The Website Redesign RFP, With a Free Template
Most website RFPs define success as launch day. This one makes agencies bid against your real numbers. Copy the free two-page template, no form, with an appendix for manufacturers.
Most website redesign RFPs ask agencies how they will build the site. Almost none ask what the site has to do for the business. So every proposal you get back promises a launch date and a page count, and you end up choosing on price and gut feel. The fix is one section: write down how many inquiries the site brings in today, the number you want, and ask each agency what it will commit to if it misses. That section changes who bids, and how.
What a website redesign RFP should include
A website redesign RFP (request for proposals) should include ten things, and all ten fit on two pages:
- About you: what you sell, who buys it, and how a deal usually happens.
- Why you are redesigning: the business problem, in plain words.
- Baseline and target: your current monthly inquiries and RFQs, your conversion rate if you know it, the number you want, how it will be measured, and what the agency commits to if it misses.
- Scope: what is in, what is out, and what you already have.
- Technical and SEO: your platform, who owns the accounts, your top pages, and a required redirect plan.
- Budget and timeline: a budget range and a launch date, with the reason for the date.
- Who decides: every reviewer, and who makes the final call.
- What you want back: the sections you need in each proposal, with a page limit.
- How you will choose: your scoring criteria and their weights.
- Process: dates for questions, proposals, calls and the decision.
Section 3 is the one most website RFP templates leave out, and it is the one that does the most work. The free template below has all ten, plus an appendix for manufacturers and distributors.
Do you need an RFP at all?
Be honest about this before you write anything. LowCode Agency, in its guide to redesign RFPs, says a formal RFP makes sense when you are asking three or more agencies for proposals and the project is typically $30,000 or more in scope (LowCode Agency). Below that line, or with fewer than three agencies, the process costs you more time than it saves.
If that is you, skip the RFP. Send a short brief instead: sections 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 of the template are enough. Then get on a call with each agency. You will learn more in an hour of conversation than from a stack of formatted proposals, and you can still ask the baseline question out loud. Our docs guide on how to write a website brief walks through the lighter version.
The same goes if you already know which agency you want. An RFP sent to make a decision look competitive wastes everyone's time, including yours.
Why most website RFPs get the wrong proposals
Agencies answer the question you ask. If the RFP asks for pages, features and a timeline, that is what you get back, priced by the page. Nobody is asked to move a number, so nobody prices for it, and nobody is accountable for it after launch.
Answering an RFP is also expensive for the agency. FatLab Web Support, citing research from Responsive, reports that agencies spend an average of 25 hours on each RFP response (FatLab Web Support). That is vendor research, so treat it as directional, but the implication holds: agencies triage. A vague RFP sent to ten firms reads as a price check, and the agencies with full calendars quietly pass.
The same page cites Loopio research showing that incumbent vendors win 60% to 90% of formal RFP processes (FatLab Web Support, citing Loopio). If you already have a favorite, that number is a warning about your own process. It is also why the baseline section matters: it gives a newcomer something real to compete on besides price.
If your RFP never says what number the site has to move, every proposal you get back will be priced on pages, and you will choose on price.
How to write a website redesign RFP in seven steps
Here is the order we would write it in. You need a few things on hand before you start:
- Twelve months of inquiry counts, from your CRM or your inbox.
- Access to Google Analytics and Google Search Console, or someone who has it.
- A budget range you would actually sign.
- A launch date, and the business reason behind it.
- The names of everyone who will review proposals.
- A list of three to five agencies.
Pull your baseline numbers
An agency cannot bid on results if nobody knows today's results. The baseline does not need to be precise. It needs to be honest and repeatable, so you can measure the same way after launch.
How to do it
- Count website inquiries per month for the last 12 months: form fills, calls from the site, and emails to the address on the site. If your CRM tracks lead source, filter to the website.
- Count RFQs and quote requests separately. For a manufacturer, an RFQ is much closer to revenue than a general contact form.
- In Google Analytics, find the key event for form submissions and compare it with sessions for the same months. That ratio is your visit-to-inquiry conversion rate. If tracking was never set up, write "unknown." That is a real answer, and it tells agencies that measurement comes first.
- Ask sales what share of website inquiries become real opportunities. A rough answer is fine.
See a worked example
A filled-in baseline row reads like this: "Qualified inquiries per month: [number], the 12-month average from our CRM, lead source = website, excluding spam, job seekers and vendor pitches." The RFQ row follows the same pattern with its own count and source. Writing the source next to the number is what makes it repeatable after launch.
Tools to use
Google Analytics for sessions and form events, Google Search Console for search traffic, and our free Conversion Leak Scorecard, which scores your current site from its URL and shows where it leaks inquiries. The score is a useful "today" line to put next to your numbers.
Steal our AI prompt
I'm writing a website redesign RFP and need a baseline. Below is an export of our leads for the last 12 months with date, lead source and a short note on each. Count the website inquiries per month, excluding spam, job seekers and vendor pitches. Count RFQs or quote requests separately. Give me the monthly average for each, flag any month that looks unusual, and tell me what is missing that I would need to measure this the same way after launch. Export: [paste]
Set the target, and say how it will be measured
A target without a measurement rule turns into an argument after launch. Write down three things. First, what counts as a qualified inquiry, so nobody can hit the target with spam. Second, the window, for example 90 days after launch. Third, the condition that traffic stays comparable, because a cut in ad spend or a seasonal dip can move your inquiries for reasons that have nothing to do with the site.
If you do not know what target is realistic, say so in the RFP and ask each agency to propose one, with its reasoning. How an agency answers that question is a test in itself. A specific target with assumptions attached is a good sign. A promise with no assumptions is not.
Ask what the agency commits to if it misses
This is the line that makes agencies bid on results. Ask it plainly and give examples of acceptable answers: continued work at the agency's cost until the target is met, part of the fee held back until it is met, or another remedy the agency defines.
"We can't guarantee results" can be an honest answer. An agency does not control your sales follow-up, your pricing or your ad budget. But then ask how it will report against your number, and how often. A guarantee nobody has defined is worse than none; our docs guide to red flags in a website proposal covers what a defined one looks like.
For disclosure, here is how we answer it for The Conversion System, our 8-week rebuild: "Before we start, we agree the baseline conversion rate and the exact metric we're moving, on comparable traffic. We design to double it within 90 days of launch. If we don't, we keep working at our cost until we do." That is the kind of answer section 3 of the template is built to draw out, from us or from anyone else.
Write the scope, and put the budget in
Scope is three short lists: what is in, what is out, and what you already have. Name the page types that matter (home, products, industries, RFQ, contact) rather than a page count, and say who writes the content. Content is the part of a redesign most often left out of the price.
Put a budget range in the RFP. Every source we read on website RFPs says the same, and we agree. A range does not weaken your position; it tells agencies what size of solution to propose, so the proposals become comparable. Ask for a fixed price against the scope, with what is included and what is not.
Protect what already works
A redesign can lose search traffic you spent years earning. Make protecting it part of the scope, not a hope.
How to do it
- In Google Search Console, open Performance, set the range to the last 12 months, and switch to the Pages tab. Export the top pages by clicks and attach the top 20 to the RFP.
- Require a redirect and SEO migration plan in every proposal: every old URL with traffic or links gets mapped to its new home.
- List who owns the domain, hosting and analytics accounts. If the answer is "the old agency," fix that before the project starts.
Guides to use
Our docs guides on keeping your SEO through a migration and owning your website accounts.
Send it to three to five agencies, with dates
FatLab Web Support calls three to five vendors the sweet spot for most redesign projects (FatLab Web Support), and that matches what we would tell a friend. Tell each agency how many others are invited. Set a date for questions and share every answer with every agency. Set a page limit for responses, so you are comparing thinking, not production values.
Score the proposals, then talk
Agree the weights before the proposals arrive, and have each reviewer score on their own before you compare notes. FatLab publishes a sensible default weighting for redesign RFPs:
One published weighting for scoring redesign proposals
Our template keeps the same shape but gives the answer to the baseline and target 25%, because that is the part that tells you whether an agency is willing to be measured. Experience, approach and team, and price each get 20%, and references get 15%.
The score gets you a shortlist of two or three. The calls decide. Our docs list of questions to ask any web agency before you sign is a good script for them.
The free website redesign RFP template
Copy it, or download it as a Word file or a plain text file. There is no form and no email gate. Replace everything in square brackets, and delete what does not apply.
Website redesign RFP template
Website redesign RFP: [Company name]
Issued: [date]. Questions by: [date]. Proposals due: [date]. Decision by: [date].
Contact: [name, title, email, phone]. Agencies invited: [number, 3 to 5].
1. About us
[Two to four sentences. What you make or sell, who buys it (job titles, industries), where you sell, and roughly how a deal happens: online inquiry, RFQ, distributor, trade show.]
2. Why we are redesigning
[The business problem in plain words. Not "the site looks dated." For example: inquiries have been flat for two years while traffic grew; sales says prospects can't find specs; the site does not reflect the work we now do.]
3. Baseline and target (required)
Your proposal must answer this section directly.
| Measure | Today (12-month monthly average) | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Qualified inquiries per month (forms, calls, emails from the site) | [number] | [CRM, inbox, call tracking] |
| RFQs or quote requests per month | [number] | [source] |
| Visit-to-inquiry conversion rate, if known | [percent or "unknown"] | [analytics tool] |
| Share of inquiries that become real opportunities, if known | [percent or "unknown"] | [CRM or sales team] |
Target: [for example, "[number] qualified inquiries per month"] within [90] days of launch, on comparable traffic.
How it is measured: [Tool and report. What counts as a qualified inquiry. Who checks the number, and when.]
If the target is missed: Tell us what you commit to. For example: continued work at your cost until the target is met, part of the fee held back until it is met, or another remedy you define. If you will not commit to a number, say so and explain how you will report against it.
4. Scope
In scope: [Approximate page count and the main page types: home, products or services, industries, about, contact, RFQ. Content writing or editing, photography, integrations, training.]
Out of scope: [What you are not buying: for example, ecommerce, a customer portal, ongoing ads.]
What we already have: [Brand guidelines, logo files, photography, product data, copy that works.]
5. Technical and SEO
- Current platform and hosting: [for example, WordPress on [host]]
- Who owns the domain, hosting and analytics accounts: [names]
- Our top 20 pages by organic traffic are attached. Your proposal must include a redirect and SEO migration plan.
- Analytics and tracking we need at launch: [forms, calls, RFQs, file downloads]
- Accessibility standard: [for example, WCAG 2.2 AA]
6. Budget and timeline
Budget range: $[low] to $[high], all in. Proposals well outside the range should explain why.
Launch needed by: [date], because [trade show, new product line, sales hire, fiscal year].
7. Who decides
[Names and roles of everyone who will review proposals, and who makes the final call. Say if the owner signs off personally.]
8. What we want back (8 pages or fewer)
- Your understanding of our problem, in your own words.
- Your answer to section 3: the target you accept, how you will measure it, and what you commit to if you miss.
- Approach and timeline, with the milestones where we review and approve.
- The people who will do the work, by name and role.
- A fixed price for the scope in section 4, with what is included and what is not.
- Two comparable projects and two references we can call.
- What you need from us, and how many hours of our time it takes.
9. How we will choose
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Answer to baseline and target (section 3) | 25% |
| Relevant experience with companies like ours | 20% |
| Approach, timeline and team | 20% |
| Price and what is included | 20% |
| References | 15% |
We will score each proposal, then hold a call with the top two or three before deciding.
10. Process
- Questions by [date], answered to all agencies by [date].
- Proposals due [date], by email to [address].
- Calls with shortlisted agencies the week of [date].
- Decision by [date]. We will tell every agency the outcome.
Appendix A: for manufacturers and distributors
Delete what does not apply.
RFQ and quote flow
- How RFQs arrive today: [web form, email, phone, distributor]
- Fields an estimator needs: [material, quantity, tolerances, drawings, due date]
- File uploads: [drawings, CAD, PDFs, size limits]
- Where an RFQ goes after submit, and our target response time: [routing, [number] hours]
Spec sheets and product data
- Product families and approximate number of products: [number]
- Where product data lives today: [ERP, PIM, spreadsheets, PDFs]
- Downloads buyers need: [spec sheets, CAD files, certifications, safety data sheets]
- Who updates product data after launch: [name or role]
Distributor and dealer pages
- Distributor or dealer locator: [yes or no, number of locations]
- Distributor login or portal: [yes or no, current system]
- Territory or channel rules the site must respect: [notes]
ERP and CRM links
- Systems: [ERP name], [CRM name], [other]
- What must sync and in which direction: [RFQs to CRM, product data from ERP, order status]
- Who owns each integration on our side: [name]
The manufacturer appendix: RFQs, spec sheets, distributors and ERP
Generic website RFP templates are written for companies whose site ends in a contact form. A manufacturer's site usually ends in a quote request, and a lot of the work sits behind that form. If you leave it out of the RFP, it ends up as a change order. The appendix covers four areas.
- The RFQ and quote flow. Which fields your estimators need, whether buyers can upload drawings or CAD files, and where the request goes after submit. A form that drops the drawings, or routes to an inbox nobody watches, loses the deal no matter how good the site looks.
- Spec sheets and product data. How many product families you have and where the data lives today. A site fed from your ERP or a product database is a different project from one where someone pastes specs into pages, and it should be priced as one.
- Distributor and dealer pages. A locator, a login, and any territory or channel rules. If your distributors sell the same products, the site has to send buyers to them without undercutting them.
- ERP and CRM links. Which systems connect, what syncs in which direction, and who owns each integration on your side. Agencies quote integrations very differently, so name them precisely.
What this template will not fix
A baseline section will not make a weak agency strong, and an agency that signs up to any number you name is not automatically the right one. Read the assumptions behind the target. They tell you whether the agency understood your business.
It also cannot fix what happens after an inquiry arrives. If quotes take a week to go out, a better website brings in more requests that still go cold. The target in section 3 is fairest when you hold up your side: answer inquiries quickly, keep traffic comparable, and give the agency access to the numbers.
And if your numbers are messy, that is fine. "Unknown, and we want measurement set up first" is an honest baseline. Our docs guide on whether you need a redesign or a refresh can help you decide whether a full rebuild is the right project at all.
Website RFP questions owners ask
Should I include my budget in the RFP?
Yes. Give a range you would actually sign. Without one, agencies guess at the size of the job, and you get proposals you cannot compare. A range does not weaken your position. It filters out the agencies that cannot do the work for that money and lets the rest spend their proposal on how, not how much.
How long should a website RFP be?
FatLab Web Support says a redesign RFP typically runs 8 to 15 pages. For a $2M to $20M company we think two pages plus attachments is enough: the template above, your top pages by traffic, and brand files. What makes an RFP useful is the baseline and the decision rules, not the page count.
How many agencies should I send a website RFP to?
Three to five. FatLab Web Support calls that the sweet spot for most redesign projects. Fewer than three and a short brief plus calls is the better process. More than five and you will spend weeks reading proposals, and the agencies you most want may decide the odds are not worth the hours.
What is the difference between an RFP and a brief?
A brief explains what you need and why. An RFP is a brief with a formal process around it: deadlines, a required response format and published scoring. Under about $30,000, or with fewer than three agencies, send the brief and talk. Above that, the process earns its keep.
How do I score website redesign proposals?
Agree the weights before the proposals arrive, have each reviewer score on their own, then compare. Our template weights the answer to the baseline and target at 25%, experience at 20%, approach and team at 20%, price and what is included at 20%, and references at 15%. Then hold a call with the top two or three. The score gets you a shortlist; the calls decide.
How do I protect my SEO in a website redesign?
Attach your top pages by organic traffic from Google Search Console to the RFP, require a redirect plan in every proposal, and make the agency responsible for mapping every old URL that has traffic or links to its new home. After launch, watch Search Console for 404 errors and lost queries for at least a few weeks.
How long does the website RFP process take?
Plan on four to six weeks from sending to signing: two to three weeks for agencies to ask questions and respond, a week to score and hold calls, and a week to agree the contract. Rushing the response window mostly gets you templated proposals.
Keep reading
UX & Web DesignThe Website Redesign Checklist, Starting Before the Design
Most redesign checklists start with the design. Ours starts with the number the site has to move and the redirect map that protects your search traffic. Seven phases, 58 items, tick them off as you go.
UX & Web DesignWhat a B2B Website Redesign Really Costs
Published guides put most B2B redesigns between $50,000 and $150,000, and not one shows its data. Here is our own price, what it buys, and a calculator for the bigger number: what your current site costs you every month.
UX & Web DesignWhat Manufacturing Buyers Check on Your Website Before They Send an RFQ
Most manufacturing website design advice is a gallery of big-brand sites. This is the buyer's side: the eight checks an engineer or purchasing manager runs on your site, in order, from the first search to the RFQ, and what crosses you off the list at each one.
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