Composing a LMS RFP can be a daunting task—with so many vendors in the market, where do you begin? To make things a little easier, we have compiled some quick tips to get you started. These are designed to help you build a foundation for creating your RFP for LMS like Moodle and Totara Learn.
RFP stands for Request for Proposal, and it is essentially an application for vendors. It outlines the specifics of what an LMS vendor has to offer so that you can see if they are a good fit. There is typically a section for the vendor and a section for your project—If the services offered to match the requirements, then we know we have a good fit. LMS RFP’s also typically include a technical checklist, where you can detail all the features, functions, services, and support that you want and need.
In order to know if the products and services a Moodle LMS vendor offers are right for you, you first need to know what you are looking for. You don’t want to miss out on a certain feature because you didn't request it. Dig deep, think ahead, and take a good look at your organization from all angles. Talk to your company's management team, ask industry counterparts, and talk to the vendors also - Make sure you know what you need so that you can properly assess which Moodle vendor will meet these. Think of the current needs you have, and try to make predictions for any potential needs you may have in the future.
Work out an ideal schedule for the implementation of your Moodle LMS, and include a deadline for when you want it to be fully rolled out. The vendor should be able to determine if they can work within your timeline, which will be a good indicator of whether or not they are a good fit for you.
If you already have an LMS (Moodle or other) and are shopping for a new one, consider what the transition plan will look like — This will range from porting course content to implementing the functionality or special needs of your organization. Get a good understanding of how the Moodle vendor can assist you and commit to your timeframes. Some vendors will have a transition plan set in place already, so this would be an important question to include in your RFP.
You need to include as much relevant information about you and your organization as you can. Some of the Important things to include:
Ask very particular questions regarding the products and services the Moodle vendor has to offer. The vendor will only answer the questions that you ask, so don’t leave any wiggle room for misinterpretation or lack of information. Again, in order to do this, you need to know exactly what you want.
Create a checklist with all the specific products and services you are looking for. This can include details about training, hours of operation, hours of support, offers of warranty, length of implementation, and any third-party vendors that might be involved that you should be aware of.
This is possibly the easiest way to know if a company is right for you. Look at examples of past work they have done, and ask for the contact information of the clients so that you can go to them directly with any questions. If possible, ask for recent references in case they have gone through any systematic changes over the years. You want to make sure the examples you are seeing are up to date.
If you’re still feeling intimidated about composing an RFP, watch our on-demand webinar, 7 Best Practices for Your Moodle RFP. This webinar covers the need to know the tips for writing a Moodle LMS RFP, and provides a comprehensive and ready-to-go template for your next RFP!