What is a Request for Proposal (RFP)?

A Request for Proposal (RFP) is fundamentally a document that invites contractors or grant applicants to submit proposals for a specific project. The purpose of an RFP is to outline the needs and specifications of the project, allowing organizations to gather a range of ideas, solutions, and pricing from different vendors or applicants. By soliciting proposals through an RFP, the organization can compare qualifications, methodologies, and costs before making a decision on which proposal to accept.

Understanding the context of the other choices clarifies this definition. For instance, while a document for evaluating grant applicants may be related to the process, it does not directly serve the purpose of soliciting proposals. A proposal submission form for government contracts is focused on the submission process rather than the preliminary invitation for proposals. Lastly, a summary of a completed project does not involve soliciting proposals at all but summarizes results instead. Hence, the accurate characterization of an RFP is that it is a document soliciting proposals from contractors or grant applicants.