This blog entry is a continuation of Automatic RFP Software - Part 1 and Automatic RFP Software - Part 2 which examine a software product for Buyers from On-Line Consultant Software.
Things I really liked:
- Because it is an online system, vendors can't simply skip RFP questions accidentally or on purpose as they do constantly in traditional RFP's.
- Questions can be tailored and prioritized by the Buyer.
- Price information can only be entered in the format provided. Even when sending traditional spreadsheets to vendors and insisting they use only those, some vendors always change them or add to them or do something to make comparisons more difficult. This forces them to fit their info into the format the Buyer wants.
- Buyers simply enter the vendors' e-mail addresses and the RFP's go out. Vendor's respond through free online software to upload their answers. I love the idea of never again printing out and mailing all those copies and then waiting for vendors to return them, often in person, right up to the last deadline minute.
- Questions (at least some- I'm not sure since I couldn't tell from just the screen shots) also have a place for vendor comments and narrative responses. (This is good if you want that, but I would like to know if this feature can be shut off on a per question or per RFP basis. I assume so, but could not determine from what I saw.
I didn't see anything in the presentation that I thought was problematic. Maybe I would have noticed something had I found and used the interactive demo. If anyone has experience using the software, I would love to see comments.
I don't think Buyers need to worry that this automated software will replace them. (Although, let's not put it past some executive somewhere to attempt it!) It does seem like a tool to make the Buyer's job easier. It is definitely worth your time to research it and learn more.
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