RFI sample

What is an RFI sample?

An RFI sample is an example of a Request for Information: the document a buyer sends early in a purchase to gather information about vendors and options. A sample shows the standard structure and the kinds of questions an RFI asks, so buyers can write their own and vendors know what to expect. An RFI gathers information; it does not request pricing or a final proposal.

Buyers use an RFI to explore a market and build a shortlist before committing to an RFP or RFQ. The questions are broad and open, because the buyer is still learning what is possible.

What an RFI sample looks like

An RFI is shorter and more open than an RFP. It gives the buyer's context, then asks broad questions so vendors can describe their fit before anyone commits to a full proposal. Below is a complete sample RFI, section by section, with example content you can adapt. The company and details are illustrative.

1. Cover page and introduction

Identifies the RFI, the issuing buyer, and the deadline at a glance, and states the purpose in a sentence.

Request for Information: Order Management System
Issued by: Northwind Retail Group
Issue date: March 3, 2026. Response due: March 24, 2026, 5:00 PM ET
Purpose: Northwind Retail Group is exploring order management solutions and is issuing this Request for Information to learn about available options. This RFI is for information-gathering only. It is not a Request for Proposal and does not commit Northwind to any purchase.

2. Buyer background

Tells vendors who the buyer is, so responses are tailored rather than generic.

Northwind Retail Group operates 40 stores and an e-commerce channel across North America, with roughly 600 employees and $180M in annual revenue. Our current order management is split across three legacy systems, which limits visibility into inventory and fulfillment.

3. Project background and objectives

Explains the problem driving the search and what a good outcome looks like, without prescribing a solution.

We are seeking to consolidate order management into a single platform that unifies online and in-store orders, improves inventory accuracy, and scales with our growth. Our objectives are real-time inventory visibility across all channels, faster fulfillment, and a reduction in manual reconciliation. We want to understand which approaches and vendors could meet these goals.

4. Information requested from vendors

Sets expectations for what the response should cover and how long it should be, so submissions are comparable.

Please respond to the sections below. Keep responses concise; we are gathering information to build a shortlist, not evaluating a full proposal. There is no page limit, but focused answers are preferred.

5. Company information

Establishes who the vendor is and whether they are a fit on size, stability, and experience.

5.1 How long has your company operated, and how many customers do you serve?
5.2 What is your company size and financial stability?
5.3 Describe your experience with retailers of our size and channel mix.
5.4 Provide two or three reference customers we could contact.

6. Capabilities and approach

Open questions about what the vendor does and how their approach differs, so the buyer can compare options.

6.1 Describe your order management platform and the main problems it solves.
6.2 How does your solution unify online and in-store orders and inventory?
6.3 What makes your approach different from other solutions in this space?
6.4 Which of the objectives in Section 3 does your solution meet today, and which are on your roadmap?

7. Technical and security overview

A high-level read on fit with the buyer's environment and on mandatory requirements, kept lighter than an RFP.

7.1 How is your solution deployed: cloud, on-premise, or hybrid?
7.2 Which systems do you integrate with natively, such as our ERP, POS, and e-commerce platform?
7.3 Which security certifications do you hold, such as SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001?

8. Implementation and support

How the vendor gets a customer live and keeps them running.

8.1 What does a typical implementation look like, and how long does it take for a company of our size?
8.2 What onboarding, training, and ongoing support do you provide?

9. Indicative pricing

A rough sense of budget fit, explicitly not a formal quote.

9.1 What is the general price range for a solution like ours? Ranges are sufficient; we are not requesting a formal quote at this stage.
9.2 What pricing model do you use: per user, per order, or platform-based?

10. Submission instructions

The exact rules for a valid response, so nothing is disqualified on a technicality.

Submit your response as a single PDF to procurement@northwindretail.com by March 24, 2026, 5:00 PM ET. Use the section numbering above. Direct any questions to the same address by March 17. Late or incomplete responses may not be reviewed.

11. Timeline and next steps

Tells vendors how their response will be used, which sets expectations and keeps strong vendors engaged.

We will review responses and build a shortlist by early April. Shortlisted vendors will be invited to a formal RFP and product demonstrations. This RFI does not obligate Northwind to proceed to an RFP or to select any vendor.

You can start from our Request for Information form template or the RFI template in Word. For an industry-specific version, see the ERP RFI template or the RFI example for IT teams.

Sample RFI questions by category

These are representative questions an RFI asks. They are broad by design.

Company and background

• How long have you operated, and how many customers do you serve?
• Describe your experience in our industry.

Capabilities

• Describe your product or service and the main problems it solves.
• What makes your approach different from alternatives?

Fit and approach

• How have you handled projects of similar size and scope?
• What would a typical implementation look like?

Indicative pricing

• What is the general price range for a solution like ours? (Ranges only, not a quote.)

For an industry-specific example, see our ERP RFI template or the RFI example for IT teams.

How to use an RFI sample

If you are the buyer, use the sample as a starting structure, then tailor the questions to what you actually need to learn. Keep it short. An RFI that asks for too much detail gets thin responses, because vendors save their effort for the RFP.

If you are the vendor, a sample helps you prepare reusable answers to the common questions, so you respond quickly and move onto the shortlist. Answer clearly, show relevant experience, and avoid over-investing, since the RFI is a screen, not the final decision.

Where Inventive AI fits. 

Vendors receive many RFIs, and most ask the same background and capability questions. Inventive AI is an AI agentic platform that turns repeat RFIs into fast, accurate responses:

• Drafts each answer from connected knowledge in SharePoint, Salesforce, Confluence, Notion, Google Drive, and Zendesk, with citations and confidence scores.
• Reuses your best answers without pasting stale content, because the Content Governance Agent flags anything outdated before you send.
• Scores fit early. The Go/No-Go Agent helps you decide which RFIs are worth pursuing to the RFP stage.

Reported results include a 90% faster response time at Insider. Inventive AI is SOC 2 Type II compliant and does not use customer data to train public models.

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