RFP Guide & Template for Election Officials

The guide from the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence provides step-by-step instructions, best practices, examples, and a downloadable template for creating a detailed and successful RFP. It covers everything from the initial planning stages (determining budget, timeline, and scope) to assembling the document’s key sections (goals, system requirements, and vendor questions), and finally to distributing the RFP and evaluating vendor bids using clear selection criteria.

This resource supports election officials by:

• Providing Guidance: simplifies the complex procurement process, especially for those new to writing RFPs, ensuring they can leverage best practices when seeking services or products.

• Offering Practical Tools: includes a customizable RFP template and a breakdown of essential sections and considerations, saving officials time and effort.

• Guiding Decision-making: offers advice on forming an RFP committee, involving stakeholders, and creating a framework for consistently and fairly evaluating proposals.