RFP requirements checklist: 12 checks before submission.

How to use this checklist

Start with a machine-assisted sweep, then review the document structure manually. Create one row per testable obligation, keep the source wording, and assign a stable ID. Never treat extraction as proof of completeness: tables, defined terms, scoring criteria, and amendments often introduce requirements without obvious modal words.

The 12-point RFP requirement review

1. Submission instructions. Capture delivery method, portal rules, file naming, volume structure, page limits, fonts, margins, copies, signatures, and the exact closing time—including its time zone.
2. Mandatory obligation language. Search shall, must, required, will, may not, prohibited, at least, no later than, and not exceed. Preserve the original wording and source location.
3. Eligibility and responsibility evidence. List certifications, registrations, licenses, insurance, financial evidence, representations, conflicts disclosures, and minimum experience thresholds.
4. Technical requirements. Split compound specifications into reviewable rows. Record standards, integrations, environments, performance thresholds, accessibility, and acceptance criteria.
5. Security and data handling. Identify encryption, incident reporting, residency, retention, personnel screening, audit, subcontractor, and data-destruction obligations.
6. Pricing instructions. Reconcile the pricing workbook, contract line items, assumptions, travel rules, escalation limits, taxes, discounts, and required cost narratives.
7. Schedule and dependencies. Map proposal deadlines, question dates, demonstrations, award timing, kickoff, milestones, deliverables, review periods, and renewal options.
8. Evaluation criteria. Turn scored factors and subfactors into response obligations even when the buyer does not use shall or must. Note weights and pass/fail gates.
9. Forms, tables, and attachments. Inventory every form, exhibit, appendix, workbook, sample, reference questionnaire, and third-party attachment required with the response.
10. Terms, exceptions, and flow-downs. Flag non-negotiable clauses, exception procedures, order-of-precedence rules, incorporated documents, and obligations that apply to subcontractors.
11. Amendments and official Q&A. Reconcile each amendment and buyer answer against the matrix. Mark superseded language instead of silently overwriting the audit trail.
12. Final traceability review. Require an owner, status, response location, and reviewer decision for every row. Re-read the complete solicitation before declaring the matrix closed.

A defensible closeout rule

A requirement is not closed because someone says the proposal covers it. Close a row only when a reviewer can navigate from the source citation to the mapped response, confirm that the response meets the obligation, and see any assumption or exception.

• Source file, page, and section are recorded.
• The requirement is quoted without changing its meaning.
• One accountable owner is named.
• The proposal response location is specific and current.
• Exceptions and dependencies are visible.
• Amendments and official answers are reconciled.
• A second reviewer confirms the final status.