Formal RFPs are a waste of time. This common sense driven excel sheet will help you navigate through the difficult decisions that come with deciding on development and design partners. We all know it is not about their chops. They wouldn’t be in business if they couldn’t execute. What is more important is what added value they bring to the relationship and partner synergy. Are they fun to work with, will they make your life easier or harder? Cut your vendor search time in half with an objective look and rating system that levels the playing field. Fully adaptable in excel format with built-in calculations. Make the right choice by asking the right questions.

1. VENDOR
EVALUATION
MATRIX
Vendor Name
Platform or Service
Rating*
(1-5)
Dollar
Amount Notes
Hosting Costs
Overall Cost
Platform Cost
Planning/Strategy Cost
Design/GUI Cost
Dev/API/Testing
Project Management
Maintenance
TOTAL
Rating*
(1-5)
Methodology and Experience
Business methodology
alignment
Proven experience with similar
businesses
Ability to deliver solutions in
targeted areas
Integration with similar platforms
and database structures
Security Practices
Member Only Customization
Mobile Readiness
Creative & Wireframing
Project Management Team
Channel Promotion Experience
A/B testing Experience
Social Media integration
Web Analytics & Analysis
Team talent & synergy, depth of
marketing & strategy knowledge
Synergy with Tech Team
Synergy with Creative Team
Location of Vendor Staff
Total # of Clients & Annual
Revenue
# of staff in-house vs. partners
Plan, cost and confidence to
meet timeline
Ability to address requirements
clearly and succinctly
Notes
CONVERTING TO AN AGILE STARTUP
Use this template to compare ad agencies, web design firms or dev houses.

2. Ability to deliver innovative
solutions and options when faced
with a loose set of requirements
Additional Value-Add
Free media, partner agreement,
strategic relationships etc.
* 1 is poor and 5 is excellent