs that go out from big companies are extremely impersonal.  However, the work is going to to be extremely personal.

Ultimately, it’s about relationships and finding the right partner.

The goal of this guide is to help you engineer the RFP process so that it not only reveals who the best agency is to meet your needs, but also the relationship that’s best for both your company and your vendor’s.

Prescriptive

In the RFP process, you’re looking for a partner that will guide you in the right direction and tell you what you what to do, leveraging their technical and creative expertise.  When your RFP is overly specific with deliverables, it doesn’t tap into any of your potential partner’s expertise and boxes them in with potential solutions.

RFPs should be problem-driven, not solution driven .  For example, in giving our designers feedback, we would give them the problem with the design, not the solution.  By asking a question (“What else do you think could be done here?”) and not simply emailing them a stock image for the homepage background, we get creative, non-obvious results.

Narrow RFPs lead to both you and your partner doing a box-checking exercise.

Here’s what an overly prescriptive RFP looks like:

We want a mobile-friendly, responsive, 8-page WordPress website that includes the following:

• PPC Landing Page

We want no more than four plugins and the site must load in under 2 seconds. The overall layout should look just like https://cliquestudios.com .

Sending out an RFP that is cookie-cutter will get responses from cookie-cutter and box-checker agencies.  That’s why you won’t find any completely “fill in the blank” template in this guide.

So what then? Are you supposed to leave things incredibly open-ended?

Actually, no.

Going the opposite direction and making things too vague cause you to fall into one of the biggest pitfalls of the RFP process.

Things tend to go haywire when conversations stay high level for too long. High-level conversations are great at the outset of the project, but not in the RFP.

Simply put, you can’t request specific details that are needed to ensure a successful project when you keep things high-level for too long. The way we fix that is by focusing on the timeline and what will happen during the course of the design / development process.

RFP includes information about the entire company, but no bios on who is actually going to work on the project.

RFP includes detailed information about the team that will be working on the project, just like the RFP responses from vendor agencies will.  This starts to establish a relationship and improves the responses you receive.

RFP includes a bullet point list of integrations that they’ll need to use.

Not all integrations are equal. One could take ten minutes and another fifty hours.  Instead of just a high-level bullet point list, inquire to the potential partners whether or not they’ve done a Salesforce web to API before, how many times they’ve done it, and request links to that work.

The more granular, the better.  Building on the last example using integrations, mention in the RFP that you’re reviewing skills around integrations and want to look at their team’s skills around them.  Let them know that you want the best team and master of every integration isn’t a requirement.  You just want to know their experience and comfort.  This will help vendors to acknowledge that you’re unique and also gauge whether they’re aspirationally responding (claiming they can do everything or do work they’ve never done), or whether they’re an honest agency worthy of partnering with.

If conversations stay high-level, everybody responding can copy and paste a bunch of standard responses – if my RFP asks how long has your company been in business, the cost, your process, etc. everybody who responds is just going to copy and paste, put a number on it, and hope it goes through.

Creating an RFP that finds the right partner and right relationship for your company’s project is both art and science.

RFP template overview

Let’s talk about the science first.  Since most of our experience comes from working with RFPs related to web design, development and marketing, that’s what we’ll focus on in terms of examples, but you’ll find these principles still apply to all RFPs.

Here is an RFP template of must-have sections:

Competitors

• Customer Segments
• Customer Insights
• Current State
• Future State
• Advertising
• Products / Services
• Website Navigation

Requirements

Design ui / ux, accessibility.

• Third Party Integrations

Functionalities

• RFP Deliverables
• Criteria Selection
• Attached Document

But it’s not just about having these items—it’s what goes into them that matters most.  Each section not only allows your potential partners to learn about you, but also affords the opportunity for you to demonstrate that you, too, are aware of them, making you somebody worth partnering with.

Here’s how these “must-have” sections break down:

This section of the RFP is going to give context to everything else you do going forward.  It helps project managers (PMs) contextualize every decision made throughout the process, so the better the partner agency understands you and your business, the better the project result.

Including items like revenue, clients / customers / users, and all other metrics that would apply to raising capital are applicable here.

If your company has multiple products or brands, this is a great place to differentiate what sets them apart from one another in your marketplace and how that will relate to the overall project.

Laying out the competitive landscape from the start allows your partner agency to more deeply understand your category and why users are (or are not) choosing you.  If you compete in multiple markets, attach a document to your RFP organized by location that list competitors and how you compare.

Consider listing other competitors outside of your category, as well.  For example: Basecamp’s number one competitor isn’t other project management software, it’s e-mail.

Customer segments

Some of the best breakdowns that we’ve seen are demographic data and % of revenue.

Additionally, making note of your sales cycle (peak times of the year) as well as items like user churn are incredibly valuable for your partner agency to know.

If they respond well (and they will, because you’re putting equal time into your RFP), they’ll address possible solutions for things you may not even be asking for.  This information helps them get there.

Customer insights

Remember, the more context you can provide up front, the better.  This starts with why your customers hire your service, app, or product, and what job it does for them (see more: jobs to be done)..

Also include how often they come back to your business and how they hire you: do they come in through the website, phone, or sales calls?

One of the most beneficial customer insights are your customer personas.   Elaborating on your top three customer personas will be extremely valuable for your potential partner.  If the goal of your project is to attract new customer personas or appeal to a new audience, include that here as well.

Any way that the partner agency can get a better feel for your customers is important.  This could be links to your Yelp (or other aggregator) profiles, searching your social media accounts, or even branded hashtags that your customers use.

The second major section of an RFP is the project scope. The best RFPs kick this off with a reminder of why you’re doing the project (brand re-design, new product, etc.)

Current state

For whatever problem your project is looking to solve, how do you solve that problem now? What were the goals when that project or process was initiated?

The more your can share with your potential partner, the better (you’ll hear us say that a lot), so include various platforms or engines that power your business (payments, tickets, support, etc.) as well.

Future state

Without being prescriptive, paint a picture of what you’d like the end result to be as defined by the problem that it will solve for you.

Don’t only say: We want a website that looks like A and does B in these specific ways.

A better starting point for your future state might be: We want X outcomes and we think that a website that looks like A and does B might be a good start, but we’re looking for you to give us your take on that.

This is one of the few times that it’s okay to keep things high level.

Look and feel

Often, there will be specific brand guidelines, such as brand colors and fonts. These are very helpful to include in an RFP.

The key to this section is to not elaborate further.  Anything beyond that becomes prescriptive and really limits your potential partners and what they might come up with.

The best RFPs we’ve seen have varied goals that are outlined clearly, whether it’s marketing, hiring, acquiring users, user interface, sales, scalability, raising another round of funding, acquisition, etc.

The goal with goals (…ha) is to speak with clarity.  It’s a challenge to your prospective partner to answer these questions thoughtfully and exhaustively.

For example, an RFP for a small legal firm looking for a website might have a goal that looks like the following:

Good: Grow our team.

Better: Double our team size.

Best: Double the size of our firm, adding seven new veteran attorneys by the end of the year.

Clearly defined goals also tell your potential partner that you know what you’re doing.  An RFP is an interview that works both ways and both sides want to work with a professional. A good agency is going to be grading you, as well.

Another item that can be included under goals is how the project will influence other parts of your business, such as paid acquisition, SEO, app usage,etc.

The best RFP “Goals” sections explain that your company has a problem, and a new platform that needs to be built. We want the platform to solve these ten things and we want an active engaged partner to guide us through that process.

Laying out early on who the decision-makers are in this process is helpful for a potential partner.

Transparency builds trust and trust builds relationships.  By arming them with with a level of honesty regarding the fact that this is a partnership, not a dictatorship.  Both sides will have teams and timelines to manage so the sooner we can show respect for our potential partner’s time, the better our project result.

Digital advertising

A rundown of your current digital marketing efforts: Facebook, Influencer Marketing, Instagram, PPC (google, bing), Display, Referrals / Affiliates

Current metrics

A quick note referencing the goals listed above in ‘current state’ Metrics for the past year that include:

• Visitors – users and sessions
• Traffic Channels – organic, ppc, referral, direct, email, social
• Bounce Rate – broken down by device
• % of traffic by device
• % of sales by device
• % of leads by device
• Top 5 (non-branded) organic search keywords

If the design is for an app or saas company, also include the following metrics:

• Retention Rate
• Daily Active Users (DAU)
• Monthly Active Users (MAU)
• Sessions per DAU
• Stickiness ← Prioritize this
• Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
• Lifetime Value (LTV)
• Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)
• Average Revenue Per Paying User (ARPPU)

Without being overly prescriptive, you need to lay out what our new project will be able to do and how it will work within your existing system.  Use these points to ask questions of your potential partner and open a conversation around them, versus telling your future partner what widget to put where.

Products / services

List the products and services you offer, and to whom.

Website navigation

This is a section that often trips up companies like yours because it becomes overly prescriptive with specific requirements for header navigation, footer requirements, and calls to action.  This is the work that you’re hiring a partner to solve for you, so let them solve it.

Content Management System (CMS) requirements

Provide as much context as possible for the question you’re about to ask: What CMS should we use?  Give your potential partner agency the current CMS that you’re using, as well as the limitations and benefits you find with it.

Here’s what that looks like:

Too vague: The CMS should be intuitive and user friendly.

Too specific: The CMS should have the ability to add custom-designed social share buttons.

Perfect: We need to be able to add images and include alt text.

Will you be migrating content from a past website or creating it fresh?  Is that content going to be created by you prior to launch or post-launch? Or do you need someone to help create it? Outside the world of web design and development, are you migrating existing databases of information or previous versions of your product?  Do considerations need to be made for how that will look in the next CMS?

Don’t be afraid to ask for something challenging in your project  We receive RFPs all the time that ask for a super-fast website, with tons of movement, video, and a slew of other things that conflict with one another.

But that pushes us and it helps the company sending out the RFP (like you) see who asks smart questions and who comes in having checked all of the boxes and tells you that they can “do it all.”

Remember, the more intentional your RFP is, the better partner you’ll attract to your project.

Another great section to ask questions is in the SEO section (for a web design RFP).  Let the potential partner know that, given what you’ve already proposed, you’re looking for their expertise in this area.

Accessibility is often something that’s often inserted as a matter of law, versus a matter of priority. In 2017, Kmart, McDonald’s and others settled lawsuits over website and app accessibility .

If it isn’t a priority, the law quickly reminds us to make it one: in the first eight months of 2017, 432 lawsuits were filed over website accessibility.

“As of the 2010 census, one in five Americans have a disability, and one in ten people have a disability that directly impacts their computer use. That’s 56.7 million people! This is a huge portion of our potential users, and we have an ethical duty to help all people who will use the technology we create.” – Fen Slattery

Instead of requiring the website meet “ADA standards” or some other vague guideline, consider asking your potential partner how they’d include those standards in their work.

Accessibility depends on what you’re making and who you’re making it for. For example, if you’re creating a medical database, there are legal requirements you need to meet.

If you’re an education startup working with public school to adopt what you’re creating, there are strict legal requirements you have to follow to attain federal funding.

Are you going to require that your partner meets certain accessibility guidelines? In general, if you aren’t a company with an obvious legal requirement just to sell the product, give you potential partner agency the guidelines you’d like them to follow.

Most firms don’t guarantee legal compliance, and while that doesn’t make them bad people, you need to vet whether or not they know anything about accessibility or if they’re giving you the “we can do it all” response.

Do you have particular accessibility legal requirements? List them.

Particular sets of guidelines (such as the WCAG)? Include them.

Have a specific accessibility conformance level? Say that.

Depending on the level of accessibility you require (such as Single A versus Triple A), the workload can change drastically. It matters a lot for your potential partner.

Instead of waiting to answer questions about it later, use the RFP to let your future partner know why you have requirements for accessibility.

Note: This should be done through consultation with your own legal advisor or advisor through your partner agency, not us. We are not lawyers.  But, we do take accessibility serious on our website designs .

If you require a database to be created or configured, what will you need it to do?  What will it be used for under optimum conditions?  What flexibility may be needed in the future?

Providing a list of sites that you find to be inspiring and interesting for various reasons is helpful, but this list would be most helpful when presented with a thought process of “As our partner, what would you think about this?” versus “This is what we want. Make this.”

Third party integrations

What third-party integrations are you currently using in your system?  Are there any that you would like to see utilized in the new project? Use this section to ask questions about a vendor’s comfort level and experience, noting that expertise in all integrations is not a requirement. If it sounds like it is, vendors will claim they’re experts at everything. They never are.

What functionality will your project absolutely have?  For example, if you’re a theater, visitors must be able to purchase tickets and select their seats.  If your project is an application that allows visitors to reserve parking spaces in cities, they must be able to view available spaces in real-time on a map, select the location, reserve it and pay for it within the app.

Additionally, are you open to re-thinking how these things work together?  If you are, note that in your RFP that you’d like to leverage your partner’s expertise and see their recommendations on how things could be done better.  Many agencies, like ours, have in-house marketing and UI/UX teams that come together on web design and development projects for projects that require them.

If you’re like us, there’s a good chance you’ve done your homework and have a million things you’d love to have included on your new project.

You’ve seen them somewhere in another app or on another website and you think it’d be great to have them on yours.  The “optional” section of an RFP is perfect for items such as:

• Promotion countdown timers
• Popups for promotions
• Widgets that pull data from other websites (aggregators, social, etc.)

This is where you can let your hopes and dreams for the project shine, or at least get them out in the open for your partner to think about.  The more honest you are here, the better proposals you’ll receive.

List out what security functionalities you currently have in place and what you would like to implement in the future state of the project.  For example: will the site require an SSL certificate, how often will the site need to be updated for plugins, and how often do backups need to be run?

List who you currently use for hosting and inquire about how to improve your contract with your current host (if you have one).  What requirements do you have for uptime and page load time?  Are you open to changing your hosting service based on your partner’s recommendation?

Your “Timing” section of the RFP will include everything a potential partner needs to know about what to send to you and when to send it.

When is the closing date for receipt of all tenders? When will the partner agency be chosen and when would you like the project to be completed by?

Project-related RFP deliverables

Some of the best RFPs ask for details around the specific phases, milestones, deliverables, and outcomes at each milestone.  Additionally, the partner agency would supply the time and cost of each.  Let your potential partner know that you prefer more detail in the response and those will be looked at favorably versus a high-level overview.

Let your potential partner know that you’re open to questions and to submit what they’ll need to know before moving forward.

We can’t understate how important it is to ask participants to provide details for the queries you’ve mentioned in your RFP.  It shows their willingness to read an RFP that you’ve crafted and shows they aren’t “box-checkers” or “copy/paste” agencies that send out replies to RFPs en masse.

Where possible, assess vendors’ capabilities on specific tasks for your project.

For example: “We’re using salesforce for this, hubspot for that, and have five different integrations.  Do a self-evaluation on your experience level with that and provide any links to relevant examples of your work with those.”

What we want most as a deliverable here is their recommendations.  Sometimes, things have to be done a certain way (your whole company is using Salesforce, with a 200+ person team, and you have to use Salesforce), but otherwise it should be very open-ended.

Firm-related RFP deliverables

Many RFPs fall short here because they ask the same questions as every other RFP, such as:

• What makes you unique?
• What experience do you have related to our project?
• What are your services?
• Do you have a case study we can see?
• Who will work on this project?

These are generic, but important, questions so please ask them, but also consider asking more so that the agency can’t copy and paste what they’ve supplied to every other RFP in the past.

• What’s something you believe that some of your contemporaries might disagree with?
• What experience do you have that is most representative of what you’ll do here?
• What risks do you feel are present that we haven’t addressed as part of this RFP?

What we need to discover here is why they care about this opportunity in particular—is this just another proposal as a part of an automated process or do they actually want this project and care about your collective success?

6. Criteria selection

Proposal time and process

How will the potential partners submit their responses?  The best way we’ve seen this done is providing the email address to send their responses to and what to put in the subject line (again: can they follow directions or are they copy/pasters?).

How long after the deadline will you move forward with in-person presentations?

Again, you’re listing out your team that will be working on the project along with their associated roles.

How do I know who to send my RFP to?

Now that you’ve completed your RFP, how do you know who to send it to?

I’ll give you a hint: it’s not Googling.

Mistake 1: Googling to find RFP vendors

In fact, that’s the biggest mistake that companies make when putting together their RFP.  Unless you’re hiring an SEO company where their Google rank might be correlated with the ability to get you results, Google’s algorithm has nothing to do with how successful they’ll be on your project.

Mistake 2: going with the big dogs

Too many big companies think that because they’re big, they need to go with the same team that other big companies use.

In the same vein, many startups fall into the trap of raising a significant round of money, feeling on top of the world, and going with “the biggest and the best” in every area they can, flying through their newly-funded capital with reduced discernment.

Setting yourself up for success on your project has infinitely more to do with how you qualify who you send your RFP to than it does with how big a potential partner’s name is.

Mistake 3: sending out your RFP to too many suppliers

The thinking that “more is better” makes sense at first glance.  Why send your RFP to four suppliers when you could send it to forty? With forty, you get a much better standpoint on the baseline cost and capabilities, right?

Yes, but you’ve forgotten to consider the opportunity cost and informational overwhelm of having to effectively evaluate forty proposals.  If you estimate that roughly 90 minutes should be spent evaluating each proposal, the time and effort adds up quickly.

The result is that none of the proposals get reviewed properly, often getting skimmed or evaluated based on the estimate pricing at the end of the proposal.

This hurts both your relationship with the suppliers and your reputation in your industry.

If you evaluate them correctly, you won’t need to send your RFP out to more than five or six suppliers.  As the project becomes less complex and/or less expensive, that number goes down to two or three potential partners (the fewest we’d recommend).

Who to send your RFP to

It’s with all three of these mistakes in mind that we recommend doing research ahead of time and targeting your RFP to digital partners that are likely to return the best responses.

By properly vetting your candidates ahead of time using the criteria below, you’ll save your company 50%-75% of the hours you would have wasted on evaluation later on.

Every potential partner that you reach out to needs to be two things:

1. Fully qualified

Who does your board and/or mentors recommend? Can they refer you to another company that they’ve worked with that might be able to make recommendations?

Social proof – This includes awards, case studies they’ve produced , current portfolio, client testimonials and past clients.

Thought leaders – Is the agency a leader in their space?  Do they have prolific team members that are also influencers in their respective fields?  Often, this is a great indicator of how supportive the agency is of pushing boundaries and remaining on the cutting edge.

Values – Does the agency have a published list of their values ( we do )?  Do they appear to adhere to those values as you’ve seen them lived out in their work?

Relationships – How much are they into putting in the work?  Do their past clients still recommend them after the project has finished?  Have they continued to work with the same clients over and over throughout the years?

Process – You’ll be speaking with your partner every day for the next 6+ months across phone, text, email, conference calls, etc.  Are they good communicators?  Are they good writers and do they value teaching others? Are you going to enjoy communicating with them, and learning from them during the process?

Skill – At the end of the day, we’re all making similar things, whether it be apps or websites.  It takes a high-level of skill to execute on your upcoming project so, while this may seem like the most important factor going into an RFP submission process, working with a mad genius with high technical skills often just results in madness.

2. Acceptable

If you ask every person on your team, given the current information they have, whether or not each agency would be acceptable should they win the RFP, does any single person answer negatively or seem unsure?  If so, recognize this as a big red flag.  From the outset, every single agency receiving the RFP should be acceptable should they submit a winning proposal.

Tip: One of the best ways to pre-qualify potential partners is to send out a quick email to their teams, letting them know you’re putting together an RFP with a brief project overview and asking them if they’re interested in receiving it.  If they don’t reply, you know they aren’t a fit for you.

How to choose who to send your RFP to

You’ve dedicated the time to creating an incredible RFP, procured a team dedicated to vetting the proposals, and researched your potential partners. Next, make sure you have a rubric of your values and goals for this project to help make decisions based on the team’s vision rather than personal preferences.

Remember, a good digital partner is going to put a lot of work into their response, so they may choose not to respond at all if they feel the request isn’t genuine.

You’re choosing a partner you’ll talk to most days for the next six months. Know what they stand for and believe in, how they work, and why they’re the best, in addition to references and making sure they’re trustworthy.

At Clique, growth has come from being open and honest about when a project is not a good fit for us because there’s a lot of great companies that do what we do, but when it’s a fit, we make sure the company knows why.

RFP process timeline

Create a process (including the rubric) for selecting a vendor and stick to it. Make sure the vendors stick to it. Lateness and sloppiness is indicative of problems down the road.  Here’s a few checkpoints that we’d recommend in your selection process (this should all happen within 30 days, start to finish):

• Send emails to 7 vendors via a shortlist asking if they’d be interested in receiving the RFP. Let them know when the RFP will go out and when you need to know their “intent to respond” by.
• Send out the RFP to those who reply by the date provided.
• Answer all questions in a document sent to all possible partners.
• Receive proposals
• Conduct phone calls to talk it through (60 minutes minimum)
• Narrow down to 3 vendors.
• Conduct phone calls with vendors.
• Narrow down to 2 for in-person presentations.

Your RFP sets the tone for your project

With few exceptions, how the proposal process goes will be how the project goes.

How the company operates during the proposal will be indicative of how they operate during the project (on both sides). If your team members seem disinterested and aloof during the pre-RFP process, they probably shouldn’t be a part of the RFP.  Likewise, this is true for potential partners as well.

No matter how great a company’s work is, nothing is worth losing the time, money, and stress of a project gone awry from a bad project relationship.

The ultimate leverage is not being desperate. If you have any other questions about your RFP, get in touch . We’d love to help. Here’s a few more bonuses to get you going. Consider it access to our personal swipe file.

RFP email invitation sample

Dear VENDOR, You have been invited to participate in the RFP for PROJECT.

Purpose <Include a brief overview of your project’s goals as you currently see them.>

Eligibility <Include details of what type of partner agency you are looking for and why you have chosen to send the invitation to this specific agency.>

Letter of intent format The letter is limited to NUMBER pages, plus the cover sheet.  Please adhere to the following questions: <Compose a list of questions and required information from the potential partner agency.>

The letter of intent must be received by TIME on DATE.  Submit via email to ADDRESS and place “SUBJECT” in the subject line.  Email attachment must be PDF file. Please also attach the cover letter.  A confirmation email will be sent to your designated contact upon receipt of your Letter of Intent. Please contact STAFF at PHONE NUMBER if you have submitted a Letter of Intent and do not receive confirmation by DATE.

Review and notification Our committee will review the letters of intent. Applicants selected to submit a full proposal will be notified by DATE.  All applicants invited to submit a full proposal by DATE.  Full proposals will be due to US by DATE at TIME.  Please be advised that both Letters of Intent and proposals are non-binding.

<Insert your RFP timeline>

RFP email cover letter

Your request for proposal (RFP) cover letter should accompany your official RFP document.

Why do we need a cover letter to say the same thing our RFP says?  You’ve already received an “intent to respond” from your potential partners and your cover letter gives you a chance to, once again, reiterate the importance and overview of your RFP process timeline.

Here’s a brief rundown of what to include in your cover letter:

• Invite the potential partner agency to submit a proposal based on the requirements in the attached RFP
• Include a brief description of your company along with its goals, objectives, business model, location, and link to your website
• Describe your current state (the problem you are looking to solve), your project and how you see the project as meeting your business objectives listed above.
• Present the overall RFP and project timeline.  Staying really granular on timelines and deliverables is going to make or break the success of your project.  Highlight the major events and due dates so there are no unforeseen delays.
• When and how to submit pre-proposal questions and how the answers will be delivered.
• Specify the requirements for the proposal (structure, format, electronic versions, number of copies) as well as where they are to be delivered and by when.
• An estimated timeframe should be provided for the project’s contract award

Time is money and the more time that you can save in this process, the better.  Avoiding undue delays by clearly and effectively communicating your timeline helps to guarantee that your selection process timeframe and budget remains accurate.

One of the biggest mistakes we’ve seen is companies expecting to receive items on the days they ask them to be submitted, even if they are submitted digitally.  Always allow for a reasonable amount of time between submission and receipt deadlines.

Have your entire team read and re-read the cover letter to ensure that a prospective partner understands where and how to submit items based on your clear instructions.  Also, be very clear within your team who will be receiving what items and when.

Finally thank the person for their interest in your project.  They’re going to put in a lot of work and make a financial commitment to their proposal, and so are you.  Beyond receiving their letter of intent, the cover letter kicks that relationship off on the right foot.

Obviously, consult your legal team for further information on areas that can best leverage their expertise. We’re a bright, talented, and extremely hard working web design agency , not a legal firm.

Here’s what that cover letter might look like:

Dear NAME, You have been invited to submit a proposal for PROJECT in accordance with the attached request for proposal (RFP). <Company description, goals, objectives, business model, location and link to your website> <Current state – the problem you’re looking to solve> <Future state – how you see the project solving your problem and business objectives> <RFP Timeline Including all dates and times> <RFP structure and format details> NAME will be the single point of contact for all inquiries and correspondences.  Please contact him/her at EMAIL and PHONE. Thank you for your time, effort, and interest in working with COMPANY on PROJECT. NAME TITLE COMPLETE ADDRESS PHONE / FAX EMAIL

RFP process flow chart

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Sample Letter Hub

Rfp Cover Letter To Vendors

By Mubashir

May 27, 2024

An RFP cover letter to vendors is a document that accompanies a request for proposal (RFP) and provides an overview of the project, the vendor’s qualifications, and the vendor’s proposal. The purpose of the cover letter is to introduce the vendor to the project and to persuade the project team to select the vendor’s proposal.

In this article, we will share templates, examples, and samples of RFP cover letters to vendors. These resources will help you to write a compelling cover letter that will increase your chances of winning the project.

The templates, examples, and samples in this article are designed to be easy to use and customize. Simply choose the template that best fits your needs, and then fill in the blanks with your own information. You can also use the examples and samples as inspiration for writing your own cover letter.

RFP Cover Letter to Vendors

Dear [Vendor Name],

We are writing to express our interest in your recent Request for Proposal (RFP) for [project name]. We have carefully reviewed the RFP and believe that our company has the expertise and experience to successfully deliver on the project’s requirements.

Our company has a proven track record of delivering high-quality solutions in the [industry] industry. We have a team of experienced professionals who are dedicated to providing our clients with the best possible service. We are confident that we can meet or exceed your expectations for this project.

We have attached our proposal for your review. In our proposal, we have outlined our understanding of the project requirements, our proposed solution, and our pricing. We believe that our proposal represents a competitive and cost-effective solution for your needs.

We would be happy to meet with you to discuss our proposal in more detail. Please let us know when you would be available.

Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely, [Your Name]

How to Write an RFP Cover Letter to Vendors

Introduction.

A well-written RFP cover letter can make all the difference in whether or not your company is selected to submit a proposal. The cover letter is your opportunity to introduce your company, highlight your qualifications, and explain why you are the best choice for the job.

What to Include in Your Cover Letter

Your RFP cover letter should include the following information:

• Your company’s name and contact information
• The name and title of the person you are addressing
• A brief introduction of your company
• A statement of your qualifications
• An explanation of why you are the best choice for the job
• A call to action

How to Write a Strong Cover Letter

Here are some tips for writing a strong RFP cover letter:

• Keep it brief. Your cover letter should be no more than one page long.
• Use clear and concise language.
• Highlight your most relevant qualifications.
• Explain why you are the best choice for the job.
• Proofread your cover letter carefully before submitting it.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when writing an RFP cover letter:

• Using jargon or technical terms that the reader may not understand.
• Making unsubstantiated claims.
• Being too vague or general.
• Failing to proofread your cover letter.

A well-written RFP cover letter can help you stand out from the competition and increase your chances of being selected to submit a proposal. By following the tips in this article, you can write a cover letter that will make a positive impression on the reader.

FAQs about Rfp Cover Letter To Vendors

What is an rfp cover letter.

An RFP cover letter is a document that accompanies a request for proposal (RFP) and provides additional information about the company and its needs. It is an opportunity to introduce your company, explain your qualifications, and highlight why you are the best choice for the project.

What are the key elements of an RFP cover letter?

The key elements of an RFP cover letter include:

• A summary of your experience

How can I write an effective RFP cover letter?

To write an effective RFP cover letter, follow these tips:

• Keep it brief and to the point.
• Use strong action verbs.
• Proofread carefully before submitting.

What are some common mistakes to avoid in an RFP cover letter?

Some common mistakes to avoid in an RFP cover letter include:

• Using too much jargon
• Making unsubstantiated claims
• Being overly salesy
• Not proofreading carefully

How can I increase my chances of winning an RFP?

To increase your chances of winning an RFP, follow these tips:

• Submit a high-quality proposal.
• Follow the instructions carefully.
• Meet the deadline.
• Network with the decision-makers.

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Download your cover letter template

Stand out from your competitors with our rfp cover letter template.

Your RFP Cover Letter is the first thing that the contracting authority will read when looking at your proposal. You only get one opportunity to make a good first impression, so you better make it count.

Complete this form to download the template:

Why download the template.

Our template is designed to help you win contracts.  You can adjust the design, personalizing the branding for your business, and adding in the relevant information according to your RFP.

Our dedicated  RFP Cover Letter blog  contains useful tips and advice on making a lasting impression, helping you stand out from your competitors.

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Our Bid Writing Consultants have over 60 years of collective bidding experience.  Our capabilities include RFP writing for local, municipal, state, and federal government solicitations. We are also well versed in writing bids for private sector contracts. Our services have helped to secure over $3billion for our 1,000+ clients across the globe.

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Mastering the RFP Request for Proposal Process: A Comprehensive Guide for Businesses

Navigating the world of business procurement can be daunting, especially when it comes to securing the right services or products. One essential tool that organizations rely on is the Request for Proposal (RFP). This formal document outlines project requirements and invites vendors to submit bids, ensuring a competitive and transparent selection process.

Understanding the intricacies of crafting an effective RFP can make or break a project. From clearly defining objectives to evaluating vendor responses, mastering the RFP process helps organizations find the best fit for their needs. Dive into this guide to uncover the key elements of a successful RFP and boost your procurement strategy.

Table of Contents

Understanding RFP Request for Proposal

A Request for Proposal (RFP) is a formal document used in procurement to solicit proposals from potential vendors. It outlines project requirements and seeks solutions that address specific needs. Organizations craft RFPs to ensure they receive competitive bids and select the best vendor for their project.

Key Components of an RFP

Project Overview Describes the project’s scope, objectives, and goals. It provides a high-level summary to help vendors understand the project context.

Requirements Lists the technical, functional, or business needs that proposals must address. Clear requirements ensure vendors propose solutions that meet the organization’s needs.

Submission Guidelines Details how and when vendors should submit their proposals. It includes deadlines, contact information, and any required formats or templates.

Evaluation Criteria Specifies the criteria used to assess proposals. Organizations often consider factors like cost, experience, technical capability, and project timeline.

Contract Terms Outlines key contract terms and conditions. It includes payment terms, deliverables, and any legal requirements or compliance standards.

Types of RFPs

Open RFP Available to any vendor interested in bidding. Encourages competition and can lead to a broader range of solutions.

Closed RFP Restricted to a select group of pre-qualified vendors. Ensures proposals come from vendors with proven expertise and capability.

Benefits of Using an RFP

Encourages Competition By seeking proposals from multiple vendors, an RFP fosters competition, helping organizations get the best value.

Ensures Transparency Provides a structured process where specific criteria and deadlines ensure all proposals are evaluated fairly.

Aligns Expectations Clarifies project requirements, objectives, and deliverables, ensuring both parties have aligned expectations.

Reduces Risk Helps identify potential risks and challenges early in the procurement process through detailed requirements and vendor proposals.

Common RFP Mistakes

Unclear Requirements Ambiguity can lead to proposals that don’t meet needs. Clear, concise requirements are essential.

Unrealistic Timelines Overly tight deadlines can reduce the quality of proposals. Allow adequate time for vendors to prepare comprehensive responses.

Ignoring Vendor Questions Address vendor questions promptly. Unresolved queries can lead to misunderstood requirements and unsuitable proposals.

Inadequate Evaluation Criteria Failure to establish robust criteria can result in a suboptimal vendor selection. Comprehensive criteria ensure a fair and thorough evaluation process.

An effective RFP process not only attracts high-quality vendors but also ensures the best possible project outcomes.

Importance of RFPs in Business

RFPs play a vital role in business procurement. They facilitate the selection of the best vendors while ensuring project requirements are met.

Why Businesses Use RFPs

Businesses use RFPs to outline specific project needs and invite competitive bids from potential vendors. With an RFP, companies can clearly define the scope, timeline, and budget of a project. RFPs enable organizations to compare various proposals objectively, ensuring that the chosen vendor aligns with project goals. Additionally, using RFPs helps maintain transparency in the selection process, which can foster trust and accountability with stakeholders.

Key Benefits of a Well-Structured RFP

A well-structured RFP brings several advantages to businesses, enhancing the effectiveness of the procurement process.

Encourages Competition: By inviting multiple vendors to bid, businesses can evaluate a range of options and select the most suitable one. For instance, this competition can lead to cost savings and better service quality.

Ensures Transparency: Detailed RFPs ensure all stakeholders understand the selection criteria and project expectations, reducing potential conflicts. This clarity helps prevent misunderstandings and builds trust.

Aligns Expectations: By clearly defining project requirements, businesses and vendors are on the same page from the start. Both parties can avoid deviations from the project scope, ensuring smooth execution.

Reduces Risk: Well-prepared RFPs minimize uncertainties by specifying all necessary details. This precision helps vendors provide accurate bids and reduces the risk of project delays and cost overruns.

Utilizing RFPs effectively enhances procurement strategies and ensures successful project outcomes.

Essential Components of an RFP

An effective RFP outlines vital elements to ensure clarity and competitiveness in the procurement process. Below are the essential components of an RFP.

Cover Letter

A cover letter introduces the RFP and provides a summary of the key details. It includes the project title, issuance date, and contact information. The letter should briefly discuss the purpose of the RFP and invite vendors to submit their proposals. It sets the stage for the document and establishes the tone.

Project Overview

The project overview section gives a general introduction to the project. It outlines the project’s primary objectives and the problem it aims to solve. This section helps vendors understand the project’s broad context and its overall significance to the issuing organization.

Scope of Work

The scope of work defines the project’s specific tasks and deliverables. It details the work to be performed, including timelines, milestones, and responsibilities. Clear specifications in this section ensure vendors understand their roles and what is expected from them.

Proposal Requirements

Proposal requirements outline what vendors should include in their submissions. It specifies documentation, format guidelines, and any mandatory data points. This section ensures consistency across proposals, making it easier to compare and evaluate responses.

Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation criteria explain how the proposals will be assessed. It details the specific metrics or qualifications the selection committee will use. Common criteria include experience, cost, technical capabilities, and past performance. Clear criteria guide vendors on what aspects to emphasize and help ensure objective evaluation.

How to Write an Effective RFP

Crafting an effective RFP is vital for successful project procurement. Clear objectives, detailed descriptions, timelines, and legal and financial conditions ensure the best vendor responses.

Defining Objectives Clearly

An effective RFP starts with well-defined objectives. These should outline what the organization aims to achieve through the project. Specific goals help vendors understand the project’s purpose and align their proposals accordingly. Without clear objectives, responses may lack relevance and cohesion.

Providing Detailed Descriptions

Detailed descriptions of the project are essential. These descriptions should cover project scope, tasks, deliverables, and any specific methodologies or technologies required. For example, if a software development project is planned, specify platform preferences and integration needs. Detailed descriptions enable vendors to provide accurate and comprehensive proposals.

Establishing Clear Timelines

Timelines are crucial in RFPs. They define key milestones, deliverable dates, and project completion deadlines. Clear timelines ensure vendors commit to realistic schedules and help prevent project delays. If any phases or iterative reviews are involved, these should be included in the timeline section.

Including Critical Legal and Financial Conditions

RFPs must include critical legal and financial conditions. Legal conditions might cover confidentiality agreements, intellectual property rights, and dispute resolution. Financial conditions should address budget constraints, payment schedules, and contract terms. Including these elements ensures compliance and secures the project’s financial and legal integrity.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in RFPs

Understanding common pitfalls in RFPs can help organizations improve their procurement processes and achieve better project outcomes.

Vague Requirements

Vague requirements often lead to confusion among vendors. Detailed project specifications provide clarity and enable vendors to deliver precise proposals. When requirements lack detail, vendors may misinterpret project needs, resulting in proposals that don’t align with the organization’s objectives.

Unrealistic Timelines

Unrealistic timelines hinder both proposal preparation and project execution. Establishing reasonable deadlines ensures vendors have sufficient time to develop thorough and accurate responses. Tight schedules may compromise the quality of submissions, leading to suboptimal vendor selection and project delays.

Ignoring Vendor Questions

Ignoring vendor questions can undermine the effectiveness of the RFP process. Addressing inquiries promptly and comprehensively provides vendors with the necessary information to tailor their proposals effectively. Failing to respond to questions may result in incomplete or misaligned proposals, reducing the quality of bidder responses.

Every entity within an RFP serves a purpose. Clear requirements, realistic timelines, and responsive communication enhance the RFP’s efficacy, fostering a competitive and transparent vendor selection process.

Reviewing and Scoring Proposals

Organizations must review and score proposals meticulously to ensure fair and objective vendor selection. This process involves creating a review committee and using scoring rubrics and evaluation sheets to assess submissions.

Creating a Review Committee

Assemble a diverse review committee to provide varied perspectives on the proposals. Include stakeholders from different departments, such as project management, finance, and procurement, to ensure comprehensive evaluations. Each member should possess relevant expertise to assess the proposals accurately. The committee’s diversity helps mitigate biases and enables balanced decision-making.

Scoring Rubrics and Evaluation Sheets

Use scoring rubrics and evaluation sheets to standardize proposal reviews. Scoring rubrics should include criteria like technical capability, cost, experience, and alignment with project objectives. Assign numeric values to each criterion for quantifiable assessments. Evaluation sheets should have sections for scoring, comments, and overall recommendations. These tools promote consistent evaluations across all proposals, ensuring a transparent and fair process.

Mastering the RFP process is essential for any organization aiming to enhance its procurement strategies. A well-crafted RFP encourages competition, ensures transparency, and aligns expectations, ultimately reducing project risks. By defining clear objectives, detailed project descriptions, and realistic timelines, businesses can attract high-quality vendors and secure the best project outcomes.

Avoiding common mistakes such as vague requirements and ignoring vendor questions further strengthens the RFP process. Meticulous evaluation using scoring rubrics and diverse review committees ensures fair and objective vendor selection. Embracing these best practices will undoubtedly lead to more successful and efficient procurement projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an rfp.

An RFP, or Request for Proposal, is a document used by businesses to outline project requirements and invite vendor bids. It details the project’s scope, objectives, and criteria for evaluation to facilitate a competitive selection process.

Why is an RFP important in business procurement?

An RFP is crucial as it defines the project scope, timeline, and budget, allowing for an objective comparison of proposals. It promotes competition, ensures transparency, aligns expectations, and reduces project-related risks.

What are the key components of an RFP?

Key components of an RFP include a cover letter, project overview, scope of work, proposal requirements, evaluation criteria, and contract terms. These elements provide a clear framework for vendors to follow when submitting their proposals.

How can organizations benefit from a well-structured RFP?

A well-structured RFP fosters competition, ensures transparency in the selection process, aligns expectations between the business and vendors, and minimizes risks by clearly defining the project’s requirements and evaluation criteria.

What are some common mistakes to avoid in an RFP?

Common mistakes include unclear requirements, unrealistic timelines, ignoring vendor questions, and inadequate evaluation criteria. These can lead to confusion, poor-quality proposals, and ineffective project execution.

How should an RFP be structured to ensure detailed vendor responses?

An RFP should have clear objectives, detailed project descriptions, established timelines, and critical legal and financial conditions. This ensures vendors understand the project fully and can submit comprehensive, accurate proposals.

What is the difference between open and closed RFPs?

Open RFPs are available to any vendor willing to submit a proposal, encouraging broader competition. Closed RFPs are sent to a select group of vendors, often used for specialized projects requiring specific expertise.

How should organizations handle vendor questions during the RFP process?

Organizations should promptly address vendor questions to ensure clarity and facilitate accurate, tailored proposals. Responsive communication enhances the RFP process’s effectiveness.

Why is a diverse review committee important in the RFP evaluation process?

A diverse review committee includes stakeholders from various departments, providing balanced perspectives and ensuring a fair, comprehensive evaluation of vendor proposals.

What tools can standardize the proposal evaluation process?

Using scoring rubrics and evaluation sheets can standardize the proposal review process. These tools help assess technical capability, cost, experience, and alignment with project objectives consistently.

How do clear requirements and realistic timelines improve the RFP process?

Clear requirements and realistic timelines prevent confusion, ensure high-quality proposals, and support effective project execution, ultimately leading to better project outcomes.

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