How to Lay the Groundwork Before Your Next Fleet RFP
For a more effective RFP outcome, first understand how to gain internal alignment, avoid an overbuilt document, and decide when to use an RFI or RFQ to start the process.
What three-letter acronyms are associated with unpleasantness or even dread? Depending on the situation, we might universally include the IRS and then add DMV, MRI, IOU, HOA, and TSA. But for those in fields with high-stakes procurement, an RFP may cause even more anxiety.
Unlike the other acronyms, though, this one comes with commitment. In fleet, issuing an RFP is more than picking the lowest bidder. Like marriage, it’s about transparency, alignment, and risk mitigation.
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In this article (Part 1 of 2), we’ll cover the most important phase of the process: what to do before the RFP is issued. The success of the proposal, whether business or personal, depends on the groundwork laid before anyone gets down on one knee.
Start with Research
Before you even think about drafting an RFP, take a step back. The best RFPs don’t start with templates; they start with research. The market and technology move quickly, and you need to be up to speed before putting pen to paper.
Actionable steps for effective pre-work:
Research market dynamics to stay ahead of emerging trends, whether it’s EV integration, telematics, or fleet management information systems (FMIS).
Explore new suppliers or innovative solutions that could shake up your current fleet strategy.
Consult industry reports and case studies to understand what’s been working for similar fleets.
This foundational work ensures your RFP reflects not just what you need, but also what’s possible.
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Cautionary Fleet Tale: Gaining Internal Alignment
An RFP that is drafted without internal alignment is doomed from the start. Every stakeholder in your organization must be on the same page before you even draft the first question.
Fleet industry consultant Diana Holland shared a cautionary tale about the risks of bypassing internal alignment during an RFP process:
Diana Holland
Photo: Diana Holland
A seasoned fleet manager overseeing 1,700 trucks confidently launched an RFP to evaluate and potentially replace the company’s fleet management company (FMC). Backed by the VP of operations, he leveraged templated questions, conducted supplier interviews, and led a well-structured review process. With input from sourcing, HR, operations, and finance, he built a strong case for switching providers.
However, when he presented his recommendation to the executive committee, the CEO unexpectedly shot it down, not because of the suppliers but because of a contract clause. The incumbent FMC had a long-standing indemnity clause that the CEO was unwilling to lose. The clause had been quietly grandfathered into the agreement years earlier, and no one involved in the RFP had flagged it as a potential barrier.
“He did everything right, except secure executive alignment from the start,” said Holland. “The CEO’s red line wasn’t about performance or pricing; it was about a legal clause that should’ve been flagged on day one.”
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Holland said the lesson is clear: Before launching an RFP, especially one that could trigger a supplier switch, stakeholders at the highest levels must be consulted, not just informed. That includes identifying any legacy agreements or contract non-negotiables that could override the best-laid sourcing strategies.
One Fleet’s RFP Journey
Joe Hoiberg began his RFP process for choosing an FMC by gathering input across internal departments.
“We treat fleet as a hybrid of operations and finance, so I knew it was important to involve stakeholders from both sides,” said Hoiberg, asset manager for engineering firm Stanley Consultants.
“I pulled in our construction services lead and reached out to our team members who manage vehicles locally, to make sure we captured their pain points and feedback. We communicate regularly with those employees, so we knew many of their pain points and were able to include questions in the RFP draft based on those issues.”
Gaining Buy-In
He and his manager distilled those comments into actionable RFP elements. “We reviewed everything to eliminate redundancy while making sure each group’s priorities were represented.”
The Stanley team developed the RFP by customizing an internal template: “Our RFP was built off a corporate real estate RFP template we’d used a few years earlier. We modified it to fit fleet, which helped us avoid starting from scratch and ensured it followed internal expectations.”
Hoiberg also understood the importance of transparent communication with his incumbent provider. “We’d been with our FMC for 25 years,” he said. “I made sure to be upfront: ‘We’re reviewing all major program vendors enterprise-wide, and now it’s fleet’s turn. You’ll receive an RFP soon, and we’d welcome your participation.’”
Evaluating Vendors
Hoiberg and his team began with five FMCs but made some early cuts. “After some initial calls, we decided not to proceed with two of them before issuing the RFP. I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time if we knew it wasn’t a good fit.”
The remaining three vendors went through the full RFP and presentation process. “Price was part of the decision, but the differences were fairly minimal. Our primary focus was the level of service and value the FMC would be able to provide to our fleet and our employees,” Hoiberg said.
Tapping the Wisdom of the Crowd
Hoiberg’s final advice: “Figure out who your key stakeholders are early, and make it clear you want their input. You’re tapping into the wisdom of the crowd,” he said. “Every team — finance, ops, drivers — has different needs, and unless you surface those before the RFP goes out, you’re setting yourself up for conflict later.”
His careful approach paid off. “During our current transition to a new FMC, that early buy-in has been a tremendous asset.”
An Alignment Checklist
What does alignment look like?
Start by identifying the problems you’re solving. What pain points exist in your fleet’s operation? Is it route optimization? Rising service costs? Unpredictable maintenance schedules?
Next, address internal “sacred cows.” Are there non-negotiables, or key relationships with suppliers you’re hesitant to disrupt? Call these out early.
Gauge openness to change: Is this RFP about transformation, or are you just checking a procedural box? Be brutally honest with yourself and your team.
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RFI vs. RFP vs. RFQ: What Works When
Understanding the differences between an RFI, RFP, and RFQ is essential for structuring a procurement process that matches your fleet’s needs and stage in the buying journey.
Request for Information
An RFI is typically used early in the process, when the buyer is still gathering ideas and exploring what’s available in the market. It’s a high-level, exploratory tool that helps you learn about potential vendors, their capabilities, and broad solution offerings.
The goal of an RFI isn’t to select a partner, but to understand your options. Supplier involvement is relatively low, as vendors use this opportunity to introduce themselves and highlight their value propositions. RFIs are generally quick to produce and review and often produce a shortlist of suppliers who may be invited to participate in a future RFP or RFQ.
If you’re unclear about what’s available on the market, an RFI acts as a fact-finding mission. It helps you learn more about supplier offerings without committing prematurely.
Request for Proposal
An RFP comes into play when the buyer has a specific problem to solve and is seeking a tailored solution. It is a more complex and time-intensive document that asks suppliers to submit detailed proposals, often including pricing models, service-level expectations, timelines, and implementation strategies.
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RFPs require significant internal alignment and collaboration, both to build and to evaluate. Supplier engagement is high, as vendors must customize their responses to meet the buyer’s specific needs. The evaluation process focuses not just on pricing, but on overall value, fit, and differentiation. The typical result is a selection based on who offers the best comprehensive solution.
Request for Quotation
An RFQ is best used when the buyer knows exactly what they want, whether it’s a specific product, service, or deliverable, and is simply looking for the most competitive price and delivery terms. RFQs are straightforward and efficient, with vendors responding to a precise scope.
Evaluation is primarily cost-driven, with suppliers selected based on pricing, lead time, or other defined criteria. These are quick-turnaround requests with minimal complexity.
Choosing the right document, whether RFI, RFP, or RFQ, depends on how much you know, how much support you need from suppliers, and how nuanced the solution must be. Using the right tool at the right time ensures a more productive sourcing process and better outcomes for your fleet.
4 Tips for Electric Fleet RFPs
By Maria Neve,VP-eFMC Services at Inspiration Mobility
When incorporating electric vehicles in your fleet, a well-crafted RFP is key to a smooth, cost-effective rollout for not only vehicle procurement but also energy and infrastructure.
Here’s how to get it right:
1. Expand Your Providers
Fleet management companies have traditionally optimized operations for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, with service models built around fuel cards, scheduled maintenance, and cyclical vehicle replacement. EVs shift those dynamics. Their lower maintenance needs, longer useful life, complex charging requirements, and specialized charging and tax strategies call for a different layer of support.
Craft your RFP to allow multiple providers, including FMCs, eFMCs, and consultants that specialize in EVs, to support your electrification goals.
2. Take a Systems-Integrated Approach
EVs and charging infrastructure must be considered together, but corporate procurement often addresses fleet and infrastructure separately. The more complex your fleet, the more essential it is to optimize depot, home, and public charging with a partner who can plan, finance, and manage every aspect from the outset and who is accountable for the entire system’s success.
3. Focus on Vehicle Fit & TCO
Choosing the right vehicles requires expertise. While many EVs are cost-competitive, higher upfront prices can be misleading. Your RFP should require a partner to deliver a full Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis — including fuel, maintenance savings, tax credits, and long-term efficiency.
Just as crucial, it should assess vehicle fit that analyzes routes, loads, and climate to ensure EVs deliver a strong ROI.
4. Demand EV-Specific Data, Telematics, and KPIs
Your RFP should require EV-specific insights on battery health, range efficiency, and charging behavior. Without these, you risk stranded drivers, downtime, and rising costs. Also ask how the data integrates into the fleet portal. Can you get the same granularity as with ICE vehicles? What KPIs define a successful EV program?
Bundling vehicles and key EV services into one RFP ensures you secure a partner equipped to manage all your electrification needs.
Cautionary Fleet Tale: Avoiding an Overbuilt RFP
In another true fleet tale, Holland recounted how a well-intentioned procurement effort ballooned into a costly delay due to an overbuilt RFP.
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A category manager at a fast-growing home healthcare provider, whose fleet had scaled from 80 to 750 vehicles in two years, set out to launch a comprehensive RFP for a new fleet partner. He gathered templates from multiple sources, including NAFA and various suppliers, and built an RFP spanning 25 pages and more than 200 questions.
The RFP included highly technical and compliance-heavy questions, many of which were irrelevant to their non-regulated fleet of sedans, SUVs, and minivans.
Seven suppliers received the document; five responded. The initial 90-day review timeline quickly unraveled. It took four months to sift through dense submissions and clarifying questions, another two months for finalist meetings, and a final month to reach internal consensus.
As a result, what was meant to be a three-month process took nine months, delaying the new program’s cost-saving benefits. Holland estimates the organization lost over $1 million in savings due to the delay, not to mention the staff time spent reviewing off-target responses.
“The RFP was so bloated it buried the priorities,” said Holland. “A focused RFP gets you to value faster. A bloated one costs you more than just time.”
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The takeaway: A shorter, targeted RFP aligned to fleet size and needs is more effective and more actionable than one that aims to cover every possible scenario.
Ask Smart Questions for Better Responses
A vague RFP delivers vague responses. If your question says, “We need route optimization,” don’t be surprised when you get generic solutions that fail to impress. Be specific about your needs and outcomes.
Instead, build a checklist of “must-achieve” metrics for suppliers to address within their proposals, such as: “Implement route optimization software that reduces idle time by 15% within six months.”
Providers can only offer meaningful solutions if your RFP includes clear, measurable expectations. This not only enhances the responses you receive but saves time during the evaluation phase.
Manage Politics & Relationships
RFPs aren’t conducted in isolation; they send signals across your supplier network. What are you signaling? Are you open to change, or just fishing for intel? (if the latter, see RFI instead.)
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Best practices for navigating the politics of RFPs:
Communicate clearly with current suppliers. Explain whether the RFP signals potential change or a status quo evaluation. Ambiguity creates unnecessary tension.
Don’t RFP a category you won’t switch. If it’s impossible to change suppliers, skip the RFP entirely. A hollow process damages credibility.
Bridge the gap with procurement. Fleet and procurement teams often speak different languages. Align on criteria beyond pricing. Highlight innovation, reliability, and strategic fit.
Politics and relationships within the supplier market can make or break your RFP outcomes. Treat them with respect.
Leverage Industry Resources & Templates
Why reinvent the wheel when the industry has plenty of tools and resources available?
Go-to resources for fleet RFPs:
NAFA templates for structured RFPs tailored to fleet management. NAFA’s library not only has templates for 13 different areas of procurement but also a sourcing glossary of purchasing terms with hundreds of entries.
FMC-supplied templates, often geared towards specific categories like vehicles, fuel, or maintenance contracts.
Third-party consultants can facilitate workshops or provide targeted advice.
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Even with a template, always customize it to suit your unique context. Generic language delivers generic results.
Foundations for a Great RFP
When done right, a fleet RFP isn’t just a formality; it’s a strategic tool that solves real problems and strengthens supplier partnerships.
But getting those results doesn’t start with the questions you ask vendors, it starts with the conversations you have internally, the clarity of your goals, and the discipline to keep your process focused.
In Part 2 of this series, we’ll explain how to structure your RFP for maximum impact. We’ll also explore smarter, outcome-based questions, how to guide suppliers toward the solutions you actually need, and how to build an evaluation process that leads to confident, defensible decisions.
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