Once a group decides what to include in an RFP, the next step is to align on how to evaluate RFP responses. This discussion may encompass questions such as how much weight to give to various group requirements, whether to communicate criteria weights in the RFP, what issues might disqualify respondents, and which parties will make the ultimate selection.

The process for making these decisions may differ depending on the group’s governance structure:

• An anchor buyer might determine the evaluation process themself or propose a process and solicit input from the other buyers.
• Groups using an equal buyer model or tiered model often take a more democratic approach, with all buyers or a subset of participants making these types of decisions by building consensus through discussion or casting votes to indicate their preferences.