{"id":7032,"date":"2020-07-02T08:24:23","date_gmt":"2020-07-02T08:24:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rentalsunited.spfr.co\/?p=7032"},"modified":"2026-07-20T10:21:22","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T10:21:22","slug":"rfp-vacation-rental-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rentalsunited.com\/fr\/blog\/rfp-vacation-rental-software\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build an RFP for Vacation Rental Software"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Have you ever considered publishing a Request for Proposals<\/strong> (RFP)?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though they\u2019ve proven successful for hotels, RFPs are largely missing from the short-term rental manager\u2019s toolbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how to put together an RFP for vacation rental software<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

What is an RFP?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A Request for Proposal or RFP is a document that businesses put together when they need outside help with a project or a specific business need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its purpose is to solicit proposals from contractors or service providers<\/strong> who have the ability to fulfil that need. Once the proposals are submitted, the company evaluates them and selects the most suitable bidder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RFP document contains details about the project\/business need, the requirements that bidding companies have to meet and guidelines regarding the format of proposals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hotels have been running RFP processes for a long time, but they\u2019re still uncommon in the vacation rental world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Why should short-term rentals property managers issue an RFP for vacation rental software?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Selecting software for your short-term rental property management company is a major business decision<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s going to affect not only your day-to-day life, but also your bottom line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You need to make an informed decision based on your business needs, your budget, and the amount of time you can spare for onboarding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s more, finding the right software is time-consuming<\/strong>. There are thousands of solutions out there, each with a different focus, strengths and weaknesses. Comparing them all would take months of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why a well-planned and effectively-executed RFP process can be of tremendous help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of having to pore over hundreds of product pages and sit through hours of software demos, you can announce your requirements and have tech providers come to you with solutions that fit your needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201c<\/em> VTrips consistently uses RFP\u2019s to fully and transparently disclose requirements concerning the products, services, and support it is seeking<\/em>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn Thurston<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Some of the world\u2019s largest vacation rental property management companies<\/a> have had success with RFPs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, Florida-based VTrips<\/a> \u201cconsistently uses RFP\u2019s to fully and transparently disclose requirements concerning the products, services, and support it is seeking,\u201d<\/em> Project Manager Lynn Thurston<\/a> told us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When VTrips was seeking to change its current property management system, the company sent an RFP to property management software firms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On another occasion, VTrips developed an RFP to find a new website development and management provider. In both cases, \u201cdiscussions resulted in a Statement of Work and a Final Contract that was agreed to by all parties,\u201d<\/em> said Lynn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may be wondering: don\u2019t RFP processes drag on forever? Not if you approach them strategically, with a clear purpose and a strict timeline in mind. Let\u2019s take a look at how to do it effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Building an RFP for vacation rental software in 10 steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u201cA good RFP provides information about the company\u2019s background, the core objectives of the RFP, required timelines, submission guidelines, how a vendor will be selected, detailed technical and performance requirements, and who its team members will be<\/em>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn Thurston<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a lot that goes into a successful RPF process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA good RFP provides information about the company\u2019s background, the core objectives of the RFP, required timelines, submission guidelines, how a vendor will be selected, detailed technical and performance requirements, and who its team members will be,\u201d <\/em>said Lynn. \u201cEnsuring the details are provided is very important.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It sounds complicated, but don\u2019t worry. We\u2019ve broken the RFP process down into 10 easy-to-follow steps<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

1. Define your goals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first thing you need to do when you start thinking about issuing an RFP is to set clear goals<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What would you like to achieve with the help of new vacation rentals software? What business problems are you trying to solve? How will this software help you streamline your operations and\/or your marketing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answering these questions will help you set clear requirements for providers who will answer your request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speak to every stakeholder<\/strong> in your company as well as team members<\/strong> who will use the software on a daily basis. Their input is crucial to identifying your needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make a list of must-haves, nice-to-haves and dealbreakers. Instead of focusing on what features the software needs to have, focus on what problems it needs to solve<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This way, you won\u2019t fall into the trap of creating an RFP that\u2019s biased towards a specific solution. If you want the best vacation rental software, you need to keep an open mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve defined your goals and requirements, include them in your RPF document in the form of questions that bidders will have to address in their proposals. Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n