OPERATING PRINCIPLE
Turn the objective into a controlled process
A travel management RFP should describe the company’s actual travel profile and ask suppliers to answer the same operational scenarios. Compare service coverage, booking and emergency support, reporting fields, implementation, data controls and complete pricing—not presentation quality alone.
Give suppliers a usable brief
State trip volume ranges, traveller locations, common routes, approval structure, service hours and reporting needs without disclosing unnecessary personal data.
- Define scope, entities and traveller groups.
- Describe current booking and approval workflow.
- List required integrations and report fields.
Test real operating scenarios
Ask every bidder to explain how it handles a new booking, after-hours disruption, refund, unused credit, group movement and executive request. Scenario answers expose ownership and handoffs.
- Request escalation times and named ownership model.
- Ask how supplier rules are communicated.
- Verify how exceptions and approvals are recorded.
Score evidence and total price
Weight criteria before proposals arrive. Distinguish mandatory requirements from scored advantages, and compare all transaction, implementation and optional costs on the same basis.
- Use a published scoring matrix internally.
- Validate references relevant to similar travel needs.
- Document clarifications and final assumptions.
CONTROL CHECK
Before the process goes live
- Travel profile and scope documented
- Mandatory and scored criteria separated
- Operating scenarios included
- Pricing template uses the same assumptions
- Implementation and data ownership covered
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
How many suppliers should receive the RFP?
Use a shortlist large enough for meaningful comparison but small enough for structured evaluation. The suitable number depends on market and scope.
Should price have the highest score?
Weighting should reflect the organisation’s priorities. Service continuity, support and reporting can materially affect the final cost and risk.
Why include operational scenarios?
They show how the proposed service works under real pressure and make supplier answers easier to compare.