How Does Evaluation Phase Work?
Definition
Stage in procurement process where teams assess vendor responses against established criteria. The evaluation phase includes individual scoring, consensus scoring sessions, clarification questions, product demonstrations, reference checks, and creating vendor shortlists. Structured evaluation prevents bias, documents decision rationale, and identifies gaps requiring contract negotiation. This phase typically lasts 2-6 weeks depending on proposal complexity and vendor count.
Why This Matters
Structured evaluation prevents bias and documents decision rationale. Evaluation includes individual scoring, consensus sessions, clarification questions, demonstrations, and reference checks. Organizations should allocate 2-6 weeks for thorough evaluation depending on proposal complexity. Rushed evaluation leads to poor decisions; extended evaluation loses vendor engagement. Structured evaluation with documented scoring supports decision defense.
Related Terms
Showing semantically related terms from our RFP knowledge graph. Priority connections are highlighted.
Essential Connections
Vendor Evaluation
Vendor Management & Evaluation
Comprehensive assessment of software vendors across product fit, security compliance, implementation capabilities, company qualifications, and total cost of ownership.
Evaluation Criteria
Vendor Management & Evaluation
Standardized requirements used to assess and compare software vendors including product capabilities, security certifications, implementation methodology, support SLAs, and pricing structure.
RFP Process
RFP Fundamentals
The systematic workflow for soliciting and evaluating vendor proposals including planning, document creation, vendor outreach, response collection, evaluation, and final selection.
Scoring Rubric
Vendor Management & Evaluation
A weighted framework assigning numerical scores to vendor responses across evaluation criteria.
Vendor Assessment
Vendor Management & Evaluation
Systematic review of vendor capabilities including product demos, reference checks, security audits, financial stability analysis, and roadmap evaluation.
Proof of Concept
Vendor Management & Evaluation
A limited trial or demonstration proving software can meet specific requirements in the customer's environment.
Reference Checks
Vendor Management & Evaluation
Contacting 3-4 existing customers to verify vendor claims about implementation success, support quality, product reliability, and customer satisfaction.
Vendor Selection
Vendor Management & Evaluation
The systematic process of evaluating and choosing software vendors based on product capabilities, security compliance, implementation support, company stability, and pricing.
Showing 8 semantically related terms ·Browse all 200 terms
Related RFP Templates
Explore our top RFP templates - all 75 templates include questions about evaluation phase