Budget and procurement tools
Event RFP completeness checker
The request for proposals is nearly ready to go out, and nobody is sure whether suppliers could quote from it.
Opens WhatsApp with a draft you can edit before sending. Nothing is sent automatically.
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The short answer
The checker reads only what you type: the workstreams, how complete each specification is, the evaluation method, the key dates and who answers questions. It lists every gap, puts mandatory gaps first and builds a question pack to close them.
No supplier document is uploaded and nothing is sent or procured. A report with no gaps means no gap in the fields you filled in. It does not say the RFP is clear, fair or ready to issue.
What to enter
- Each workstream suppliers are asked to price, such as venue, catering, audiovisual and registration, and whether its specification is complete, partly written, not written or not yet assessed.
- Which specifications are mandatory: those a supplier cannot quote sensibly without.
- Whether quantities and scope are stated, the responsible role and the date the work is needed.
- How proposals will be evaluated, the last date for supplier questions, the response deadline, the planned decision date and the role that answers questions.
How gaps are found
A specification you have not assessed is a gap, not a pass. A mandatory workstream with a missing or partial specification, or with no quantities, is a mandatory gap and stays at the top of the list until you mark the specification complete.
Dates are checked for order: questions should close before proposals are due, and the decision should come after them. A response deadline before the review date is flagged.
Using the question pack
- Each gap becomes a question for whoever owns that part of the RFP. Edit the wording and add the answers in the last column.
- Close mandatory gaps first, then re-run the check with the updated fields.
- Keep names and contact details out. The responsible role is enough.
Limits
The checker cannot judge whether a specification is good, only whether you say it exists. It does not assess fairness, legal terms or procurement rules your organisation must follow. Once the gaps are closed, plan the response window with the procurement deadline planner, and compare what comes back with the supplier scoring matrix and the quote normaliser.
Worked example · Fictional example
A fictional conference RFP
Fictional workstreams and dates, to show the report.
A fictional secretariat lists four workstreams. Venue is complete. Catering is partly written and has no quantities, and AV and interpretation has no specification, no quantities, no owner and no date; both are mandatory. Printed materials has not been assessed and has no quantities.
The report shows 4 mandatory gaps and 6 other gaps. The question deadline of 20 October is also later than the response deadline of 15 October, which is flagged. Only the venue workstream has no gap.
| Workstream | Mandatory | Specification | Gaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue and rooms | Yes | Complete | 0 |
| Catering | Yes | Partly written | 2, both mandatory |
| AV and interpretation | Yes | Not written | 4: 2 mandatory, owner and date missing |
| Printed materials | No | Not assessed | 2: specification and quantities |
Use this yourself
RFP completeness checklist
Go through each workstream and the whole RFP. Write what is missing and who will supply it.
| Item | Stated in the RFP? (yes, partly, no) | Mandatory? | What is missing | Who closes it, by when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specification for each workstream | ||||
| Quantities and scope for each workstream | ||||
| Responsible role for each workstream | ||||
| Evaluation method and weights | ||||
| Last date for supplier questions | ||||
| Proposal response deadline | ||||
| Planned decision date | ||||
| Role that answers supplier questions |
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- The RFP covers a few workstreams, the specifications exist in draft and the team can answer the question pack itself.
- Someone outside the drafting team can read it with fresh eyes.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Specifications are missing for several workstreams and nobody owns writing them.
- Dates, evaluation method and responsibilities have not been agreed across the committee.
- The RFP will go to many suppliers and needs one person to hold the single set of questions and answers.
Need the specification written before it goes out?
An Event Blueprint can set out the scope, the supplier requirements, the timeline and who is responsible, so the RFP is written from a settled plan. A project lead can chase the open questions with your committee while approvals stay with you.
Questions organisers ask
Do I upload my RFP or supplier documents?
No. You type what the draft already states. Nothing is uploaded, sent or stored beyond your own browser.
What does it mean if the report shows no gaps?
Only that no gap was found in the fields you filled in. It is not a check of quality, fairness or compliance.
Why is an unassessed specification a gap?
Because not knowing is not the same as complete. It stays visible until someone confirms the specification.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.