How to Write Effective
Research Forms
for AI-Powered RFPs

When you're creating an RFP with Paperfly, the research form is your foundation. The more thoughtfully you complete it, the more accurate and effective your final RFP will be. Our AI uses your responses to understand your project's unique needs and craft a tailored procurement document.

This guide walks you through each question in our research form, explaining what we're looking for and how to provide responses that lead to better outcomes.

Understanding the Research Form Structure

Our research form consists of 10 carefully designed questions that cover every critical aspect of your project. Each question serves a specific purpose in building a comprehensive understanding of your needs.

Question 1: Project Context, Goals, and Initiation

"Briefly explain the project's context, goals, and why it is being initiated."

What We're Looking For

This question establishes the foundation of your entire RFP. We need to understand the bigger picture: What's driving this project? What business problem are you solving? What opportunity are you pursuing?

How to Answer Effectively

• Business Context: Explain your organization's current situation and what prompted this initiative
• Strategic Goals: Outline what you're trying to achieve and how it aligns with broader objectives
• Timing: Mention why now is the right time for this project
• Stakeholders: Indicate who will be impacted or involved

Example Response

Question 2: Problem or Opportunity

"What problem does this project solve or opportunity does it address?"

What We're Looking For

Here, we want to understand the specific pain points or opportunities you're addressing. This helps vendors tailor their solutions to your exact needs.

How to Answer Effectively

• Specific Pain Points: Identify concrete issues you're facing with quantifiable impacts
• Root Causes: Explain why current solutions aren't working
• Opportunity Scope: If pursuing an opportunity, describe the market potential or benefits
• Current Impact: Quantify how the problem affects operations, costs, or outcomes

Example Response

Question 3: Deliverables and Success Metrics

"What are the main deliverables, and how will you measure the project's success?"

What We're Looking For

Clear deliverables and success criteria ensure everyone understands what "done" looks like. This question helps vendors understand expectations and structure their proposals accordingly.

How to Answer Effectively

• Tangible Deliverables: List specific outputs (software, reports, trained systems, documentation)
• Quantitative Metrics: Define measurable KPIs (response time, accuracy rate, cost reduction)
• Qualitative Goals: Include experience improvements or capability enhancements
• Timeline Markers: Specify when different deliverables should be completed

Example Response

Question 4: Critical Tools, Technologies, and Materials

"List any critical tools, technologies, or materials required for the solution."

What We're Looking For

This question identifies technical requirements and constraints that vendors must accommodate. It ensures compatibility with your existing infrastructure.

How to Answer Effectively

• Existing Systems: List platforms and software that must integrate with the new solution
• Technical Stack: Specify required programming languages, frameworks, or databases
• Hardware Requirements: Mention any physical equipment or infrastructure needs
• Licensing Constraints: Note any vendor lock-in situations or preferred technologies
• Standards: Reference industry standards or protocols that must be supported

Example Response

Question 5: Timeline and Flexibility

"When should the project start and be completed? Is the timeline flexible?"

What We're Looking For

Timeline expectations help vendors assess feasibility and allocate resources. Being clear about flexibility prevents mismatched proposals.

How to Answer Effectively

• Ideal Start Date: Specify when you'd like work to begin
• Target Completion: Indicate when you need the project finished
• Critical Milestones: Mention any interim deadlines (regulatory filings, seasonal demands)
• Flexibility Level: Be honest about how rigid or flexible dates are
• Constraints: Explain what's driving the timeline (fiscal year end, contract expiration, etc.)

Example Response

Question 6: Budget Range and Allocation

"What is the overall budget range, and which areas should receive the most funding?"

What We're Looking For

Budget transparency helps vendors submit realistic proposals within your financial constraints. It also indicates your priorities.

How to Answer Effectively

• Total Budget Range: Provide a realistic range, not just a ceiling
• Budget Components: Break down categories (software, implementation, training, support)
• Priority Areas: Indicate where you're willing to invest more
• Ongoing Costs: Mention expectations for annual maintenance or subscription fees
• Budget Flexibility: Signal if you might adjust for exceptional value

Example Response

Question 7: Vendor Expertise and Evaluation

"What expertise or certifications must vendors have? How will you evaluate them?"

What We're Looking For

This establishes baseline qualifications and evaluation criteria, helping appropriate vendors self-select and understand how to position their proposals.

How to Answer Effectively

• Required Certifications: List must-have certifications or partner statuses
• Experience Requirements: Specify years of experience or number of similar projects
• Industry Expertise: Indicate if industry-specific knowledge is needed
• Evaluation Criteria: Detail how you'll score proposals (technical approach, cost, experience)
• References: Mention if you'll require case studies or client references

Example Response

Question 8: Regulations, Certifications, and Protocols

"What regulations, certifications, or safety protocols must the solution meet?"

What We're Looking For

Compliance requirements are non-negotiable. This question ensures vendors understand and can meet your regulatory obligations.

How to Answer Effectively

• Regulatory Requirements: List all applicable regulations (HIPAA, GDPR, SOX, etc.)
• Industry Standards: Specify standards that must be met (PCI DSS, ISO, NIST)
• Certifications Needed: Detail what certifications the solution or vendor must have
• Audit Requirements: Mention if the solution must support compliance audits
• Data Handling: Explain specific data security or privacy requirements

Example Response

Question 9: Known Risks and Challenges

"What are the known risks or challenges associated with this project?"

What We're Looking For

Being upfront about challenges allows vendors to propose realistic mitigation strategies and demonstrate problem-solving capabilities.

How to Answer Effectively

• Technical Risks: Identify integration challenges, data migration complexity, or legacy system issues
• Organizational Risks: Mention change management concerns, stakeholder resistance, or resource constraints
• External Risks: Note regulatory changes, market conditions, or vendor dependencies
• Past Experience: Reference lessons learned from previous similar projects
• Mitigation Expectations: Indicate what risk management you expect from vendors

Example Response

Question 10: Additional Information for Vendors

"Is there anything else vendors should know to prepare their proposal?"

What We're Looking For

This catch-all question captures unique aspects of your organization, culture, or project that don't fit other categories but are important for vendors to know.

How to Answer Effectively

• Organizational Culture: Share values or working styles that vendors should align with
• Decision Process: Explain who will be involved in vendor selection and their priorities
• Future Plans: Mention how this project fits into longer-term roadmaps
• Unique Constraints: Note any unusual requirements or limitations
• Preferred Approaches: Indicate if you favor agile vs. waterfall, or other methodologies

Example Response

Best Practices for Research Form Success

Follow these principles to maximize the quality of your AI-generated RFP:

Be Specific and Quantitative

Replace vague statements with concrete details and numbers. Instead of "improve efficiency," say "reduce processing time from 4 hours to 30 minutes." Specific information helps AI understand your exact needs and helps vendors craft targeted solutions.

Think Like a Vendor

Consider what information you would need if you were proposing a solution. What would help you estimate costs accurately? What would you need to assess feasibility? Providing this context upfront reduces back-and-forth clarifications.

Be Honest About Constraints

Don't hide limitations or challenges. Vendors appreciate transparency and can propose more realistic solutions when they understand the full picture. Surprises during implementation lead to delays and budget overruns.

Prioritize Requirements

Distinguish between must-haves and nice-to-haves. This helps vendors understand what's non-negotiable and where there's flexibility. Use language like "required," "preferred," or "optional" to signal importance.

Review Before Submitting

Read through your responses as if you're a vendor seeing them for the first time. Are they clear? Is there enough context? Are there obvious questions left unanswered? A few minutes of review can significantly improve your RFP quality.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Being Too Brief

Minimal responses lead to generic RFPs. While we set minimum character requirements for some questions, aim to provide comprehensive answers that give full context. Your thoroughness directly translates to RFP quality.

Using Jargon Without Explanation

While industry terms are fine, explain acronyms and specialized terminology the first time you use them. This ensures the AI correctly interprets your requirements and helps vendors from diverse backgrounds understand your needs.

Providing Contradictory Information

Ensure consistency across your answers. If you mention a 6-month timeline in one response but reference a year-long project elsewhere, vendors will be confused. Review for internal consistency.

Omitting Critical Details

Don't assume the AI or vendors will infer unstated requirements. If data must remain within specific geographic boundaries, say so explicitly. If you need 24/7 support, state it clearly.

How AI Uses Your Responses

Understanding how Paperfly's AI processes your research form can help you provide better information:

• Context Building: Your responses create a comprehensive project profile that informs every section of your RFP
• Requirement Extraction: The AI identifies technical, functional, and business requirements from your detailed descriptions
• Evaluation Framework: Your success metrics and vendor criteria shape the scoring rubric in your RFP
• Risk Management: Challenges you identify inform the risk mitigation sections and proposal requirements
• Compliance Mapping: Regulatory requirements are automatically incorporated into relevant RFP sections

The more comprehensive and specific your responses, the more sophisticated and accurate your AI-generated RFP will be.

Conclusion

Writing effective research forms is both an art and a science. It requires balancing thoroughness with clarity, specificity with flexibility, and technical detail with accessibility. The time you invest in completing your research form thoughtfully pays dividends in the quality of your RFP and, ultimately, in the quality of vendor proposals you receive.

Remember: your research form is the foundation of your entire procurement process. A well-crafted form leads to a precise RFP, which attracts qualified vendors, which results in better proposals, which leads to successful projects. Each question is an opportunity to communicate your needs clearly and set your project up for success.

By following the guidance in this article, you'll be able to provide the rich context Paperfly's AI needs to generate RFPs that truly reflect your project's unique requirements and position you to find the perfect vendor partner.