RFP Evaluation Criteria for IT Projects
that reward executable bids.
Good RFP evaluation criteria score scope compliance, delivery method, field coverage, schedule, documentation, risk controls, commercial terms, and price. Price should be important but not dominant; a low bid with missing testing, weak site coverage, or undefined change rates is usually the most expensive response after award. Publish the weights so bidders know what evidence matters.
Score execution risk, technical fit, schedule, documentation, and price before interviews begin
SRS Networks is a nationwide IT infrastructure deployment partner headquartered in South San Francisco, California, serving multi-site enterprises across 48 states since 1996. This page turns field-delivery requirements into a scope, comparison, and acceptance record a buyer can use.
Recommended 100-point scoring matrix
| Criterion | Weight | Evidence to score |
|---|---|---|
| Scope compliance | 25 points | Line-by-line response and exceptions |
| Delivery plan | 20 points | Staffing, waves, escalation, and closeout |
| Relevant proof | 15 points | Comparable anonymized programs and references |
| Price and terms | 20 points | Leveled total, unit rates, and exclusions |
| Risk and documentation | 20 points | COIs, testing, reporting, and acceptance |
Score exceptions before price
A bidder that excludes surveys, lifts, testing, or project management has not offered a cheaper version of the same work. It has offered less work.
Use anchored scoring
Define what a zero, midpoint, and full score mean for every criterion. Anchors reduce evaluator drift and make the award record defensible.
Run consensus after independent scoring
Evaluators should score alone first, then discuss large variances. Group scoring from the start lets the loudest voice set the result.
When this is not the right approach
A weighted matrix adds little value when the project is small, the scope is fixed, and every bidder is already prequalified. In that case, level exclusions and award on schedule plus price.
Straight answers
Good RFP evaluation criteria score scope compliance, delivery method, field coverage, schedule, documentation, risk controls, commercial terms, and price. Price should be important but not dominant; a low bid with missing testing, weak site coverage, or undefined change rates is usually the most expensive response after award. Publish the weights so bidders know what evidence matters.
Put a field-executable scope in front of the crew
Email the site count, geography, schedule, and current documents. Cheryl routes the request to the right deployment lead.
Review Our Bid Criteria