Request for Information (RFI) Template

1. Purpose and Background

[COMPANY_NAME], with its principal office located at [COMPANY_ADDRESS], is issuing this Request for Information (the "RFI") to gather information from the supplier community regarding [SUBJECT_AREA].

[COMPANY_NAME] is [COMPANY_DESCRIPTION]. We are at an early stage of exploring [HIGH_LEVEL_NEED] and we wish to understand the current state of the market, the range of solutions and delivery models that exist, and the suppliers who are active in this space.

The purpose of this RFI is to inform [COMPANY_NAME]'s internal planning and to help us shape a possible future procurement process. Submitting a response to this RFI does not constitute a commitment by [COMPANY_NAME] to procure any goods or services, nor does it create any expectation that the respondent will be invited to participate in any subsequent solicitation. Equally, declining to respond to this RFI will not prejudice any supplier in any future procurement.

This RFI is reference [RFI_REFERENCE_NUMBER] and was issued on [ISSUE_DATE].

2. Information Requested

[COMPANY_NAME] is seeking the following categories of information. Respondents are encouraged to answer the questions that are relevant to their offering and to indicate "not applicable" where they are not. Respondents should not feel obliged to answer every question, but partial responses may be of limited use.

(a) Company overview. A brief description of the respondent's organisation, including legal name, head office location, number of employees, principal geographies served, and corporate ownership structure.

(b) Solution overview. A description of the goods, services, or solutions the respondent offers in the subject area of this RFI, including key features, delivery models, and any meaningful differentiators.

(c) Track record. Examples of recent comparable engagements (anonymised if necessary), with indicative scale, geography, sector, and outcomes.

(d) Market view. The respondent's perspective on current trends, common pitfalls, and emerging innovations in the subject area, and any input that would help [COMPANY_NAME] shape a future procurement.

(e) Constraints and dependencies. Any limitations, prerequisites, or environmental factors that [COMPANY_NAME] should be aware of when planning a procurement.

(f) Suggestions on specification. Where the respondent has views on how [COMPANY_NAME] should structure its requirement, we welcome those views.

3. Supplier Capabilities

Respondents are asked to complete the following capability matrix, providing a brief narrative under each heading. Please limit each narrative to one to two paragraphs.

(a) Organisational profile. Year of foundation, ownership structure, corporate group (if any), key office locations, total headcount, and a high-level summary of the respondent's strategic positioning.

(b) Financial standing. Annual revenue for the past three financial years, a statement of profitability or solvency, and any independent credit rating. Respondents may attach summary financial statements or refer to publicly available filings.

(c) Geographic coverage. Countries or regions in which the respondent currently delivers, the model of delivery in each (own staff, subsidiary, partner network), and any languages supported.

(d) Customer base. Approximate number of active customers, mix by sector, indicative retention rate, and any named reference customers whom the respondent is willing to share at this stage. References will be requested formally only if a procurement progresses.

(e) Workforce. Total relevant headcount, skill mix, and any model for scaling capacity (in-house growth, partner ecosystem, contractor pool).

(f) Diversity and sustainability credentials. Any supplier diversity status (women-owned, minority-owned, indigenous-owned, small or medium-sized enterprise), environmental certifications (ISO 14001, carbon-neutral certifications), and a brief description of the respondent's social value or ESG commitments.

4. Technical Capabilities

For respondents offering a technology, service, or specialised solution, please describe the technical aspects of your offering under the following headings:

(a) Solution architecture. A short description of how the solution is built, deployed, and consumed (on-premise, cloud, hybrid, SaaS, managed service, professional service, hardware-led, and so on).

(b) Integration. The principal ways in which the solution integrates with other systems, including the standard application programming interfaces, file formats, identity providers, and common third-party platforms supported.

(c) Information security and data protection. Certifications held (such as ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, Cyber Essentials), data residency options, encryption posture for data at rest and in transit, and the respondent's posture under the General Data Protection Regulation and equivalent regimes.

(d) Service levels and reliability. Standard service levels offered (availability, response time, resolution time), historical performance against those service levels, and the respondent's approach to business continuity and disaster recovery.

(e) Implementation. Typical implementation timeline for a customer of [COMPANY_NAME]'s size and complexity, the methodology used, and the customer-side commitment required.

(f) Support model. Levels of support offered (standard, premium, enterprise), hours of coverage, channels of support, and the languages in which support is available.

(g) Roadmap. Notable items on the respondent's product or service roadmap for the next twelve to eighteen months that may be relevant to [COMPANY_NAME]'s requirement.

5. Pricing Indication (Optional)

Respondents are not required to quote prices in response to this RFI. However, [COMPANY_NAME] would find it helpful to receive indicative pricing ranges, to inform its budget planning. Indicative prices submitted here are not binding offers and will not be used as a basis for award.

Where respondents choose to provide pricing indications, please present them in the following form:

(a) Typical commercial model offered (per user per month, per transaction, fixed-price project, time-and-materials, outcome-based, hybrid, and so on).

(b) Indicative price range for a deployment of approximately [INDICATIVE_SCALE], expressed as a range rather than a point estimate where appropriate.

(c) Pricing components that are typically additional to the headline price (one-time implementation, training, customisation, third-party licences, professional services).

(d) Any minimum contract value, minimum term, or minimum volume that would apply.

(e) Currency in which prices are normally quoted and any meaningful currency risk for engagements outside that currency.

6. Submission Instructions

Responses must be submitted to [COMPANY_NAME] in accordance with the following instructions:

(a) Method of submission: by email to [CONTACT_EMAIL] with the subject line "RFI response — [RFI_REFERENCE_NUMBER]" or via the portal at [PORTAL_URL] where applicable.

(b) Deadline: responses must be received no later than [SUBMISSION_DEADLINE]. Responses received after this time will be reviewed at [COMPANY_NAME]'s discretion but may not be considered.

(c) Format: PDF for narrative content; Microsoft Word or Excel for any tabular content where helpful. Maximum file size [MAX_FILE_SIZE].

(d) Language: responses shall be in [LANGUAGE].

(e) Length: respondents are asked to keep their narrative response to no more than [RESPONSE_PAGE_LIMIT] pages, excluding attachments such as brochures, certifications, and architecture diagrams.

(f) Contact for questions: [CONTACT_NAME], [CONTACT_TITLE], [CONTACT_EMAIL], [CONTACT_PHONE]. Questions of general interest and the corresponding answers may be circulated, on an anonymised basis, to all known respondents.

7. Confidentiality

(a) Confidentiality of this RFI. This RFI and any information disclosed by [COMPANY_NAME] in the course of this enquiry are confidential. The respondent shall not disclose any such information to any third party without the prior written consent of [COMPANY_NAME], save to its directors, employees, and professional advisers who have a legitimate need to know and who are themselves bound by equivalent confidentiality obligations.

(b) Confidentiality of responses. [COMPANY_NAME] will treat each response as confidential and will limit access to the personnel and advisers involved in the relevant internal review. Information collected through this RFI will be used solely to inform [COMPANY_NAME]'s internal planning and the design of any subsequent procurement; it will not be shared with other respondents in attributed form.

(c) Marking. Respondents may mark specific portions of their response as "Confidential — Trade Secret" or "Confidential — Proprietary". [COMPANY_NAME] will make reasonable efforts to honour such markings, subject to any disclosure obligations imposed by law, regulation, or court order.

(d) Use of ideas. Where the response includes ideas, approaches, or recommendations that influence the design of a subsequent procurement, [COMPANY_NAME] will not attribute those ideas to the respondent in any subsequent RFP or RFQ, nor will the respondent be advantaged or disadvantaged in any future evaluation as a result.

(e) No publicity. The respondent shall not refer to [COMPANY_NAME], this RFI, or any subsequent contact in any publicity, press release, or marketing material without [COMPANY_NAME]'s prior written consent.

8. Next Steps and No Commitment

Following the submission deadline, [COMPANY_NAME] will review the responses received. Possible next steps include, without commitment:

(a) Direct follow-up conversations or supplier briefings with selected respondents, to clarify particular aspects of their submission.

(b) The issuance of a formal Request for Proposal or Request for Quotation, drawing on insights gathered through this RFI.

(c) A decision by [COMPANY_NAME] not to proceed with any procurement at this time.

The following points are highlighted for the avoidance of doubt:

(d) This RFI is not a solicitation. It is not a Request for Proposal, a Request for Quotation, an invitation to tender, or an invitation to treat. It is not an offer capable of acceptance.

(e) Participation in this RFI does not entitle any respondent to be included in any future procurement, nor does non-participation exclude any supplier from a future procurement.

(f) [COMPANY_NAME] will not reimburse any costs incurred by respondents in preparing or submitting a response to this RFI, or in any follow-up activity.

(g) [COMPANY_NAME] reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel this RFI at any time, in its sole discretion and without liability to any respondent.

9. Response Format

To make it as easy as possible to compare responses, [COMPANY_NAME] asks respondents to structure their submission in the following order:

(a) Cover page. Respondent's legal name, primary contact for this RFI (name, title, email, telephone), and date of submission.

(b) One-page executive summary. A concise summary of who the respondent is, what it offers in the subject area, and why it believes its offering would be relevant to [COMPANY_NAME].

(c) Responses to Sections 2 to 5, presented in the same order and using the same numbering as this document, so that each [COMPANY_NAME] question maps directly to a labelled answer.

(d) Attachments. Brochures, case studies, certifications, architecture diagrams, sample reports, and any other supporting material. Each attachment shall be clearly labelled and referenced from the body of the response.

(e) Acknowledgement page. A signed statement by an authorised representative of the respondent, confirming that the response is submitted on the terms set out in this RFI.

10. Timeline

The indicative timeline for this RFI is set out below. [COMPANY_NAME] reserves the right to adjust the schedule and will inform known respondents of any change.

(a) RFI issued: [ISSUE_DATE] (b) Deadline to submit written questions about this RFI: [QUESTIONS_DEADLINE] (c) Anonymised responses to questions circulated: [ANSWERS_RELEASE_DATE] (d) RFI response submission deadline: [SUBMISSION_DEADLINE] (e) Internal review and shortlisting of potential follow-up conversations: [INTERNAL_REVIEW_WINDOW] (f) Possible supplier briefings or follow-up conversations: [FOLLOW_UP_WINDOW] (g) Decision on whether to proceed with a formal procurement: [DECISION_TARGET_DATE] (h) Anticipated issue of any formal RFP or RFQ, if proceeding: [POSSIBLE_RFP_DATE]

All dates beyond the submission deadline are indicative and are not commitments by [COMPANY_NAME].

11. Legal Disclaimer

This template is provided by ProcureSwift as a starting point and does not constitute legal advice. Please have it reviewed by qualified legal counsel before use in any contractual or commercial setting. ProcureSwift makes no warranties about its fitness for any specific purpose.