How to write an RFP for a website redesign

To write an RFP for a website redesign, describe your company and goals, list the pages, features and integrations you need, set measurable requirements for speed, accessibility and SEO, share a budget range and timeline, and explain how you will score the proposals. The outline below gives you the 12 sections that make proposals comparable, a worked scoring example, and a realistic timeline from first draft to signed contract.

What a website redesign RFP is for

A request for proposal (RFP) is a document you send to several agencies so each can propose an approach and a price for the same project. A good one saves weeks. Without it, every agency guesses the scope differently and you end up comparing a $6,000 template with a $60,000 custom build.

Keep it short. Ten pages that answer the right questions beat forty pages of company history.

RFP, RFI or RFQ: which one do you need?

Buyers often reach for the wrong document. The US Federal Acquisition Regulation gives clean definitions: an RFI gathers information and its replies are not offers, and an RFQ asks for a price on a defined specification, where the quotation is not an offer either. An RFP asks for an approach and a price, scored on more than price.

For a redesign, use an RFP unless every page, template and integration is already specified. If you do not yet know what is possible or who can do it, send a short RFI first.

The 12 sections of a website redesign RFP

Copy this outline and fill it in.

1. Company overview. Who you are, what you sell and who buys it. Two paragraphs.
2. Why you are redesigning. The problem in plain words: too few enquiries, slow pages, an outdated look, or a CMS nobody can use.
3. Goals and how you will measure them. For example: double qualified enquiries in 12 months, pass Core Web Vitals on mobile, let marketing publish without a developer.
4. Audience. The roles who visit (buyers, engineers, finance, candidates) and what each needs to find.
5. Current site facts. URL, platform, page count, monthly traffic and your top pages by visits and enquiries.
6. Scope. A page list (keep, rewrite, add, remove), templates needed, and features such as calculators, gated downloads or a resource hub.
7. Integrations. Every system the site must connect to: CRM, marketing automation, ERP, analytics, booking.
8. Content. Who writes copy, who supplies images, and whether you need translation.
9. Technical requirements. CMS preference or freedom to recommend one, hosting, security, and the measurable standards below.
10. SEO and migration. A requirement to map every old URL, set permanent redirects and protect current rankings.
11. Budget and timeline. A budget range and your target launch date, plus fixed deadlines such as a product launch.
12. Submission and scoring. What to send, the deadline, the question window, who to contact, and how you will score replies.

Technical requirements worth putting in writing

Vague requirements get vague answers. Make these measurable, so they can go into the contract:

• Speed. Pass Google's Core Web Vitals on mobile: Largest Contentful Paint within 2.5 seconds, Interaction to Next Paint within 200 milliseconds and Cumulative Layout Shift of 0.1 or less, measured at the 75th percentile of page loads.
• Accessibility. Meet WCAG 2.2 level AA, the current W3C Recommendation.
• Migration. Server-side permanent redirects (301 or 308) for every changed URL, kept in place for at least a year, as Google's site move guidance recommends.
• SEO. Clean URLs, editable titles and descriptions, schema markup, an XML sitemap and no duplicate pages.
• Editing. Your team can add pages, posts and case studies without a developer.
• Ownership. You own the code, design files, content, domain and every account on final payment.
• Security. HTTPS everywhere, regular updates and backups, and named responsibility for each.

Should you include a budget in the RFP?

Yes. A budget range is the single biggest improvement you can make. Without one, agencies either guess low to look competitive or propose everything they can think of. With a range, they show you what that money buys, and you compare like with like.

If you are unsure what range to set, these guides show the hours behind typical projects: how much a website redesign costs and how much a B2B website costs.

How to score website redesign proposals

Decide the weights before proposals arrive, so price does not drown out everything else. Score each criterion from 1 to 5, multiply by its weight, and add them up. Here is how that plays out with three fictional proposals against a $35,000 to $50,000 budget:

Agency A is cheapest but weak on proof and approach, so it finishes last. Agencies B and C go through to finalist calls, where you ask both the same follow-up questions. Weighting does not decide for you; it stops a low price from hiding a weak plan.

How long an RFP process takes

Plan about eight weeks from first draft to signed contract. The response window matters most: Loopio's 2025 benchmark found 64% of RFP response teams submit in 10 days or fewer, so two to three weeks gives good agencies time to answer properly without stalling your project.

Mistakes that make RFPs fail

• No budget. Proposals become impossible to compare.
• A wish list instead of a scope. Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves.
• Asking for free design work. Spec designs reward the agency with the most spare time, not the best thinking.
• Too short a deadline. Good agencies need two to three weeks.
• Forgetting migration. If redirects are not in the scope, they may not be in the price.
• Choosing on price alone. The cheapest proposal is expensive if the new site loses your rankings.

People also ask about website redesign RFPs

What should an RFP for a website include?

Company background, measurable goals, audience, current site facts, scope, integrations, content responsibilities, technical requirements, SEO and migration needs, budget, timeline, and how you will score proposals.

What is the difference between an RFP, an RFQ and an RFI?

An RFI gathers market information, an RFQ asks for a price on a fixed specification, and an RFP asks for an approach and a price scored on several criteria. A website redesign is usually an RFP.

Should an RFP include a budget?

Yes, as a range. It makes proposals comparable and tells agencies which scope is realistic for your money.

How long should a website RFP be open?

Two to three weeks. Loopio's 2025 data shows most response teams can submit within 10 days, so anything shorter than two weeks squeezes out careful answers.

How many agencies should I send a website RFP to?

Three to five, then shortlist two or three for calls. More than that adds work for you and deters strong agencies.

How do I evaluate website RFP responses?

Fix weights before proposals arrive, score each criterion 1 to 5, multiply by the weight and add up. Then interview the top two or three with identical questions.

Should agencies be able to ask questions?

Yes. Set a written question deadline about a week after issue, and send every answer to all agencies so the proposals stay comparable.

Who should own the website after the redesign?

You should. State in the RFP that you own the code, design files, content, domain and all accounts on final payment.

Do I need an RFP for a small website?

Not always. For a small site, a one-page brief with goals, a page list, integrations, budget and timeline gets comparable quotes faster.