Finding the right product and service vendors for your business can be a challenge—and organizing all of the information from different vendors can make choosing the right one even more complex. With so many options out there, businesses have developed solutions for keeping all of this information straight: RFIs, RFPs, and RFQs.

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RFIs, RFPs, and RFQs are distinct documents that allow businesses to openly exchange information about their products and services. They help business leaders understand the value vendors provide and make more informed decisions about who they want to partner with.

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But what are the differences between an RFI, RFP, and RFQ? Do you really even need them? And if you do, how should you issue one of these documents to get the information you need? In this blog, we’ll explore the ins and outs of RFIs, RFPs, and RFQs, and help you understand the distinct differences between each.

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Differences Between an RFI, RFP, and RFQ

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The differences between an RFI, RFP, and RFQ are their purpose, the content involved, the intended outcome of the request, and the level of detail involved in each. Let’s take a closer look.

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RFI

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A Request for Information (RFI) is a request made by a business looking to learn about a vendor’s capabilities, products, or services. RFIs are usually requested by businesses that do not have a clear understanding of the market or landscape they are entering.

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Sending out RFIs is often the first step organizations take when looking for a new vendor. The questions are general, asking about vendor qualifications, experience, capabilities, etc. There are rarely specific solutions or strategies included, nor are the prices of services included on an RFI.

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The goal of an RFI is to help a business narrow down its search for potential vendors. Based on your business challenge, a vendor can restructure the RFI to talk about what services they offer and how they can help solve problems.

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RFP

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A Request for Proposal (RFP), like an RFI, is a request made by a business to a vendor. However, the RFP is usually sent along further in the vendor-discovery process. In this stage, vendors propose more concrete solutions to the problems that an organization is facing along with specific strategies, deliverables, and costs.

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Businesses sending out an RFP have to be more specific in this stage too. They should include detailed requirements for the vendors' responses, a general scope of work, desired outcomes or measurements of success, and a rubric for how the organization will evaluate proposals.

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Once a business has all of the information available from a varied selection of vendors, they can evaluate their options based on the proposals, qualifications of each vendor, and costs.

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RFQ

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Finally, RFQs. An RFQ stands for Request for Quotation or Quote. At this point in the vendor procurement process, businesses know exactly what services they need and what problems need solving. The final step is getting very specific pricing information straight from the source.

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In an RFQ, businesses must give vendors the specifics on what goods or services they require. As such, vendors can provide a pricing quote based on these specifications. Because the business has at this point already narrowed it down to the vendors who will provide them the best services, the decision for which vendor to choose is primarily based on price.

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But do you really need an RFI, RFP, or RFQ to make an informed decision about your vendors? Yes, actually. Here’s why.

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Why Do You Need an RFI, RFP, or RFQ?

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Using an RFI, RFP, or RFQ is one of the most transparent and fair ways of finding services for your business. These requests ensure that all potential vendors are given equal opportunity to present themselves and their value, creating a level playing field and minimizing potential bias in the selection process.

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This process can also help businesses make more informed decisions. By learning about the landscape of the market and comparing different solutions and quotes, businesses can find which services and prices work best for them while mitigating the risk of choosing a potentially underqualified or unreliable vendor.

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RFIs, RFPs, and RFQs are also cost-efficient and innovative. They facilitate competitive bidding between vendors so the requesting business receives a low cost for services. It also requires vendors to compete in coming up with innovative solutions to the problems presented by the requesting vendor, which can lead to better outcomes and efficiencies than originally anticipated.

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Most importantly, RFIs, RFPs, an RFQs can help you ascertain whether the vendor or agency you’re working with will ultimately be a goodculture fit for your business. Ideally, the relationship you have with your vendors would be long-term, so finding one that is easy to work with, reliable, and shares the same values as you is crucial. 

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How to Issue an RFI, RFP, or RFQ

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The first stage in issuing an RFI, RFP, or RFQ is deciding which one to send. If you’re in the beginning stages of your vendor search or looking for any and all solutions that may be out there, an RFI may be your best bet. If you’ve already narrowed down your search and are thinking about making a final decision but are still open to hearing other options from different vendors, you may want to consider an RFP. But, if you already know what services you need and are ready to make your decision, you’reready for an RFQ.

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Writing an RFI

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To write an RFI, giving vendors context is a must. Tell them about the challenges you’re facing and the goals you want to reach. You can also present any preliminary research you’ve done to get their industry insights. Remember to keep it short and broad. Let them come with perspectives you hadn’t considered before—you’ll be able to assess their capabilities further on in the process. Also, don’t be afraid to request information from a plethora of potential partners. The more information available to you, the better.

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If you were sending an RFI to a digital marketing agency, for example, you could ask questions such as:

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• Can you provide a brief overview of your agency's history and main areas of expertise?
• What do you think of our business’s current marketing efforts?
• How do you measure and report on the success of campaigns? Which key metrics do you prioritize?

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Writing an RFP

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Developing an RFP is more involved than an RFI, and the questions will be quite a bit more specific. This is your chance to ask about past client work, pricing plans, services, solutions, and what their best recommendation are for your business. Back to our digital marketing agency example, here are some examples of questions you could ask:

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• What other campaigns or projects have you worked on in a similar industry that has seen success?
• What specific services do you offer that can solve the needs that we addressed? What is the pricing like for those services?
• What key deliverables can we expect in this partnership, and what would a timeline look like for the services we are interested in?

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Writing an RFQ

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Think of writing an RFQ like writing a shopping list, with a blank next to each item to be filled in by the vendor with their prices. There should be little background information involved, a list of products or services listed with specific amounts, and the duration of services should be noted. Here is a sample of what an RFQ for a digital marketing agency could look like:

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• Social Media Management 

• Cost per platform per month: $___

• Content Creation

• Cost for two blog posts per month: $___

• Website Design & Development

• Cost for a 5-page, templatized website redesign: $___

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Outsource Your Marketing With an RFI, RFP, and RFQ

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Are you a business looking to drive growth for your brand with creative digital marketing strategies? Send your RFI, RFP, or RFQ to Marketwake. Our experts are here to answer your most pressing questions. From suggested services to the price per social media post, we’ll dive into the nitty gritty and help you narrow down your search for outsourcing a marketing agency. If you’re ready to get started, contact us today!

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Frequently Asked Questions

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What Is the Difference Between an RFI and RFQ?

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An RFI (Request for Information) gathers general information about products or services as a preliminary step in the vendor procurement process. An RFQ (Request for Quotation) asks vendors to give a specific price and quote for their particular products and services.

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What Are an RFI and RFP?

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An RFI (Request for Information) is a preliminary document seeking information about products or services a vendor offers, while an RFP (Request for Proposal) is a detailed request asking vendors to propose innovative solutions and general pricing for specific needs or projects. 

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What Does RFI Mean in Purchasing?

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An RFI stands for a Request for Information. This document contains information from vendors that helps businesses choose which organization they will receive products or services from.

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What Is the Difference Between an RFP and RFQ?

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An RFP (Request for Proposal) is a formal document asking vendors to propose solutions and prices for a project or service need, while an RFQ (Request for Quotation) specifically seeks detailed pricing for particular products or services. RFPs are generally asking for solutions or ideas, while RFQs already include the solutions or services an organization wants. 

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What Is an RFI in Business?

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An RFI (Request for Information) is a document that asks vendors about what products or services they offer. This helps organizations gather information about what solutions and services they are looking for and who they want to help solve their problems.

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What Is the Difference Between an RFP and RFI?

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An RFP (Request for Proposal) is a document that asks vendors to submit proposals for products or services, outlining project specifics and requirements. An RFI (Request for Information) is less detailed, and only asks vendors for broad information like their capabilities, products, or services, without detailed specifications.

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What Are RFI Examples?

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Some examples of what you can include in an RFI are your organization’s needs, background information, key details about your business (audience, sales personas, customer base, demographics, etc.), and the goals you want to achieve.

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What Is the Difference Between an RFP and RFO?

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RFOs (Request for Offer) and RFPs (Request for Proposal) are essentially the same terms: they both are ways for organizations to understand the services offered by a vendor. However, the term RFO is being phased out in favor of RFP.