Give context, not homework
Agencies need enough information to make sound assumptions, but unpaid speculative strategy should not become the selection test.
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Marketing Agency RFP Canvas
Build an agency request for proposal that gives candidates enough context to respond well and makes proposals easier to compare.
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01
Define the assignment
Give agencies the context they need to solve the right problem.
Organization context
What should an agency understand about the organization, market, and current situation?
Business problem
What problem or opportunity is prompting this RFP?
Objectives and measures
What should the engagement achieve, and how will progress be judged?
Priority audience
Whose attention, trust, or action must the work influence?
02
Set the scope
Make the boundaries clear while leaving room for useful agency thinking.
Services required
Which capabilities and responsibilities should the agency provide?
Deliverables and handoffs
What must be produced, approved, or transferred to your team?
Budget and commercial shape
What budget range, fee structure, and contract term should proposals assume?
Timing and milestones
What dates, dependencies, and decision points shape the work?
03
Run a fair selection
Request comparable evidence and tell agencies how the decision will be made.
Required qualifications
What relevant experience, team access, or operating capability must agencies demonstrate?
Proposal questions
Which questions must every agency answer in the same order?
Evaluation criteria
How will proposals and presentations be evaluated?
Process and contact
What are the submission rules, timetable, decision process, and single contact point?
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Agency RFP guidance
A useful RFP creates comparability without dictating the answer.
Disclose the decision rules
Publishing criteria, stakeholders, and dates helps strong agencies decide whether to participate and respond directly.
Protect comparable answers
Use one contact point and share material clarifications with every bidder so access does not distort the result.
Agency RFP Canvas questions
What should a marketing agency RFP include?
Include business context, the problem and objectives, audience, scope, budget, timing, required evidence, proposal questions, evaluation criteria, and a transparent selection process.
Should an agency RFP include a budget?
Usually yes. A credible range helps agencies propose a realistic team and approach, and prevents both sides from spending time on a structurally mismatched opportunity.
How many agencies should receive the RFP?
A focused shortlist is usually more productive than a broad tender. Invite only agencies that plausibly meet the brief and give each one the same information and access.
Is this RFP template private?
Yes. Your answers remain in the current browser tab and PDF generation happens on your device. No account or upload is required.
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