RFP Statuses Explained

Each vendor on the Request for Proposal tab carries a status. Here is what each one means and, more usefully, whose turn it is.

Invited

The RFP has been sent and the vendor has not submitted anything. Waiting on the vendor. If it has been sitting a while, chase them directly rather than assuming silence is a decline.

Proposal submitted

The vendor has sent their proposal, with documents and a price estimate. Waiting on your team to review it.

Declined

The vendor has said they will not quote. Nothing further is expected from them, and the record shows you approached them, which is worth keeping.

Reviewing

The proposal is being assessed. Waiting on your team, or on the board if the matter has gone to a vote.

Approved

This vendor was chosen. Their card carries the winner badge, voting is closed, and the RFP is settled.

Rejected

This vendor was not chosen. Not a judgement on the vendor, simply the outcome of this particular comparison.

Expired proposals

Separate from the status above, a proposal can pass its expiry date. The card then shows the proposal as expired and it can no longer be voted on. The remedy is to ask the vendor for a current price rather than to work around it, since the old number is no longer one they are offering.

Using statuses to run the process

Scan the tab and ask whose turn each vendor represents. Everything at invited is waiting on a contractor and needs chasing. Everything at proposal submitted is waiting on you and is where the process usually stalls, because reviewing takes real attention and chasing does not.