Writing RFP invitation emails to vendors can feel challenging because you need them to actually read your email, review the proposal, and submit a quality response. While AI tools like Wonit can now automate much of the RFP process, you still need to craft an effective invitation email that gets vendors interested.
The key questions are: How do you get vendors to respond? What makes a good subject line? How much detail should you include and when should you send it? This guide will show you what to include in your RFP invitation email and share practical tips to increase vendor engagement and get better responses.
How to write an RFP invitation email to vendors
After you've finished the RFP, you're ready to pick your vendors and send it out. Most companies handle this part of the RFP process using email. There are three main things to think about when writing any request for proposal (RFP) invitation email. Every RFP invitation should include a subject line, email body and RFP link or attachment. As you write your email, it's important to get each part right to get vendor engagement.
RFP invitation subject line
Your email subject line is the first thing your potential vendor will see. Often, it can decide whether or not the person gets, notices and opens your email. There are a few subject line best practices you should follow when sending your RFP email invitation.
Keep it short
Subject lines should be less than 60 characters to make sure that they're not cut off in the person's inbox. Also, research shows that subject lines from six to 10 words long get the best open rates.
Avoid spam words
Your email needs to make it to the vendor's inbox to work. So, you don't want your RFP invitation to get caught by a spam filter. Avoid using all caps, too much punctuation and words commonly used by spammers. Hubspot has a list of more than 300 words that may cause problems in your subject line.
Be clear
Your subject line isn't the place to be clever or mysterious. Your subject line should make it clear that the email has an RFP invitation. Also, think about including your company name and a call to action.
Sample subject lines
RFP invitation for XYZ good or service ABC Company
XYZ good or service RFP invitation from ABC Company
Invitation to bid RFP for XYZ good or service ABC Company
RFP invitation Please respond by date ABC Company
Invitation to bid from ABC Company RFP attached
Sections for your RFP invitation email to vendors
Now, it's time to write the body of your email. You want to find a balance between being brief and giving enough information. Break your email down into key sections to help keep it short. For example, most RFP invitation emails should include a greeting, introduction and summary, highlights, next steps and closing. It may sound like a lot, but for most RFPs, you can cover all five sections in less than twelve sentences.
Greeting
Hello. Greetings. To whom it may concern. All of these are possible options for your RFP introduction. Usually, we suggest keeping it simple and classic. If you know your contact's name, 'Dear Name' is always a strong way to open your RFP invitation email to a vendor. Or, you may skip the greeting all together and jump into the introduction instead.
Basically, you can decide what greeting fits best. However, try to avoid overly casual or group greetings like 'Hi all' or 'Hey everyone' as these may stop vendors from responding. These greetings may make them feel ignored or as if they're just one of many options and therefore unlikely to win.
RFP introduction and summary
After your greeting, it's time to get down to business. Why are you reaching out? For most RFPs, a simple statement of who you are and what you need is enough. For example, if ABC company is buying XYZ service, the RFP email introduction might say:
You are invited to submit a proposal to ABC Company in response to the attached RFP for XYZ service.
Project highlights
In this section of your RFP invitation email to vendors, give more information about the scope and goals of your project. This is your elevator pitch for why a vendor should spend time and effort creating a proposal for your project. Give them an idea of the value of your project by sharing your needs and expectations.
ABC Company is looking for a partner to reach end goal by providing:
Primary service
Secondary service
Tertiary service
A contract will be given based on the RFP evaluation criteria including ability to meet stated requirements, customer references, solution approach, price and additional factors detailed in the RFP.
Next steps
Before signing off, give interested vendors information about what comes next in the process. Will you need a letter of intent to bid? Should vendors review the RFP and send in their follow up questions? Who should they reach out to if they need more information?
Vendors who wish to participate should review the RFP and submit any follow up questions to Contact Name, who will serve as the primary point of contact for this RFP, no later than Date. Completed proposals are due on or before Submission Due Date. We expect to announce our final selection no later than Date.
Closing
Finally, close your email with a thank you and sign off.
Thank you in advance for your time and interest. We look forward to learning more about your company, team and services.
Best,
Contact Name Title Email
Tips to increase vendor RFP engagement
If you aren't getting the responses you hoped for, check out these quick tips to get more vendor engagement with your RFP invitation email.
Select the right send time
As any sales person can tell you, if you want your person to open your email, there's a right time to send. For business emails like RFP invitations, research shows that the best time to send is Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you're sending outside that window, your message may be getting buried. Remember to think about potential differences in time zones as well.
Reach out to the right person
Often, we ignore emails that end up in our inbox but were meant for someone else. So, it's worth doing a little research to find the right contact for your RFP. If you're inviting vendors you haven't worked with before, reach out with a pre-RFP email or call to get information for the right person. Usually, the best place to start is with sales, marketing or business development titles.
Email each company individually
If you've already narrowed your vendors to a shortlist, think about writing individual RFP invitation emails.
By customizing the RFP invitation email to each vendor, you'll show that you've done your research and are a serious buyer. You can mention the exclusivity of your RFP while flattering potential vendors in your invitation email as well by saying something like:
You've been selected to participate based on the project requirements, market research and your company's reputation for excellence.
Because of the time needed to send individual emails, vendors know there are a limited number of participants, increasing their chances of winning the contract and getting their interest. We suggest this approach if you're sending your RFP to fewer than six vendors.
Use reader friendly formatting
Your RFP invitation email to vendors shouldn't be a wall of text. Too much information is overwhelming, uninviting and unnecessary. After all, you're attaching the RFP with all the needed information, so you don't need to overdo it in the email.
Think of it like this: the RFP is the main course and the invitation email to vendors is the appetizer. So, be sure to use formatting that makes your email appealing. Make sure it's reader friendly, quick to scan and easy to digest at a glance. Remember to use short sentences and paragraphs as well as bullet points where possible.
Don't forget your attachment
So, this seems obvious, but it's worth double checking. It happens to the best of us, but it's always a little embarrassing to leave the attachment behind.
So, whether you're sending your RFP as a PDF or a link, make sure it's included before you hit send. While you're at it, it's a nice touch to give each attachment a name that shows its contents.
Use RFP management software
Don't want to send dozens of individual RFP email invitations to vendors? Want to avoid the flood of follow-up emails from interested parties? RFP management software can help streamline this entire process. These platforms can automate vendor communications, track responses, send reminder emails automatically, and manage the entire vendor engagement process from one place. Instead of spending time on manual email management, you can focus on evaluating proposals and selecting the best vendor for your project.
RFP letter of invitation template Cal State
While this RFP template from Cal State is 20 pages long, the first two pages are a helpful sample RFP invitation email. This sample RFP invitation specifies that invited vendors have specifically been selected to participate. The letter also includes guidelines for formatting and submission.
RFP invitation letter examples
This RFP invitation email sample shares background about the issuer, Butler County Kansas. In addition, the letter provides next steps, RFP contact information and a reminder of the submission deadline.
Now, with every advantage, your next RFP invitation email to vendors will encourage increased engagement and better responses.