Hybrid events
Virtual events
Webinars
Event builder
Content hub
Mobile event app
Life science events
In a hurry to start using the best free event management RFP template for hybrid + virtual in 2023?
Jump directly to our 2023 event management RFP template and download it for free:
Download RFP template for life science companies
Download RFP template for all other enterprises
Why you need the best free event management RFP template for hybrid + virtual in 2023
Are hybrid and virtual events part of your 2023 strategy?
Are you updating your event tech stack to ensure you have the right solution to help you reach your goals?
This article (and free 2023 event management RFP template) gives you everything you need to run a smooth and successful search for your perfect event solution.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- What’s an event management RFP? And why send one?
- Who should be involved in the event management RFP process?
- What to include in your event management RFP template
- What requirements to have in your event management RFP template
- How does the best free event management RFP template for 2023 work?
What’s an event management RFP template? And why send one?
Companies use an event management RFP template (Request For Proposal) when searching for an event platform vendor to fulfill their specific needs and requirements. In other words, running an RFP is a chance for a company to set out exactly what it needs from a vendor to be successful.
A company will issue an event management RFP template either directly to chosen event platform vendors and/or post it on their website or procurement portal for vendors to find and complete.
The event management RFP process is similar to posting a job description and inviting prospective employees to submit a cover letter and resume/CV. Just like when you post a job opening, running an RFP allows you to screen out and whittle down potential vendors to select those that are most likely to help you reach your goals.
The RFP process is like looking for a new employee/team member because the end goal is the same: to find the best match.
The initial stage of the event management RFP process usually involves a company asking potential vendors to complete and send back an event management RFP template (perhaps in Excel).
The key is that it is the searching company (in this case, you!) that chooses what the RFP template looks like. This means you get to determine and include the criteria and requirements that you need (and discard the ones that you don’t). This enables you to choose a vendor that is a tailored and exact match for your needs.
Once you have your initial selection of vendors who passed the first round of screening, you might start to invite vendors for subsequent meetings. This will help you dig a little deeper into their capabilities and likelihood of meeting your needs. Eventually, you will end up with a winner.
Who should be involved in the event management RFP process?
Honestly, there’s no pre-defined set of requirements here, and a lot will depend on the context of the event management RFP itself.
For example, for a shorter-term project, you might have fewer people involved than for a longer-term contract. Similarly, if the internal footprint of the vendor will not touch many departments or teams, the number of people involved might be less than if the vendor will touch multiple departments and teams.
Who you internally involve in the event management RFP process will depend on the context of the project and its potential impact.
Whatever the context, there are some basic inputs you will need to make a well-rounded decision on which vendor is best.
Here are the types of inputs to consider:
- Technical expert – someone with the technical knowledge of your company’s requirements and needs. In the case of a SaaS event platform vendor, this means someone with the expertise to decide if the solution can be integrated into the existing tech stack, meets security and privacy requirements, and that the data inputs and outputs are what is needed.
- Everyday user – someone who will use the solution on a day-to-day basis to input on the usability and impact on daily processes and workflows.
- Financial perspective – it’s key to take cost and finances into account during the event management RFP process. You want to make sure that the event solution you choose is the right fit for your budget now, and potentially in the future.
- Strategic decision-maker – as important as the day-to-day is, it is also a great idea to have a line of sight into the future strategic direction. The last thing you want is to have to switch event platform vendors every so often when you outgrow them.
Besides these inputs, often, internal politics (especially on larger and cross-departmental impacting RFPs) may dictate that you will need a high-profile champion to help add credibility and authority to any decision-making process.
Download RFP template for life science companies
Download RFP template for all other enterprises
What to include in your event management RFP template
You need to give potential event platform vendors a comprehensive overview of your company, the scope of work, the event details, and budget considerations. Make sure vendors understand your needs and why you think their event solution could be the perfect match for your company’s goals.
In our free event management RFP template for hybrid + virtual in 2023, we’ve listed questions for you to answer to make this process much easier.
For example:
- What is your overall goal?
- How will you measure the success of the project?
- How will you measure the success of the chosen vendor?
- What type of event(s) are you hosting?
- Why are you searching for a new vendor?
- What barriers to success are you trying to overcome?
- Is there a maximum budget for the project?
And many more!
What requirements to have in your event management RFP template
You’ll find 8 groups of requirements in our free event management RFP template that include 100+ features you should look for in your next event platform vendor. We’ve updated our list on the latest event platform features available in the market:
- Event management – everything you need to logistically create and run your event, including registration, branding & customization, and the ability to send notifications and alerts.
- Activation & engagement – all the tools you need to turn your event into an interactive experience for your audience, including polling, Q&A, home feed, gamification, and chatbots.
- Networking & communities – the features that help you connect your audience to one another, including recommended connections, 1-1 and group chat, LinkedIn profile integration, contact requests, and audience profiles.
- Live functionality – everything you need to put on the live portion of your event, including streaming capabilities, live audience reactions, speaker bios, whiteboard sessions, and 2-way video.
- On-demand capabilities – how you offer on-demand access, including searchable content library, hosting live sessions and pre-recorded video, offline capabilities, and summary digests.
- Optimization – how you can turn your event into business impact, including lead collection, usage and behavior analytics, and audience signals/alerts.
- Environment – the details of the platform itself, including hybrid + virtual lobby, web and native mobile applications, language support, and branding & app publishing capabilities.
- Solution support – how the vendor can support you, including global support presence, email/phone/web support, hours of support (are they 24/7?), integrations, and SSO capability.
How does the best free event management RFP template for 2023 work?
We have broken down our event management RFP template (Excel) into 3 sections/worksheets:
- RFP Outline – this section is for you to complete the company searching for a vendor (i.e. you). It’s your chance to tell prospective vendors what your event management RFP is all about, set the tone for the responses, detail what you need the vendor for, and what your goals & dates are, etc., as well as a chance to detail logistics like contact information and deadlines for questions and responses.
- Vendor Response Sheet – this section is the blank template that you send or make available to prospective vendors. They will then complete the details, and return their answers to you within the allotted time.
- Response Comparison Grid – this handy sheet is a framework for you to compare each of the prospective vendor responses side by side. It helps you speed up your decision process.
Ready to find your perfect vendor for 2023 with the best free event management RFP template?
Download RFP template for life science companies
Download RFP template for all other enterprises
Other resources to help you find the best event platform vendor for 2023:
We suggest reading our article about the 13 corporate event trends that will make your events stand out in 2023 and then checking out the following guides to help you succeed in the upcoming year:
- The 25 best conference + mobile event apps for 2023
- The virtual events platform comparison chart
- The 15 best hybrid event platforms in 2023
- The 9 best event platforms for HCP events in 2023
- SpotMe event platform demo
