Make the Most of Your Relocation RFP

Relocation Guidelines for RFPs

Nobody likes spending more and getting less — or even missing a key part of being more strategic in relocating employees. Plus, relocation RFPs can get very complicated, with responses stretching to dozens of pages.

It’s no wonder the people responsible for relocation RFPs might not like the process. After all, it’s not something you do every day. The process itself can be completely overwhelming.

Yet, the RFP process is an important step for many organizations. It helps them better identify potential programs that best meet their needs, plus, it’s an invitation to explore new options and consider cost structure or other key areas that will be important to the organization as a whole.

10 Key Steps in Any Successful Relocation RFP

We know that every RFP is somewhat different. But that being said, there are some key steps that every organization should consider when evaluating new solutions to mobility challenges:

1. Identify any internal issues or problems to solve
2. Review industry trends and best practices
3. Determine RFP timeline parameters
4. Develop RFP questions
5. Design a scoring matrix
6. Identify service provider participants
7. Distribute the RFP
8. Evaluate and score supplier responses
9. Determine finalists for site visits or presentations
10. Sign contract with selected supplier

Each of these steps is a critical piece of getting the right partner for your relocation needs.

One More Consideration: Value

Though the bottom-line price is often one of the first considerations for inclusion for being a finalist, one issue that’s often more important has to do with creating a valuable program for your organization.

Relocation is a service and technology business. While technology can be scaled and accessible for organizations, service has to meet the needs of each individual organization. As margins get squeezed, vendors will often cut down on services to keep the lowest bid for the organization. Although this can initially seem attractive, the end experience for relocating employees is anything but. Not only that, surprise costs can pop up — and that’s not great for anyone.