> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.seloria.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# RFPs

> Define proposal sections and weighted criteria, score supplier proposals, and award — straight to a PO or via an RFQ.

A Request for Proposal (RFP) asks suppliers to propose *how* they would deliver your scope, not just at what price. You define the structure of the proposal and the criteria you'll score it against; suppliers respond through the portal with written proposals and an overall price.

Only **buyers, PMs, and admins** can create, issue, and award RFPs.

## Creating an RFP

1. Click **New Request** and choose the **RFP** card — Seloria creates a silent draft and opens the editor — or start from the RFP tracker and click **Save as draft** after filling in the basics.
2. On the **Basics** tab, set the **Title**, **Description**, response **Deadline**, and **Requester**.
3. After the first save, the **Sections**, **Criteria**, and **Suppliers** tabs unlock.

If the RFP was promoted from an RFI, the scope fields and supplier shortlist arrive pre-filled.

## Proposal sections

Sections define the chapters of the proposal you expect back — for example "Technical approach," "Project team," "HSE plan," "Commercial terms."

On the **Sections** tab:

* Click **Add section**, then type the section title and an optional description of what suppliers should cover. Edits save automatically.
* Mark a section **Required** if suppliers must answer it.
* Delete sections with the trash icon.

Suppliers see your sections in the portal and write one response per section.

## Evaluation criteria

Criteria are how you'll score proposals. On the **Criteria** tab:

* Click **Add criterion** and name it (for example "Technical capability," "Price competitiveness," "Delivery schedule"), with an optional description.
* Set a **Weight** — its relative importance. The running **total weight** is shown and turns green at exactly 100, which is the convention to aim for (the math normalizes weights either way).
* Set a **Scale** — the maximum score for that criterion (for example 0–5 or 0–10).

Define criteria *before* proposals arrive so every evaluator scores against the same yardstick.

## Inviting suppliers and publishing

The **Suppliers** tab works exactly like the RFI version: pick suppliers from your directory (already-invited suppliers can't be added twice), click **Add to list**, then send invitations per-supplier or with **Send invitations**. From the detail page, a draft RFP's primary button is **Publish**, which emails everyone on the shortlist. Suppliers respond through a personal portal link — no Seloria account needed.

## Evaluating proposals

Open the RFP's detail page and go to the **Evaluation** tab. Once suppliers submit:

* A **score matrix** shows one row per supplier and one column per criterion (with its weight and scale). Enter your score in each cell — scores save automatically and are tracked per evaluator.
* The **Total** column computes the weighted score out of 100, and rows re-rank live as you type, with the supplier's submitted price shown under its name.
* Below the matrix, each proposal expands to show the supplier's written response per section, plus any notes — so you can read the narrative while you score.

If no criteria exist yet, the tab prompts you to define them first.

## Awarding

When you've picked a winner, click **Award** on that supplier's row in the matrix (the primary **Award & generate PO** button in the header also brings you here). In the confirmation dialog:

1. Verify or adjust the **awarded total** (pre-filled from the supplier's bid).
2. Add optional award notes.
3. Confirm. The winning quotation is marked awarded and the others rejected.

**Approval gate:** if the awarded amount exceeds your organization's award-approval threshold (Settings → approvals), the award goes to a **PM or admin for approval** and PO generation is blocked until it's resolved. Below the threshold, the RFP moves straight to **Awarded**.

## RFP → PO direct path

After the award (and approval, if required), a confirmation banner appears in the Evaluation tab with a **Generate PO** button. Clicking it creates a draft purchase order for the awarded supplier — carrying the awarded amount and payment terms — and takes you straight to it. No RFQ step needed. The PO then appears at the end of the RFP's **Lineage** breadcrumb.

## Or promote to an RFQ

If you want a priced, line-item competition after the proposal round, use the **3-dot menu** (detail page or **Requests** tracker) and choose **Promote to RFQ**. The new RFQ inherits the scope fields and supplier shortlist — typically you'd keep only the top-ranked proposers — and starts as a draft with a fresh 14-day deadline. You then build the line items on the RFQ.

The **History** tab keeps the complete audit trail of the RFP: creation, edits, publishes, and award decisions, with timestamps and users.