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Key Takeaways
- Define the business problem and desired outcomes before prescribing pages, templates or technology solutions.
- Separate true requirements from assumptions so agencies know where they can challenge and recommend.
- Evaluate agencies by the questions they ask, the tradeoffs they identify and the judgment they bring to the process.
I have reviewed numerous website Requests for Proposals (RFPs) that specify the CMS, sitemap, number of templates, integrations, design rounds, development requirements and launch date down to the smallest detail. These documents can stretch to 20 or even 30 pages.
Despite their length and specificity, one critical question remains unanswered: What is the business actually trying to achieve?
This is where many RFPs fall short. In an effort to simplify scoping and comparison of proposals, organizations often define too much of the solution upfront—leaving little room for strategic thinking by the agency.
At this stage, the agency isn’t being asked to help solve a problem. Instead, it’s being asked to execute someone else’s predetermined plan.
This isn’t necessarily problematic if your sole goal is execution. However, if you’re seeking a creative partner capable of challenging assumptions, uncovering opportunities and shaping what the website should become, your RFP must allow space for that kind of insight.
Ask Agencies What They’d Challenge
One of the most insightful questions in any RFP might also be the simplest: *What would you challenge about what we’ve outlined?*
Most RFPs prompt agencies to outline how they’ll meet stated requirements. Fewer ask what’s missing, which assumptions need validating, or what changes they’d suggest before starting work.
Inquire about which aspects of the proposed scope they’d revisit during discovery. Ask them to prioritize elements if budget or timeline were constrained. Request their vision for the first 30 days—before major design or technical decisions are finalized.
Their responses reveal how they think beyond mere compliance.
A capable partner should honor your internal expertise while contributing an independent perspective. When every bidder simply echoes the RFP using different phrasing, it signals a preference for conformity over strategic judgment.
Begin With Business Evolution
To receive meaningful input, agencies first need sufficient context to understand the driving forces behind the project.
Take, for example, a B2B firm that expanded through multiple acquisitions. Its current site features overlapping service categories, inconsistent terminology across departments, and pages added haphazardly without reassessing the overall structure.
A poorly crafted RFP might prescribe a new 75-page site, updated navigation, and a fixed set of templates—but fail to address root issues.
Alternatively, a stronger RFP would explain that customers struggle to grasp how services interconnect, sales teams rely on custom presentations to compensate, and there’s a clear need for a cohesive digital representation of offerings.
Such clarity may still result in a new sitemap, streamlined content, fresh templates, or an adjusted content model—but only after the agency evaluates the core issue.
This kind of background proves far more valuable than prescribing deliverables alone.
Distinguish Requirements From Assumptions
Every project involves real constraints. Organizations may require adherence to specific platforms due to legacy systems, or enforce strict standards around security, accessibility, compliance, integrations, or search engine optimization.
These elements must be clearly defined.
However, other decisions—such as the existing sitemap, content hierarchy, navigation structure, number of templates, or components of the proposed tech stack—may benefit from reevaluation.
One effective strategy is to explicitly separate expectations: “Here are our fixed requirements” versus “Here are the areas where we welcome recommendations.”
This principle extends to deliverables as well. Rather than merely stating, “We need a new website with 75 pages,” articulate what success looks like once completed. Maybe users will gain clearer insight into offerings, sales will receive robust digital collateral, or marketing will enjoy enhanced publishing autonomy.
The clearer you define desired outcomes, the greater flexibility agencies have to tailor solutions accordingly.
Clarify Decision-Making Structures
B2B website initiatives rarely fall under one department’s purview.
Marketing may spearhead the effort, yet IT oversees platform compatibility, legal scrutinizes claims, sales understands buyer objections, leadership shapes messaging, and subject-matter experts contribute essential content knowledge.
Your RFP should provide visibility into this dynamic landscape.
Who holds project ownership? Who needs consultation? Who carries final approval power? Are multiple business units involved? Have key decisions reached executive consensus?
While you need not include a complex org chart, doing so helps agencies distinguish between tactical assignments and multi-layered organizational challenges—each carrying distinct implications for scope, timeline, and methodology.
Provide Realistic Budget Parameters
Organizations sometimes hesitate to disclose budget figures, fearing all bids will hover near that figure.
Yet withholding financial context introduces another risk: agencies craft wildly divergent proposals based on mismatched assumptions, rendering comparisons nearly impossible.
A $75,000 website and a $300,000 digital overhaul could both address the same fundamental challenge—but represent vastly different approaches.
Sharing a reasonable range doesn’t guarantee agencies will optimize toward the upper limit. It empowers them to propose aligned solutions, highlight priorities, and suggest phased rollouts for later stages.
Ultimately, this transparency enriches the evaluation process rather than constraining it.
Judge Ideas, Not Just Slides
A polished deck, extensive capabilities list, and impressive portfolio samples can offer comfort—but none guarantee effective collaboration when complexity arises.
Focus instead on the inquiries agencies raise, assumptions they question, risks they surface, and tradeoffs they justify.
The strongest RFPs strike a balance: providing enough framework for agencies to grasp the assignment while avoiding premature prescriptions. They clarify the business challenge, acknowledge genuine limitations, and express desired outcomes—all while reserving room for expert influence.
If you prefer order-takers, simply dictate the task. If you seek strategic partners, pose a compelling problem worth solving.
Key Takeaways
- Define the business problem and desired outcomes before prescribing pages, templates or technology solutions.
- Separate true requirements from assumptions so agencies know where they can challenge and recommend.
- Evaluate agencies by the questions they ask, the tradeoffs they identify and the judgment they bring to the process.
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