Are associations crying out for an RFP overhaul?

Bregje Frens, co-founder of conference matchmaker platform Conferli, the organisation behind the 'Shaping tomorrow’s RFP: Insights from association professional' report, has said the RFP was essential to event management, but is now in need of a rethink.

“The RFP is a key step in planning a great conference," she said, "but let's be honest, it often feels old-fashioned and slow - like it hasn't caught up with the times and the tech we have now.

"But let us look at the real question here: in the world of associations, is the RFP just an outdated tradition, or does it still serve a crucial purpose?"

Conferli conducted a survey among 94 association professionals to garner their thoughts on current RFP practices within associations. The report aims to map out a future where these processes are not only simpler but smarter, swifter, and better suited to planner needs.

The survey looked at conference themes including advocacy, destination selection criteria, transparency, budgets and sustainability.

Formal process

Of those surveyed, just over half (55%) said their organisations had an RFP process in place, with 40% claiming not to have a formal RFP process in place.

“This raises the critical question: How can you ensure a successful conference without clear guidelines and procedures? The absence of an RFP process can lead to a host of drawbacks, including inconsistent standards, potential oversights in destination and venue selection, and missed opportunities for negotiation,” added Frens.

Proactive vs traditional

The majority (64%) are taking a proactive approach to receiving RFPs by reaching out to individual members, destinations, or venues to receive proposals. Whereas only 24% of associations are taking the traditional approach of notifying local groups that the congress is open for bidding.

“This shift suggests that associations are increasingly seeking the benefits of consistency, control, transparency, good governance and efficiency in their RFP process, pointing at a broader move towards standardised and streamlined operations in conference planning,” said Frens.

Sentiment toward RFP process

Over 50% of the respondents are of the opinion that their current RFP process is sufficient, however for 45% it is not considered to be sufficient or there is room for improvement. Some respondents said the RFP process works, “but it is time consuming and we often have to start over when we can't afford a certain market.”

Issue with transparency and clarity

While 60% said of associations said they were satisfied with the quality of RFPs they receive, a lack of detail and failure to address specific requirements requested, still presents an issue.

“There is a strong need for proposals to be comprehensive and tailored to the specific needs of the association and the type of event, including flexible date options when stated. There is a significant call for a better understanding of the association's budget and overall expectations,” Frens suggested.

Optimising the RFP

When asked what can be optimised in their current RFP process, associations suggested:

• Automate processes for faster and consistent responses from responding venues.
• Easier collection of data for side-by-side review, along with changes noted from the original proposal.
• Focus on long-term partnerships instead of short-term fee/revenue-based thinking from venues.
• Knowing the ballpark food and beverage minimum, room rate in a market.
• More automation, less human resources and time-consuming process.
• A customised tech tool with various templates, approval process and beautiful user experience.

RFP of the future

More than 85% of the respondents answered that they prefer a flexible approach instead of a fixed template when it comes to RFPs. They prefer building blocks where they can pick and choose what should be in the specific RFP.

Among these respondents, over 80% find it critical to have the ability to customise each RFP based on the unique requirements of different conferences.

“As the event industry evolves, the traditional RFP process is ripe for a revolutionary overhaul. Our market study, drawing insights from nearly 100 associations worldwide, reveals a pressing demand for a smarter, more streamlined, and technologically integrated approach that matches the dynamic needs of modern conference planning,” added Frens.

The report forms part of a wider campaign to reshape the request for proposal process. Conferli is developing an ‘RFP of the future’ advisory group to explore ways to streamline and enhance the process with smart technology, ensure sustainability is an integral part of the process and create a standardised yet flexible RFP template.

Source: AMI