OpenRFP: designed for efficiency, ease-of-use, and cost savings
We provide a vendor-neutral web service to bring libraries & suppliers together for discovery and supply of new technology and services.
Procurement Service exclusively from OpenRFP
We have over 2,500 factual statements in our database about Integrated Library Systems, RFID, Print Management, and Electronic Resources Management. Libraries or vendors can input draft statements for features needing more coverage or for new applications.
A library develops its requirements by selecting from these statements and adding relative importance values. The vendors respond giving product status for each requirement, adding comment where appropriate.
OpenRFP saves the vendor responses for future use by the vendor and by libraries authorized by the vendor. Online searches and responses to library procurement requests can use this information.
Whether working alone or with a consultant, by using OpenRFP a library can choose the most cost-effective solution while saving time and effort for itself and for the vendors. OpenRFP is a transparent procurement process, providing more verifiable, accurate communication between library and vendor.
OpenRFP Advantage for Libraries
- Buy new technology for an individual library or a consortium
- Include any vendor, already on file or not
- Use consistent, verifiable statements about functionality as specifications
- Add missing specifications
- Assign weightings for scoring vendor responses
- Reduce staff effort and improve understanding of functions and costs
- Make your process accurate, open and transparent to staff and purchase authorities
OpenRFP Advantage for Vendors
- Help the library discover your important capabilities before it starts the purchase process
- Put your best foot forward; be certain your important features are included
- Understand what functions are most important to the library
- Post responses in advance; reduce unscheduled effort, repetitious work and delay responding to RFPs
- Compete for customers that you cannot visit in person
- Add descriptions of unique capabilities as you put them into your product
- Add new areas as you develop new products