| More and more VoIP RFP dispatches are taking place | | | | Well, there are suggestions around and for large |
| as business are seeking to enter contracts for their | | | | corporates for example. Organizers of the VoiceCon |
| telephony services to be converted to Voice Over | | | | conference issued a request for proposals for a |
| Internet Protocol Systems. | | | | hypothetical VOIP installation and obtained bids from |
| Eweek provides a very useful template for all those | | | | five vendors: |
| setting out to write their own VoIP RFP. | | | | - Aastra Intecom, |
| Their template suggests the following content for a | | | | - Cisco |
| response to an RFP to start with, which we have | | | | - Avaya, |
| amended to comply with the needs for a typical RFP | | | | - Alcatel, and |
| notification letter, as follows:- | | | | - 3Com. |
| 1. VoIP RFP Introduction Page. | | | | These are big players in VoIP and would be a good |
| A. Your Company name. | | | | choice for inclusion for most organizations we conside |
| B. Your Proposal authors. | | | | in order to get their proposals. |
| C. The Date, Co. address and URL as it would appear | | | | The technologies offered by the vendors varied |
| in print. | | | | greatly, and so did their prices. Organizations across |
| D. Primary contact name with phone number plus | | | | the globe have employed a wide variety of VoIP |
| e-mail address. | | | | solutions, and the digital nature of the service allows |
| 2. VoIP RFP Equipment list with version/model | | | | many ways to improve customer service operations, |
| numbers and design description. | | | | delight callers, reduce expenses and create new |
| A. An itemized list of existing installed significant | | | | revenue opportunities. |
| equipment (gateways, systems, cards and | | | | If you have not already considered setting out to install |
| components, plus handsets type and number) for each | | | | a VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol system within |
| site which be requiring replacement with VoIP | | | | your business, we suggest that you do consider at |
| equivalent services | | | | least putting out a VoIP RFP. You will not thereafter be |
| B. An itemized VoIP RFP list of the required software | | | | forced to award a VoIP contract, but you will certainly |
| for each site. | | | | learn a lot about the technology and the savings it can |
| C. An itemized VoIP RFP ist of the required services | | | | provide your company. |
| for each site. | | | | VoIP is an emerging technology being implemented in |
| D. A summary of VoIP RFP ist of the required for | | | | industry generally. Traditionally, skills in data and voice |
| your solution plus the specific features you need. | | | | have been separate, but the evolving information age |
| E. Address(es) for installation of you VoIP service. | | | | increasingly requires people with skills in both to |
| 3. A Request for a priced list of required products plus | | | | implement and administer converged systems for the |
| services. | | | | VoIP RFP submission. |
| A. An itemised list of major equipment for every | | | | Voice over Internet protocol VoIP is fast becoming an |
| location. | | | | extremely popular technology by small and large |
| B. An itemised list of software for every site location. | | | | businesses alike. Procuring this technology can quickly |
| C. An itemised list of services for every site location. | | | | become a substantial, resource-intensive project but |
| 4. Details of the Recurring Costs. It is advised that your | | | | when implemented this company development cost |
| requesy a summary of the likely ongoing subscription | | | | need never be spent again. |
| and service costs which will be charged to maintain | | | | When issuing the RFP we suggest that it is good |
| the system over a period of (say) three years for | | | | practise to include a statement that your company |
| retuning with their VoIP RFP. | | | | reserves the right, with sole discretion, to refuse to |
| 5. Request VoIP RFP Product literature and plenty of | | | | appoint a VoIP supplier. |
| documentation. Ask them to include product literature | | | | The party issuing the VoIP RFP will also usually require |
| that describes the features and benefits of their | | | | that the successful tenderer and his representatives |
| equipment, software and services. Also include | | | | shall at all times follow all applicable Company |
| technical documentation for major components. | | | | regulations while on Company property, including all |
| All this and much detailed information can be found by | | | | company rules and procedures, including observation |
| searching for a Sample VOIP RFP in your favorite | | | | of the no smoking, no weapons and drug-free policies |
| search engine. | | | | of the Company. |
| Plus and all the requirements listed below in the | | | | Some organizations will issue a pre-RFP notice to |
| Eweek's Details section. | | | | notify vendors early on that an RFP is forthcoming, |
| So, now you have prepared your VoIP RFP, who | | | | while others simply send their requests out to suitable |
| would you send it out to? | | | | service providers once they have created the RFP. |