The meetings and events industry should reshape the request for proposal (RFP) process, which for many planners has become onerous and time-consuming, a report claims.
Bregje
Frens, co-founder of conference matchmaker platform Conferli, the organisation behind the 'Shaping tomorrow’s RFP: Insights from association professional' report, said the RFP was essential to event management, but was 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question here: in the world of associations, is the RFP just an outdated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.
Key findings
Formal process
Of those surveyed, just over half (55%) said their organisations
had an RFP process in place, with 40 per cent 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 per cent 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 per cent of the respondents are of the opinion that their
current RFP process is sufficient, however for 45 per cent 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 per cent 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 per cent 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 per cent 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 full report can be downloaded here.
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.
If you want to get involved, get in touch with Bregje Frens at [email protected]
