RFP checklist: 12 questions for interim providers

A useful request for proposal (RFP) starts with the work your team needs to complete. For interim legal and compliance support, selection should cover the specialist, the engagement model and the administration behind the assignment.

The following questions help General Counsel, Heads of Legal and compliance leaders compare providers on a consistent basis. Adapt them to the relevant country, internal procurement requirements and sensitivity of the role.

Twelve questions for your provider

1. How will you define the requirement? Explain how you clarify tasks, expertise, seniority, duration, workload and the expected working arrangements.
2. Which engagement model do you propose? Describe whether the specialist will deliver defined work independently or be embedded in our team, and explain the responsibilities of each party.
3. What local requirements apply? Identify the relevant contracting and employing entities. Where licences or permissions are required, provide evidence of their scope and validity for the proposed assignment.
4. When will we receive suitable profiles? State the time needed to present selected profiles. Distinguish this from interviews, approvals, contracting and the actual start date.
5. How is relevant experience assessed? Explain how you assess the required specialist knowledge, sector experience, languages and availability.
6. What vetting is included? Specify the checks proposed for this role, the information needed, applicable permissions, documentation and any checks that require separate agreement.
7. What does the price include? Set out rates, billing units, minimum commitments, taxes, travel, expenses and administration. Identify any additional charges.
8. What documents will we review? Provide the proposed contract structure and explain how confidentiality, data handling and responsibilities will be agreed.
9. How will onboarding work? Identify the people responsible for access, security requirements, handover, priorities and reporting before work begins.
10. How are time and invoices approved? Describe the process for recording work, client approval, corrections, additional hours, expenses and billing.
11. How are changes or absences managed? Explain how extensions, scope changes, unexpected absence and potential replacement are discussed and documented. State any agreed notice periods and limitations.
12. How will the engagement end? Describe the approach to handover, access removal, return of information and final administrative steps.

Ask for evidence, not general assurances

Use a consistent comparison sheet and ask providers to separate included services from optional services. Record unresolved points and the person responsible for clarifying each one. A short, documented answer is more useful than an unsupported claim of comprehensive compliance or guaranteed delivery.

Discuss your requirement with Alpinum

Alpinum Solutions provides individual legal and compliance specialists and project teams through freelance engagements and staff leasing. We coordinate selection, the agreed vetting, contracting and administration; staff leasing also includes employment and payroll.

You receive selected profiles within 48 hours. The actual start date is agreed separately. Share your brief or procurement questions with us.

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Turn answers into an evidence-based comparison

Set mandatory requirements before scoring proposals: relevant expertise, required languages, realistic availability, a suitable contractual structure and your information-security requirements. A low price cannot compensate for a missing mandatory requirement.

Illustrative scoring model: 35% expertise, 25% onboarding and delivery, 20% clarity of responsibilities and engagement model, and 20% transparent total cost. Adjust the weights to your procurement process. Score each criterion from 0 to 3: unanswered, generic promise, specific explanation, or specific explanation supported by relevant evidence.

What evidence should you request?

• A profile showing comparable responsibilities without confidential client information.
• Confirmed availability, weekly capacity and dependencies before the start.
• Named contracting parties and any permissions required for the planned engagement.
• An agreed vetting scope with responsibilities and completion status.
• A calculation based on your capacity requirement with additional charges identified.
• An onboarding plan covering contracts, access, handover and first-week priorities.

Which answers deserve a follow-up?

Question an immediate-start promise made without knowing availability or access requirements. Clarify unnamed contractual parties, unspecified checks and a rate that omits supervision, quality assurance or expenses. Record open points and resolve them before engaging the provider.

Compare costs and budget assumptions · Discuss your brief with Alpinum

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