When it comes to RFPs and agency/vendor relationships, we have a bit of experience. We chatted with successful transit leaders about what makes a great RFP (i.e. one that will garner a ton of high-quality responses) and now we’re highlighting a few standout excerpts from some of the best TransitTech-related RFPs we’ve read. And we’ve read thousands.
Let’s get started.
Straight to the numbers.
What stands out in this section is the level of detail provided. The procurement team gives specific numbers, states where these funds are coming from, and specifies how they can be utilized. It’s clear from this language that the budget has been secured, which allows respondents to develop a firm plan to meet the project’s needs while staying within its budget — a big win for the agency.
Solutions come in many shapes and sizes.
This RFP leads with the problem that needs solving: service gaps in certain geographic areas and during particular times of day and days of the week. Critically, no attempt is made to dictate a solution. Instead, the language remains open to a variety of operational and technical approaches, as long as they fulfill the stated needs. But being open does not preclude an agency from being confident in its vision — and this RFP shows that through its section on customer experience.
Setting expectations.
Here, readers get a crystal-clear description of what the requestor’s ideal partnership would look like, as well as the extent of support required. This section outlines all of the partner’s responsibilities — setting expectations upfront and demonstrating a willingness to ask for a significant number of services and capabilities from a partner. This, in turn, attracts respondents who offer a wide range of TransitTech services.
This RFP also attracted vendors with diverse capabilities: In this instance, by expanding the agency’s TransitTech request to not only include advanced software, but consultative support as well. This ambitious plan positions the vendor to have a stake in the community’s long-term transit plan, while ensuring each aspect of a solution is part of an integrated vision for the network’s future. Selecting a partner with technical expertise, operational experience, and consulting functions also streamlines processes for the agency — a welcome benefit in the chaos of post-COVID transit planning.
Scoring experience.
This RFP asks vendors to provide proof — not only of their qualifications, but of their experience with complex projects in the transportation technology space. This is the quickest way to weed out contenders who might have completed several smaller pilots, but have never engaged in intricate deployments on a comparable scale. Instead, you’ll attract candidates who can actually deliver on the kinds of services you’re procuring. This same RFP listed “proposed system capabilities to meet the scope requirements, the number of years the system being proposed has been in use… [and] experience in the transit market” as the single most important element of its scoring criteria.
More examples, you ask?
Check out these full-length, publicly available RFPs for TransitTech, from microtransit to planning software. These would make great models for your next procurement.