CRM RFP template and vendor questions
A request for proposal turns a fuzzy CRM search into an apples-to-apples comparison. The quality of your RFP determines the quality of the answers, so vague questions get vague pitches and specific questions get real information.
Use the categories and questions below as a template. Copy them, delete what does not apply, and add the requirements specific to your team.
- 8 sections Requirement categories to cover
- Scoreable Questions vendors cannot dodge
- Weighted Score against your priorities
Short answer
A strong CRM RFP is organized by requirement category (data model, sales workflow, AI and automation, reporting, integrations, security, implementation, and pricing) with specific, scoreable questions under each. The point is to force vendors to answer your real needs rather than sending a generic pitch, so write questions that a marketing deck cannot answer and that surface how the product behaves on your actual process.
Company and product overview
Establish who you are dealing with and whether the product is a fit at a basic level before diving into detail.
- How long has the product been on the market, and who is the typical customer?
- What is your product roadmap for the next 12 months?
- How many customers of our size and industry do you have?
- What is your typical time from signature to a team being live?
Data model and sales workflow
This is where fit is won or lost. Ask questions that reveal whether the product can model your actual process without heavy custom building.
- How are accounts, contacts, deals, and activities structured, and how customizable are they?
- Can we configure our exact pipeline stages, exit criteria, and required fields?
- How does the product handle multiple pipelines and complex deal structures?
- What does the deal record capture (line items, buying committee, competitors)?
AI and automation
Separate real capability from marketing. The key question is whether the AI executes work or only assists, and whether it is included or an add-on.
- Does the AI execute multi-step tasks or only summarize and suggest?
- Give a specific example of a task the AI completes end to end against our data.
- Is AI included in the base price or a separately billed tier?
- What guardrails, permissions, and audit logging govern AI actions?
Reporting, integrations, security, and pricing
Round out the RFP with the operational requirements that decide whether the CRM works in your environment and within your budget. Insist on concrete answers, especially on total cost.
- What reporting and forecasting are built in, and what requires an add-on?
- Which integrations are native, and how are others built (API, iPaaS)?
- What are your security certifications, data residency options, and SLA?
- Provide full pricing including implementation, add-ons, AI, and admin expectations, not just per-seat.
How to score the responses
Weight each category by how much it matters to your team, score every vendor on the same 1 to 5 scale per question, and total the weighted scores. Keep a separate note on total cost of ownership so price does not hide inside a feature score. The highest weighted score plus an honest TCO comparison, confirmed by a real trial, is your decision.
Where Ardovo fits
Ardovo answers the AI and cost sections in a way most incumbents cannot: Rook executes multi-step work rather than only assisting, the AI is included in one clean price rather than a separate tier, and the workspace is alive on day one so the implementation timeline is short. Send the same RFP to Ardovo and the incumbents and compare the answers side by side.
Frequently asked questions
What should a CRM RFP include?
Organize it by requirement category: company and product overview, data model and sales workflow, AI and automation, reporting, integrations, security, implementation, and full pricing. Under each, write specific, scoreable questions that a marketing deck cannot answer.
What questions should I ask CRM vendors?
Ask whether the product can model your exact pipeline without heavy custom building, whether the AI executes work or only assists and whether it is included or an add-on, which integrations are native, what security certifications exist, and for full pricing including implementation and admin, not just per-seat.
How do I score CRM RFP responses?
Weight each category by importance to your team, score every vendor on the same 1 to 5 scale per question, and total the weighted scores. Keep total cost of ownership as a separate line so price does not hide inside a feature score, then confirm the leader with a real trial.
How many vendors should I send an RFP to?
Usually three to five finalists you have already pre-qualified. Sending to too many wastes everyone's time on responses you will not read closely; too few and you lose the comparison the RFP is meant to create.