A good promotional products RFP describes your programs and volumes, asks every vendor to price the same way, and states your requirements for timing, quality, insurance, sourcing and references up front. Public RFPs commonly score cost, quality, comparable experience and references, and many ask for an online ordering portal.

What public RFPs ask for

Public procurement documents show a consistent pattern. A 2025 university RFP for promotional items asked for general liability insurance of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, three references, a company overview, pricing as a discount off catalog price with setup fees, minimums and average lead times by item category, country of origin on invoices, and an online ordering portal with single sign-on and an accessibility conformance report. It scored cost at 40 points, quality at 30, comparable experience at 20 and references at 10.

Arkansas Tech University RFP 25-014

RFP checklist

  1. Scope: programs covered, item categories, estimated annual volume.
  2. Pricing format: per unit pricing at set quantity breaks, setup and art fees, shipping.
  3. Lead times: standard and rush, by category.
  4. Proofs and quality: proof approval process, remake and refund policy.
  5. Insurance and documents: liability coverage limits, W-9.
  6. Sourcing: country of origin, product safety, supplier social compliance.
  7. Company store: access method, budgets, reporting, security and accessibility documentation.
  8. Brand standards: color matching, logo usage approval.
  9. References: programs of similar size and scope.
  10. Scoring: published weights for cost, quality, experience and references.

How to make vendor answers comparable

Give every vendor the same sample basket, for example 500 t-shirts with a one color front print, 250 embroidered polos and 1,000 tumblers with a one color imprint, and ask for all-in pricing including setup and shipping to a stated address.

Common mistakes

Asking for catalog discounts without a sample basket. Leaving out rush requirements. Skipping a proof and remake policy. Scoring on price alone.

Need a vendor response for your RFP? Our vendor information page covers company details, terms and documents.

Frequently asked questions

What should a promotional products RFP include?
Scope and volumes, a standard pricing format, lead times, proof and remake policy, insurance and documents, sourcing information, company store requirements if any, references and published scoring weights.
How are promotional products RFPs usually scored?
Commonly on cost, quality, comparable experience and references. One 2025 public RFP weighted them 40, 30, 20 and 10 points.