Writing Freight RFIs and RFPs That Get Quality Responses

A well-written freight RFP (Request for Proposal) or RFI (Request for Information) is the difference between getting competitive, apples-to-apples bids from qualified carriers and getting a stack of vague responses that are impossible to compare. Most shippers underinvest in this step and pay for it with mismatched carriers, surprise charges, and rates that do not reflect reality.

This guide covers when to use an RFI vs. an RFP, what to include in each, how to structure your documents for maximum carrier response quality, and how to evaluate the bids you receive.

RFI vs. RFP: When to Use Each

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they serve different purposes:

• RFI (Request for Information): Used when you are exploring the market, qualifying potential carriers, or gathering capabilities information before committing to a formal bid process. An RFI asks “What can you do?” rather than “What will you charge?”
• RFP (Request for Proposal): Used when you know what you need and want competitive pricing. An RFP includes specific lane data, volume projections, service requirements, and asks carriers to submit binding rate proposals.
• Typical sequence: RFI first (to narrow the field to 5-8 qualified carriers), then RFP (to get pricing from the qualified shortlist). For established shippers with known carrier networks, you may skip the RFI and go directly to RFP.

What to Include in Your RFI

An effective RFI gives carriers enough context to provide useful responses without overwhelming them with detail:

• Company overview: Briefly describe your business, industry, locations, and what you ship. Carriers need to understand your freight to assess fit.
• Scope summary: Modes, approximate volumes, key origin-destination regions, and any special requirements (hazmat, temperature control, oversized).
• Capability questions: Equipment types, geographic coverage, technology (ELD/tracking capabilities, EDI, API), safety record, insurance levels, and references.
• Timeline: When you need responses, when you plan to issue the RFP, and when you plan to award business.

What to Include in Your RFP

The RFP is where precision matters. The more specific you are, the more accurate and comparable the bids will be:

• Lane-level data: For each lane, provide origin city/zip, destination city/zip, equipment type, average weight, loads per week/month, and any special requirements. The more granular your data, the more accurate the pricing.
• Volume projections: Provide realistic annual volume projections by lane. Inflating volume to get lower rates backfires when you cannot meet commitments and the carrier adjusts rates upward.
• Service requirements: On-time delivery expectations, tracking/visibility requirements, communication protocols, and any compliance requirements (CTPAT, food safety, hazmat).
• Rate format: Specify exactly how you want rates presented — per mile, per load, per CWT, with or without fuel, inclusive or exclusive of accessorials. This ensures you can compare bids directly.
• Accessorial schedule: List every accessorial you commonly incur and ask carriers to provide their rates for each. This prevents surprises after award.
• Contract terms: Duration, payment terms, liability and claims process, insurance minimums, and any non-negotiable contract language.
• Evaluation criteria: Tell carriers how you will evaluate bids (e.g., 40% price, 30% service capability, 20% safety record, 10% technology). Transparency encourages better responses.

Common RFP Mistakes

Avoid these pitfalls that reduce response quality or scare off good carriers:

• Too many lanes: An RFP with 500 lanes overwhelms carriers. Focus on your top 20-50 lanes that represent 80% of your volume. Add secondary lanes in a follow-up round.
• Unrealistic timelines: Giving carriers 3 days to respond to a complex RFP gets you sloppy bids. Allow 2-3 weeks for a thorough response.
• Vague volume data: “Approximately 100-500 loads per month” is too wide a range for carriers to price accurately. Be as specific as your data allows.
• No Q&A period: Allow carriers to ask clarifying questions. Their questions often reveal important details you overlooked.
• Ignoring smaller carriers: Do not limit your RFP to the top 10 national carriers. Regional and mid-size carriers often provide better rates and service on specific lanes.

Evaluating Bids

Once bids are in, evaluate them systematically rather than just picking the lowest price:

• Normalize rates: Convert all bids to the same unit (per mile, per load) including fuel surcharges for true comparison.
• Score against criteria: Apply the evaluation weights you published. A carrier with slightly higher rates but a stellar safety record and reliable tracking may score higher overall.
• Check lane coverage: Some carriers will bid aggressively on their strong lanes and leave others blank. Evaluate coverage breadth, not just rate depth.
• Verify capacity: A great rate means nothing if the carrier cannot actually provide trucks when you need them. Ask about fleet size, driver count, and current utilization on the lanes you need.

Getting Expert Help

Writing and managing a freight RFP is time-intensive. A freight dispatch partner can manage the entire process — from writing the RFP to evaluating bids to onboarding awarded carriers. Request a consultation to discuss how we can help with your next carrier procurement.

Frequently Asked Questions