Nonprofit consultant-selection guide
Guide 3: Write an outcomes-based RFP or request brief
Give candidates a fair, bounded problem to respond to instead of prescribing an untested solution.
Describe the operating result
State what people should be able to do, which records or decisions must improve, and what must remain true during the change. Explain the current workflow, known constraints, affected roles, deadline source, available internal capacity, and what the nonprofit has not yet decided.
Avoid translating every frustration into a feature. A capable consultant should be able to explain whether configuration, integration, migration, training, policy, process repair, or a smaller change fits the need.
Ask for a decision-ready response
Request the proposed approach, stages, deliverables, responsibilities, assumptions, dependencies, staffing, timeline logic, acceptance evidence, adoption plan, handoff, support, risks, and exclusions. Ask candidates to separate professional fees from licenses, travel, data work, third parties, and optional phases.
Provide the same submission instructions and question process to every candidate. If material information changes, issue the same clarification to all participants allowed by the procurement process.
Publish the selection rules before proposals arrive
Name the evaluation criteria, relative importance, required disclosures, interview or demonstration stages, reference process, decision authority, schedule, and communication channel. State whether discovery and implementation may be awarded separately.
This site provides educational structure, not legal or procurement advice. Grant terms, public funding, board policy, local law, conflicts, accessibility, insurance, data protection, and records obligations require review for the organization and purchase.