How to write an RFP for platform selection
When you choose a platform, you make a decision that shapes how your entire business runs. Get it wrong and you waste time, overspend, and end up with disconnected systems that slow everything down. Get it right and you simplify operations, support growth, and build a tech stack that works with you.
A proper RFP guides a clear, strategic decision. It brings structure to a process that can easily spiral. It aligns people, cuts through vendor noise, and gives you confidence in your recommendation.
This guide shows you how to write a strong RFP for platform selection. It uses the Rixxo RFP template, a tool used by B2B teams who want a structured, proven process to follow.
Why platform selection needs a structured RFP
Platform choices are strategic. They’re made to solve real problems: disconnected systems, manual processes, outdated tech. Still, too many decisions are made based on slick demos rather than what the business actually needs.
A structured RFP fixes that. It:
- Makes your priorities clear
- Aligns stakeholders early
- Helps vendors respond with relevance
- Reduces bias
- Builds a strong business case
When to write an RFP
Not every software purchase needs an RFP. But if you’re selecting a core platform, one that touches multiple teams, connects to your existing systems, and shapes how your business runs, you need structure.
Write an RFP when:
- You’re replacing or upgrading a major platform (e.g. ERP, eCommerce, CRM)
- Your current setup is holding you back and needs a strategic rethink
- You’re engaging multiple vendors and want a fair, apples-to-apples comparison
- You need internal buy-in and need to document the business case
- You’re unsure what’s possible and need to explore before committing
If your platform choice affects data, people, process, and long-term strategy, it deserves a proper brief. An RFP is how you lead that decision with intent.
Now that you’re clear on why the RFP matters, it’s time to build it. This process is more than simply filling in a template. It’s about leading a structured conversation across your business and turning what you learn into a clear, functional brief.
Use our free RFP template
The Rixxo platform selection RFP template helps you lead with clarity. It’s the same tool we use in strategy projects, designed to capture what matters, compare vendors properly, and support confident decisions.
Step-by-step: how to write a strong RFP for platform selection
Step 1: Start with people
Every platform decision affects people across teams, departments, and functions. That means your RFP has to start with them. Get the right voices in the room early, and you’ll avoid misalignment later.
Begin by mapping who’s involved in the decision.
Define:
- Who owns the outcome
- Who will be affected
- Who needs to contribute, approve, or sign off
Use the People sheet in the Rixxo RFP template to document stakeholders, contributors, and subject matter experts. Their input shapes the whole process, and your RFP is only as strong as the people behind it.
Step 2: Map your business context
Give vendors a clear view of your environment. Define what’s broken, what’s driving the project, and what outcomes you need.
Follow the SPI structure: Situation, Pain, Impact. This keeps the brief focused on facts, not guesswork.
Use the Pain Points & Aspirations sheet in the template to lay it all out clearly. It turns the RFP into a working brief rather than just a list of requirements.
Step 3: Define your requirements
This is where most RFPs fall apart. Either they’re vague, or they list too many features without context.
Use two views:
- A structured checklist: Use the B2B Requirements Check
- A narrative version: Use the SPIN sheet (Situation, Pain, Impact, Need)
Together, these give vendors both the detail and the background. They’ll know exactly what you’re asking for and why it matters.
Step 4: Set your scope and expectations
Define exactly what you’re asking vendors to respond to.
Clarify:
- What is in scope
- What is excluded
- What success looks like
- What timeline do you expect
This helps vendors qualify themselves early and focus their responses on what matters.
Step 5: Structure vendor responses
Set a clear format for responses so vendors know exactly how to reply.
Use the Response 1 / 2 / 3 sheets in the Rixxo template to collect answers in a consistent format.
Send each vendor:
- The Instructions tab
- Your requirements and context
- A blank Response sheet
This keeps everything aligned and makes it easy to compare responses on equal terms.
Step 6: Score responses with structure
Use the IMPACT sheet to assess:
- Approach
- Cost
- Risk
- Business value
Add weighting where it matters. The outcome is a clear, defensible recommendation backed by structured criteria.
Running the evaluation process
Once you’ve scored vendor responses using the IMPACT sheet, the numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. Use them to guide a structured evaluation process.
Start with a review session. Bring stakeholders together to look at the scores, comments, and gaps. Where did vendors underperform? Where did one stand out?
Then hold response-based demos. Ask vendors to walk through specific use cases that matter to your business, not just generic product tours. Use your pain points and requirements to shape the questions. Push for clarity.
Check references. Review their delivery model. Consider cultural fit and long-term alignment.
The goal isn’t just to pick the highest score. It’s to pick the partner who best matches your goals, constraints, and working style. The RFP gives you the evidence. The evaluation process gives you the confidence to make a decision.
Step 7: Plan for your data
Data is where many platform projects run into trouble. It’s messy, scattered, and often underestimated. Teams focus on features and workflows, only to hit delays when they realise the data isn’t ready, or doesn’t fit the new system.
Address it early:
- What data do you hold
- Where it’s stored
- How clean and structured it is
- What needs to be migrated or transformed
The Data sheet in the template brings this into the process from the start, so you can spot risks, reduce surprises, and keep your project moving.
What a strong RFP gives you
A well-written RFP creates clarity. It aligns your team, documents priorities in plain terms, and gives vendors the context they need to respond with relevance. It shows decision-makers where the value is and makes the recommendation easy to support. It keeps your project on track by front-loading the thinking, reducing surprises later.
Most of all, it gives you the structure to move forward with confidence, knowing the platform you choose is grounded in real needs and shared goals.
After the RFP: what happens next?
Once you’ve made a decision, the RFP keeps delivering value.
Use it to brief your implementation team or delivery partner. Everything you captured, pain points, goals, and requirements, becomes input for workshops and planning.
Carry over the scoring sheet into delivery checkpoints. Hold your vendor accountable to what they promised in their response.
If you worked with an eCommerce consultancy like Rixxo, stay close during the early implementation phase. This ensures that strategy and execution stay connected and that the intent behind the RFP is carried through.
Choosing a platform is just the beginning. Done well, the RFP becomes the anchor for the whole project.
Use our free RFP template
The Rixxo platform selection RFP template is a structured toolkit: a working brief, scoring framework, and planning aid designed for B2B businesses with complex requirements.
It’s the same tool we use in strategy projects for manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors — helping teams make focused decisions and move forward with clarity.
Download the free RFP template
Make the best decision for your business. While an RFP won’t guarantee a perfect outcome, it gives you structure, focus, and a straightforward process to make the best choice.
If a platform change is coming, start with the RFP. Lead it with intent. The results follow.
