How to Improve Your RFP Process for Better Supplier Outcomes

Industry benchmarks show that the average RFP win rate is just 44%, meaning more than half of competitive opportunities fail to result in a successful supplier engagement. In the private sector, that can translate into wasted time, lost opportunities, and contracts that underperform.

Your Request for Proposal (RFP) process should be a competitive advantage. When managed well, it attracts the right suppliers, produces stronger proposals, and enables evidence-based decisions that deliver long-term value. When managed poorly, it becomes an administrative burden that frustrates both your team and potential suppliers.

Where RFP Processes Go Wrong

Most problems with RFPs stem from process weaknesses rather than market limitations. Complex or ambiguous documentation discourages strong bidders from responding. Vague evaluation criteria create inconsistency and invite disputes. Internal delays push deadlines back, frustrating stakeholders and suppliers alike. And when communication is inconsistent, suppliers lose interest, reducing the quality of proposals you receive.

These issues slow the process and directly impact contract performance, ultimately costing your business time, money, and credibility.

Building a Better RFP Process

Improving your RFP process starts with absolute clarity. Define what success looks like, whether it is cost savings, service quality, innovation or sustainability, so suppliers know exactly what matters.

1. Set realistic timelines and stick to them.
   Rushing risks poor responses, while delays lead to supplier disengagement.
2. Keep your documentation structured and simple.
   Concise and well organised content makes it easier for suppliers to navigate and respond effectively.
3. Make evaluation criteria transparent.
   Use measurable and objective scoring to ensure fairness and defensible decisions.
4. Engage suppliers early and often.
   Build trust, set expectations openly and encourage stronger, more competitive bids.
5. Embed risk and sustainability from the start.
   Address compliance, ESG and broader requirements early to manage expectations and attract the right suppliers.

Why Strategic RFP Support Gives You the Edge

Even the best internal procurement teams often juggle competing priorities. This can lead to RFPs being managed reactively rather than strategically. External specialists can bridge that gap, ensuring the process is well-planned, well-run, and aligned to your commercial objectives.

With expert RFP management support, you can:

• Create supplier-friendly documentation that encourages stronger bids
• Establish objective, measurable evaluation criteria
• Keep the process on schedule with coordinated stakeholder management
• Maintain consistent, professional supplier communication

A Commercial Success Story in Action

Improving your RFP process isn’t just theory — it delivers measurable results in practice.

ADI Group had faced repeated frustrations after several RFPs failed to attract competitive bids. Operational costs were climbing, supplier performance was slipping, and a multi-million-pound contract renewal was looming. Without change, the business risked locking itself into another underperforming supplier for years.

We worked closely with ADI Group to conduct a full spend analysis and review of supplier performance. From there, we designed a tailored RFP process aligned with their strategic goals. The documentation was simplified for clarity, measurable evaluation criteria were introduced to ensure fair and consistent scoring, and both internal teams and suppliers were kept engaged through proactive communication. By tightly coordinating every stage, the process stayed on track and confidence was restored.

The results spoke for themselves: over £500,000 in verified cost savings, stronger supplier relationships, and a clear long-term sourcing strategy to sustain improvements.

“The clarity of the documentation and the structure of the process made a real difference. We saw better quality proposals, the decision-making was smoother, and we’ve secured a supplier that aligns with our long-term objectives.” – ADI Group Representative

Common RFP Mistakes to Avoid

Avoiding these pitfalls can cut weeks off your RFP cycle, improve the quality of proposals, and increase supplier commitment:

• Reusing outdated templates without adapting them to current needs
• Overcomplicating requirements, which reduces supplier engagement
• Allowing bias to influence scoring
• Missing deadlines, which damages credibility
• Neglecting post-award supplier performance planning

Why Work With eXceeding

At eXceeding, we work with buyers, helping private sector organisations run RFPs that are competitive, fair, and designed for measurable success. Our Strategic RFP Support combines commercial procurement expertise with hands-on process management, allowing you to focus on selecting the right supplier without getting lost in administration.

Take the Next Step

Every RFP is an opportunity to improve supplier performance and deliver greater value. With the right process, it can become a genuine competitive advantage.

Run your next RFP with confidence. Book a free consultation today to see how our Strategic RFP Support can deliver better results for your business.