Free template
Outsourcing RFP Template & Vendor Scorecard
Direct answer
A free, copy-ready outline for a BPO/outsourcing RFP, plus a weighted vendor scorecard for comparing providers. Use the ten sections to brief vendors consistently, then score responses on cost-to-quality, controls, quality, and security — not rate alone.
The template
10 sections to include in your RFP
Copy these headings into your document and ask every vendor the same questions. Consistent briefs make responses comparable — and reveal who competes on quality versus rate.
1. Company & context
Who you are, the process you want to outsource, current volume, systems, and the outcome you need.
2. Scope of work
The exact tasks in and out of scope, expected volumes, seasonality, and languages or coverage hours required.
3. Process & documentation
How the vendor documents SOPs and exception handling, and how knowledge transfer and ongoing changes are managed.
4. People & training
How operators are recruited, trained, certified before live work, and retained; team structure and attrition.
5. Quality & reporting
QA sampling method, the metrics you will see, reporting cadence, and how root-cause and continuous improvement work.
6. Security & compliance
Data access controls, segregation of duties, certifications, and regulatory handling (e.g. KYC/AML, HIPAA).
7. Pricing & commercials
The staffing model, what drives cost, ramp and flex terms, and any minimums — priced on cost-to-quality, not just rate.
8. Transition & pilot
The onboarding plan, pilot scope and success criteria, and the timeline from audit to steady state.
9. Governance & exit
Escalation paths, business reviews, SLAs and remedies, and exit / knowledge-transfer terms to avoid lock-in.
10. References & proof
Relevant experience, comparable engagements, and references you can speak to.
The scorecard
Weighted vendor evaluation scorecard
Score each vendor 1–5 on every criterion, multiply by the weight, and total. The weights below put quality, controls, and cost-to-quality ahead of headline price; adjust them to your priorities.
Cost-to-quality ratio 20%
Quality of output per dollar, not the headline rate.
Process documentation 15%
SOPs, exception handling, and repeatability.
Quality & reporting 15%
QA sampling and the metrics you'll actually see.
Security & compliance 15%
Access controls, segregation of duties, regulatory fit.
People & training 10%
Operator training, certification, and retention.
Scalability & flexibility 10%
Ability to ramp up and down with volume.
Pilot & transition 8%
Willingness to prove quality before scaling.
References & experience 7%
Comparable, verifiable engagements.
Weighted score = Σ (criterion score 1–5 × weight). Compare totals across vendors.
How to use it
Send the ten-section brief to a shortlist of three to five vendors. Give them the same volumes and context so responses are comparable. When responses arrive, score them with the weighted scorecard and shortlist the top two.
Then do the thing most buyers skip: run a paid pilot with the front-runner before committing to full volume. A credible provider will welcome it. For the reasoning behind these criteria, read how to choose the best BPO company, and estimate the upside with the cost calculator.
Outsource the process. Keep control of the outcome.
Tell us what process you want to outsource. Actigy will assess scope, complexity, staffing model, and delivery cost.