Web design RFP template: get proposals you can actually compare

What is a web design RFP, and do you need one?

A web design RFP (request for proposal) is a document you send to several agencies that describes your project and asks each one for a proposal in the same format. You need one when you're comparing three or more providers, when someone else signs off on the budget, or when the project is big enough that a misunderstanding about scope would be expensive.

You don't need one for a single landing page or when you already know who you want to hire. A one-page brief and a call do the job faster. Our website design brief template covers that lighter version, and how to hire a web design agency walks through the whole process.

How do you run an RFP process?

1. 1

   Fill in the template

   Complete every section below. Where you don't know an answer, say so, and ask agencies to recommend one.

2. 2

   Shortlist three to five agencies

   Pick them from work you've seen and liked. Sending an RFP to twenty agencies gets you twenty generic replies.

3. 3

   Hold a short Q&A window

   Give agencies a week to send questions, and share every answer with all of them so everyone quotes on the same information.

4. 4

   Score proposals against your criteria

   Use the evaluation table in section 7, scored by at least two people separately.

5. 5

   Meet the top two

   Ask who will actually do the work, see their process and check references before you sign.

Section 1: Company overview

• Who you are: company name, what you sell, to whom, and your stage (for example, seed-stage B2B SaaS, 15 people).
• Positioning: one paragraph on what makes you different from the alternatives your buyers consider.
• Audience: the buyer types the site has to serve, and what each needs to see before they act.
• Current site: URL, platform, page count and what works or doesn't.
• Contacts: who owns the project, who signs off and who agencies should send questions to.

Section 2: Goals and success metrics

Write goals as outcomes, not features. “A new website” isn't a goal. “Increase demo requests from organic traffic” is.

• Business goal: why you're doing this now (new funding, new product, repositioning, the site no longer reflects the company).
• Primary conversion: the one action the site exists to drive, such as demo requests, signups or contact.
• Baselines: current traffic, conversion rate and leads per month, so the agency can see where you start.
• Success metrics: what you'll measure three and six months after launch.
• Sites you like: three to five sites, with what you like about each, and one you don't.

Section 3: Scope

Scope is where quotes drift apart. Be specific, and mark each item as in scope, out of scope or asking for a recommendation.

Section 4: Technical requirements

• Platform: your preference (Framer, Webflow, Next.js, WordPress) and why, or ask agencies to recommend one. Our platform comparison explains the trade-offs.
• Editing: who updates the site after launch and what they need to change without a developer.
• Hosting and ownership: who owns the code, accounts and domain, and where it's hosted.
• Performance: a target to pass Core Web Vitals on mobile in real-user data.
• Accessibility: the standard you need to meet, usually WCAG 2.2 AA.
• SEO and AI search: redirects, metadata, schema, sitemap, server-rendered content and AI crawler access.
• Analytics and consent: GA4 or another tool, conversion events and a consent banner where required.
• Security and compliance: anything your buyers or regulators require, such as SOC 2 materials or data residency.

Section 5: Budget and timeline

Give a budget range. Agencies who can't see a number either guess high or write a vague proposal. A range lets them tell you what fits, and which providers are out of your league or below your bar. Our website cost estimator shows typical 2026 ranges by scope if you need a starting point.

• Budget range: for example, $15,000–$25,000, and whether it includes copy, brand and migration.
• Hard deadline: a launch date tied to something real (funding announcement, conference, product launch), or none.
• Your availability: how much time your team can give to reviews and content each week.
• Ongoing budget: what you can spend each month after launch on updates and improvements.

Section 6: What each proposal must include

• Approach: how they'd tackle your goals, in their own words, not a capabilities deck.
• Team: the names and roles of the people doing the work, and who your daily contact is.
• Process and timeline: phases, review rounds and when you'll see first designs.
• Itemized price: each line from the scope table priced separately, plus what's fixed and what's hourly.
• Relevant work: two or three projects similar in size and industry, with links.
• References: two clients you can call.
• Terms: payment schedule, what happens if scope changes and who owns the files.

Section 7: Evaluation criteria

Publish your criteria in the RFP, so agencies answer what matters to you. Give each one a weight that reflects your priorities, then score every proposal from 1 to 5 per criterion. Our agency evaluation scorecard has a full version.

Section 8: Submission details

• Deadline for questions and how answers will be shared.
• Deadline for proposals, format (PDF or link) and where to send them.
• Decision date and when shortlisted agencies will be contacted.
• Confidentiality: whether you need an NDA before sharing details.

For comparison, our website package is $8,000 fixed for up to 6 pages, plus $500 per extra page, with custom design, a Next.js build, a CMS and animation. Migration work is scoped on the intro call, and we include redirects and SEO checks in any migration we take on. We'll happily answer an RFP: send it over, or book a free 30-minute call first. See how we work on our startup website design service.