Management
Issue No. 23 - June/Nuly 2005
How to Prepare or Respond to an RFI, EOI, RFP, RFT etc - and What is the Difference?
by Adrian de Brenni
I am often asked questions such as - what is the difference between an RFI (Request for Information) and an EOI (Expression of Interest), or an RFP (Request for Proposal) and an RFT (Request for Tender), or when should an RFQ (Request for Quotation) be used, and what is an ROI (Registration of Interest)? Even more questions arise on how to respond to each of these tools that are used in a procurement process.
Here are some answers for both the buyer (or potential buyer) and the seller (also called the respondent or proponent).
Much of it has to do with whether the buyer is ‘just looking’ or ‘really buying’. Buyers should consider this distinction and clearly decide on what they are doing, and then use the appropriate tool. If you are just looking then use an EOI, RFI or
an ROI.
A Registration of Interest can be used to determine which organisations would like to register to be part of a procurement process. Information in a clear template (provided), and limited to a few pages, is all that should be required from respondents. An EOI is very similar, however more detail may be requested in an EOI as it is a bit more that just registering - respondents are able to express their views and capabilities. Again a template should be provided and respondents should not be expected to provide volumes of information. An RFI is useful when particular information is required and schedules should be provided for items such as proposed approach to a design or solution, capability, company information, reference sites, indicative pricing and indicative implementation times.
Most important, in releasing an ROI, EOI or RFI, is that the buyer is quite clear about what they are setting out to achieve at this stage of the procurement process, and they should make it clear to respondents.
Buyers, please note that when just looking you should not be imposing a significant workload on the respondents. You are most likely not ...
