Having run technology RFPs from both a vendor and customer standpoint, I’m disturbed by the trend I’m seeing.  RFP processes are becoming longer and longer. The depth and complexity seem to have little to do with the actual scope of work the customer is seeking bids on.

Without exaggeration, I recently received an RFP that had 171 long-response-format questions that, in the end, supported a deal that only had a three-year value of about $100,000.  Compare that to a 111 question RFP that we won in 2012 for a contract with a three-year value of over $1 million.

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