# Request for Proposal (RFP) vs RFQ

> A request for proposal (RFP) asks vendors for a solution and a price, while an RFQ asks only for a price. See an example and how SuperWise runs an RFP.

Canonical: https://superwise.site/glossary/request-for-proposal/
Last updated: 2026-11-01

A procurement document inviting vendors to propose a solution and price for a complex scope, instead of quoting for a standard item.

## What is Request for Proposal (RFP)?

A Request for Proposal (RFP) is a procurement document for complex systems or services. Unlike a Request for [Quotation](https://superwise.site/glossary/quotation/) (RFQ), which asks only for the price of a standard item such as a bag of cement, an RFP sets out the project's goals and challenges and asks vendors to propose technical solutions, methods and a full price.

## Practical example

A developer wants a building-wide smart home automation system but does not know which technology suits best, so the developer issues an RFP. Three vendors reply with different architectures (Wi-Fi against Zigbee, for example) and different price structures. The developer ranks the proposals on technical merit as much as on cost.

## In SuperWise

In SuperWise an RFP covers a work package built from [BOQ](https://superwise.site/glossary/bill-of-quantities/) items and goes to contractors, who price each line in a proposal. Once the RFP is live, contractors reach it on the vendor portal with an access code. The proposal comparison shows each contractor's rate per BOQ item, and awarding the winner creates the [work order](https://superwise.site/glossary/work-order/) with those rates.

[For contracts and purchase](https://superwise.site/professions/construction-contracts-and-purchase/)

## Related terms

- [Quotation (Quote / Bid)](https://superwise.site/glossary/quotation/)
- [Tender (Tendering Process)](https://superwise.site/glossary/tender-tendering/)
- [Notice Inviting Tender (NIT)](https://superwise.site/glossary/notice-inviting-tender/)
- [Jali (Latticework / Perforated Screen)](https://superwise.site/glossary/jali-latticework/)

## Related
- [Quotation (Quote / Bid)](https://superwise.site/glossary/quotation/)
- [Tender (Tendering Process)](https://superwise.site/glossary/tender-tendering/)
- [Notice Inviting Tender (NIT)](https://superwise.site/glossary/notice-inviting-tender/)
- [Jali (Latticework / Perforated Screen)](https://superwise.site/glossary/jali-latticework/)
- [For contracts and purchase](https://superwise.site/professions/construction-contracts-and-purchase/)