A free website design RFP template you can copy, what each section should say, how to score agency responses, and how agencies can write a proposal that wins.
A website design RFP (request for proposal) is a short document that describes your website project and asks several agencies to propose an approach, timeline and price, so you can compare them fairly. A good one, as of September 2026, fits on a few pages and covers goals, scope, content, technical needs, budget range, timeline and how you will choose. Copy the free template below.
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The second half of this guide is for agencies: how to answer an RFP in a way that wins.
Use an RFP when the project is large enough that a wrong choice is expensive, when several people must sign off, or when your organisation requires a formal process. For a small business site, a one-page brief sent to three providers usually does the same job with less effort. Our guide on how to choose a web design agency covers the lighter approach.
Copy this structure into a document and fill in each section.
1. About us. Who you are, what you do, your size and your customers, in a paragraph.
2. Project overview. New site or redesign? Why now? What is not working today?
3. Goals and success measures. Two or three goals, each with a measure. For example: more quote requests, fewer support calls, easier updates for the marketing team.
4. Audiences. Who uses the site and what each group needs to do.
5. Scope. A page list or sitemap, languages, and any sections to migrate from the current site.
6. Features and integrations. Forms, booking, search, ecommerce, CRM, email marketing, analytics, logins.
7. Content. Who writes copy, supplies photos and migrates existing content.
8. Technical requirements. Preferred or excluded platforms, hosting, accessibility standard, security, privacy and performance needs.
9. Editing after launch. Who will update the site, and how technical they are.
10. Budget. A range for the build and a range for ongoing costs.
11. Timeline. Key dates: RFP out, questions due, answers shared, proposals due, decision, project start, launch.
12. Proposal requirements. What each response must include and the format.
13. Evaluation criteria. How you will score responses, with weights.
14. Contact. One person, one email address, for all questions.
| Section | Common mistake | Better approach |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | "A modern, fresh website" | Specific outcomes with a measure |
| Scope | No page list | A sitemap, even a rough one |
| Content | Silence on who writes copy | Name the owner of copy, photos and migration |
| Editing | Not mentioned | Describe who edits and how often |
| Budget | Left out | A realistic range for build and ongoing costs |
| Timeline | Only a launch date | Every milestone, including your review time |
| Evaluation | "Best value" | A weighted scorecard shared in the RFP |
Set your scorecard before proposals arrive, and share it in the RFP. A simple version:
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Understanding of our goals and audiences | 25% |
| Relevant experience and case studies | 20% |
| Approach, process and team | 20% |
| Total cost over two to three years | 20% |
| Timeline and ability to meet it | 10% |
| References | 5% |
Adjust the weights to your priorities, but decide them first. Then shortlist two or three for a call, ask each the same follow-up questions, and check references.
Keep notes on why each shortlisted agency scored the way it did. If a stakeholder asks why you chose one over another, you will have a clear, documented answer.
An RFP response is a sales document with rules. The agencies that win follow the rules exactly and then make the proposal feel written for this one client.
The last point often decides close contests. Clients have been burned by sites only the agency could change.
One strong answer is to deliver the site on a builder that your agency controls and brands. The client's team edits in a simple editor under your name, and you offer a monthly plan for support and improvements. It is also how agencies profitably serve the smaller clients who send RFPs with modest budgets.
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Buyers: goals with measures, page list, content owner, budget range, full timeline, scorecard, one contact.
Agencies: every requirement answered in order, goals restated, two or three relevant case studies, named team, itemised build price, ongoing cost, assumptions listed, and a clear answer to who edits the site after launch.
A clear RFP gets better proposals, and a clear proposal wins more RFPs. Both come down to the same thing: specific goals, honest scope and no surprises after launch.
Launch your branded builder free (7-day trial). Lite $99/mo for 25 sites, Launch $499/mo for 250, Scale $999/mo for 1,000 with no WeInc branding, and a 0% transaction fee. Compare plans on white-label pricing or read the white label overview.
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