SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
Request for Proposal (RFP) Template
Prepared by: _____________________________ Date: _____________________________
Project Name: _____________________________ Submission Deadline: _____________________________
Fill in the sections below and send this document to the software development firms you are evaluating. Skip any section that does not apply. Sharing as much detail as possible results in more accurate proposals and fewer back-and-forth emails before work begins.
1. Company Overview
Give the development team enough context to understand your business before reading the rest of the document.
2. Project Summary
Two to four sentences describing what you want to build. What is the product, who uses it, and what problem does it solve?
3. Goals and Success Metrics
What does success look like six months after launch? List two to five measurable outcomes.
4. Target Users
Who will use this product? Include demographics, technical comfort level, device preferences, and expected user volume at launch and at scale.
5. Core Features and Requirements
List features in priority order. Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves. Attach wireframes or mockups if you have them.
Must-Have (launch blockers)
Nice-to-Have (post-launch or V2)
6. Technical Requirements and Constraints
Leave blank anything you are unsure about — a good development firm will help you decide.
7. Design Requirements
8. Timeline
9. Budget
Sharing a range is in your interest. It lets vendors tell you honestly what is achievable and helps them prioritize the right things.
10. Your Team and Involvement
11. Vendor Selection Criteria
Tell vendors what you are evaluating them on so they can address it in their proposal.
12. What to Include in Your Proposal
Specify what you want back from vendors. Recommended:
- Project understanding and proposed approach
- Team composition (who works on this, their background)
- Technical stack recommendation and rationale
- Project timeline with milestones
- Pricing breakdown
- Two to three relevant case studies or references
- Any questions or clarifications before finalizing scope