Create a Time and Materials Request for Proposals (RFP)

.Summary

Create a Time & Materials (T&M) Request for Proposals (RFP) to collect proposals for work billed by day or hour.
You can save the RFP as a draft at any time and complete it later.
Publication is only possible when all required fields are completed and when the issuing entity is active and has at least one active spending line.

Start a new Time & Materials RFP

Go to RFP and select Create an RFP, or from the homepage select Create new Request for Proposals.
Choose Time and materials as the RFP type.
Select Start to open the one-page form.

How to complete the form

Select the entity and operational details

Select the Entity.
Review Operational Manager, Spending Line, and Buyer. Update if needed.

If applicable: “My need”

(Displayed only when both sourcing and portage modules are used.)

Choose one option:

Looking for an expertise: Publish to permitted supplier audiences (preferred, targeted, marketplace).
Already found an expertise: Send directly to the selected supplier for follow-up and invoicing.

Define the project

You may write the Project section manually or use the AI RFP writer.

Using the AI RFP writer

Enter a short description of your need.
Review the generated project title, context, goals and deliverables, and suggested skills.
Select Refresh if you want a different draft.
Edit the generated content or ignore it and complete the fields yourself.

Then complete:

Project title
Project context
Goals and deliverables
Estimated duration (optional)
Intervention time (full time or part time)
Add up to five attachments.
Review mandatory clauses if your organization uses them. Suppliers must accept all mandatory clauses to submit a proposal.

Add skills and proficiency (optional)

Add hard skills, soft skills, and languages.
Set a proficiency level for each skill.
Select suggested skills (if generated by the AI RFP writer) to add them.
To add an unlisted skill, type the name and press Enter.

Define location and confidentiality

RFP confidentiality (optional)

When enabled:

Suppliers cannot see company-identifying information.
Do not include identifiable information in text fields or attachments.

Location and execution

Enter the project location (required, even when fully remote).
Select the execution modality: no remote, occasional remote, full remote, or all possibilities.
Activate Expected travels if needed, then specify locations and frequency.

Configure specific settings (if configured)

Complete any sections configured by your organization, such as:

Custom fields for sourcing or reporting.
Project codes for internal cost allocation.
Daily fees settings for additional supplier charges (transportation, meals, accommodation, etc.).

Set duration and budget

Enter the project start date (optional).
Enter the estimated purchase order length.
Add a renewal option if applicable.
If profile codes and rate grids are enabled, select the profile code (budget per working unit fills automatically).
Select the working unit (WU): days or hours.
Enter the maximum budget per WU.
Choose whether to display the maximum budget to suppliers.

Publish the RFP

Choose one publication method.

1. Publication sequence (if configured)

Select the predefined sequence for the entity.
Review the supplier groups displayed in stages.
Remove suppliers if needed (at least one supplier must remain in each stage).

The sequence cannot be edited after publication.

2. Open to marketplace (if configured)

Make the RFP visible to the marketplace audience allowed by your entity.

3. Send to preferred suppliers

Select one or more preferred supplier lists.
Adjust the supplier selection if needed.

4. Send to targeted recipients

Invite suppliers by name or email (including suppliers not yet registered).

Additional publication options:

Set a deadline for proposals (optional).
Select a validation workflow if multiple workflows exist.
Provide a justification for publication (optional), visible only to workflow validators.

To finalize: Select Publish.

After publication

If a validation workflow applies

The RFP status shows Workflow in progress.
Approvers receive the RFP.
Suppliers are notified only after approval is complete.
You can follow the workflow and send reminders.

If no validation workflow applies

The RFP is published immediately.

Supplier notifications after publication

Preferred and targeted suppliers receive an invitation.
If open to marketplace, the RFP becomes visible to the configured audience.