The humble RFP was built to make things easier.
It could be making a neat table, or constructing a clear process. Perhaps finding a way to compare partners on like-for-like terms.
But here’s the thing. Transformation isn’t like-for-like, and neither are the partners who deliver it.
RFPs carry hidden assumptions around your tech strategy and your current vendors. It doesn’t know your preferred architectures, or even what ‘good’ should look like.
Many of those assumptions are helpful, but some are limiting. A few may actually be holding you back without you even realising it.
Don’t just brief the project, shape the partnership
A truly transformative managed services partner goes a step further than just answer the questions you ask. They’ll challenge the ones you didn’t.
Before you lock down the scope, you need to take a step back and have a think. You need to ask yourself:
- What kind of change are you really aiming for?
- Who needs to be in the room to shape it?
- What would it take to design an RFP that both selects a vendor and sets up a long-term, high-impact partnership?
The best kind RFPs don’t start with requirements. Instead, they start with reflection.
16 questions that shift the conversation
We’ve pulled together 16 questions that can help reframe your approach. These questions are designed to cut through the checkbox mentality. They get to the heart of what really matters in a modern managed services relationship.
Here’s just a few of our favourites:
- What’s lighting the fire for change, and what’s at stake if we don’t act?
- What assumptions might be limiting our tech strategy without us even realising?
- If this were a judgment-free zone, what would we really want to ask a potential partner?
- How could a great MSP help us reshape, not just run, our business?
Don’t just compare – challenge!
A templated RFP might help you find a competent supplier, there’s no doubts about that. But a sharp, intentional RFP can attract the kind of partner who sees your blind spots. They’ll be the ones who share your vision, and pushes you forward.
So, before you issue that brief, take a moment to challenge it. The questions you ask today will shape the partnership you get tomorrow.
Need some help with your upcoming RFP? Talk to us and we’ll work to give you an RFP that does more than simply check the box.