A purchasing office can be a valuable partner in collaborating with departments or agencies on solicitations by providing strategic support, whether through helping staff write effective and clear specifications, guiding them to use correct procurement processes, or by informing them of existing contracts that meet their needs. Such guidance may save departments from going too far down the wrong path, wasting time and causing delays in getting solicitations out the door.
This Getting Started Worksheet is designed to jumpstart your brainstorming about the important questions that will guide the development of your RFP or other major procurement. We encourage you to use this worksheet as a brainstorming tool with the team working on an RFP, before you put pen to paper to start drafting your solicitation document.