RFP Software Tools

Free tool

RFP software shortlist builder

Seven questions, about two minutes. You get 3 to 5 tools from the 70 published in this directory, each with the specific reasons it matched and the gaps to check before you book a demo. No vendor is favoured by default, and the scoring is written out below.

1 What do you need to answer?

Pick every type you handle. A vendor whose record says it does not cover one is left out.

2 Who will use it?
3 How do you want to buy?
4 Which integrations are must-haves?

The 10 integrations named most often across the directory.

5 What will your security team ask for?
6 AI-first or library-first?
7 Which industry are you in?
Your shortlist appears here

Answer any of the questions and press "Build my shortlist". The more you answer, the sharper the reasons.

How the scoring works

Every point comes from one of your answers matched against a vendor record. Nothing is weighted by brand, popularity or who the vendor is. When two vendors tie, the one earlier in the alphabet shows first.

  1. Questionnaire types: up to 9 points per type you pick, from the directory's 0 to 3 capability rating times three. A vendor rated 0 on a type you need is left out.
  2. Team: small teams reward self-serve setup and a published price. Mid-sized teams reward review workflow and setup. Large teams reward review workflow (double) and answer-library depth.
  3. Buying style: "published price" and "try it free" are hard filters. "Happy to get a quote" changes nothing.
  4. Integrations: 3 points for each must-have the record names. Missing ones are listed as gaps, because a record can miss an integration the vendor does have.
  5. Security: 3 points for each need the record documents (SOC 2, ISO 27001, SSO, EU hosting, restricted deployment). Undocumented needs become gaps, never exclusions.
  6. AI-first or library-first: AI-first doubles the AI drafting and source attribution ratings. Library-first doubles the answer library rating and adds workflow and attribution. No preference adds all three once.
  7. Industry: 4 points when the vendor lists your industry, 1 when it is a general-purpose tool.

The fit percentage is the vendor's points as a share of the maximum possible for your answers. It ranks options against each other; it is not a quality grade. The data behind every factor is published in the RFP and DDQ software benchmark, and the capability ratings are explained on the methodology page.

What a shortlist cannot tell you

A record-based score narrows the field; it cannot tell you how a tool handles your questionnaire, your content or your reviewers. Treat the top 3 to 5 as the vendors to put through the same test: one completed questionnaire, one unseen one, and the people who will actually use it. The RFP evaluation scorecard keeps that comparison honest.

Frequently asked questions

How does the RFP software shortlist builder choose vendors?

It scores all 70 published vendors in this directory against your answers, using the same records as the profiles: capability ratings, published pricing, security facts, named integrations and industry tags. The 3 to 5 highest scores are shown with the reasons each one matched.

Does any vendor get a head start?

No. Before you answer anything every vendor scores zero, and ties are broken alphabetically. Points only come from your answers matched against what each vendor record documents.

Why was a vendor I expected left out?

Either another vendor scored higher on your answers, or it failed a hard requirement you chose: a questionnaire type its record says it does not cover, a published price, or a free way to try it. The excluded list under the results says which.

What does "not documented in the record" mean?

The vendor record does not mention it, often because the vendor does not publish it. It is a question to ask in the demo, not proof the feature is missing. That is why missing security or integration facts lower a score but never remove a vendor.

Can I share or save my shortlist?

Yes. Your answers are stored in the page address, so the "Copy share link" button gives you a link that rebuilds the same shortlist for a colleague. Nothing is sent to a server.

What should I do after I have a shortlist?

Open each profile to check the sources and dates, then run the same real questionnaire through each tool. The RFP evaluation scorecard on this site helps you score the demos side by side.