Selecting a new agency is one of those decisions that can quietly shape your next two to three years. The right partner speeds you up, sharpens your strategy, and makes your team feel larger than it is. The wrong one adds meetings, drag, and rework. In 2026, the RFP process doesn’t need to be long or ceremonial to be thorough—it needs to be clear, fair, and designed to surface fit fast. Below is a step-by-step approach that respects everyone’s time (including yours) and helps you choose a partner you’ll actually enjoy working with.
1. Start with alignment—not vendors
Before you write a single RFP question, get internal clarity on why you’re hiring an agency and what success looks like. If the internal brief is fuzzy, the RFP will be too, and you’ll get proposals that are impossible to compare.
Align on:
Business goals (revenue, retention, awareness, efficiency, etc.)
What’s changing in 2026 (new markets, new tech stack, new brand, new constraints)
Scope boundaries: what you want help with vs. what stays in-house
Budget range and resourcing assumptions
Timeline and decision owners
A 60–90 minute working session with a small decision group is usually enough. Your output should be a one-page internal brief that later becomes the backbone of the RFP.
2. Define the work in outcomes, not activities
The agencies you want in 2026 are thinking in systems and results, not task lists. If you write “make us a new website” or “run campaigns,” you’re framing the job as execution. If you write “increase qualified pipeline by X” or “cut onboarding drop-off by Y,” you invite smarter strategies and more useful proposals.
Instead of:
“Create social content, build landing pages, manage paid media.”
Try:
“Build a repeatable customer acquisition engine that improves CAC payback and lets our team scale content without bottlenecks.”
Outcome-driven scopes are easier to evaluate and much harder to game.
3. Keep your RFP short, focused, and comparable
A modern RFP doesn’t need 50 questions. It needs 8–12 great ones that map to your priorities.
Recommended RFP sections:
Context & goals (your one-pager, expanded)
Scope & deliverables (what’s in / what’s out)
Success metrics (how you’ll judge impact)
Constraints & realities (approval cycles, tools, compliance, brand rules)
Evaluation criteria (so agencies know what matters most)
Questions for agencies (keep these tight)
Timeline & process
Submission format
Core questions to include:
What’s your approach to achieving our outcomes?
Show two relevant case studies and exactly how impact was measured.
What does your team structure look like for this work? Who does what?
How do you manage collaboration and decision-making with clients?
What risks do you see in this scope, and how would you mitigate them?
What should we stop doing / start doing based on what you know so far?
Pricing model, assumptions, and what causes scope change.
If your RFP can’t be read in 10 minutes, it’s probably too long.
4. Build a smart shortlist before you send anything
Don’t RFP 12 agencies. You’ll get proposal spam and decision fatigue. Shortlist 3–5 candidates who already look credible, then invest in a better process with them.
Ways to build a high-quality shortlist:
Ask peers for referrals where the same kind of work was done
Look for agencies publishing thoughtful POVs in your space
Consider specialization fit (industry, channel, tech, geography)
Scan for evidence of long-term partnerships, not one-off projects
A good RFP is a two-way filter. Respect agencies enough to invite only real contenders.
5. Offer a lightweight “discovery touchpoint”
In 2026, agencies expect some form of pre-proposal discovery. A short group call (30–45 minutes) helps them avoid guessing and keeps proposals grounded in reality.
Structure it like:
10 minutes: you recap goals and constraints
20 minutes: agency asks questions
10 minutes: confirm timeline + what “good” looks like
5 minutes: logistics
You’ll get better proposals and learn who shows up prepared.
6. Standardize your evaluation so it’s fair and fast
A great way to derail an RFP is to let everyone judge based on vibe. Set a simple scorecard upfront and use it consistently.
Example evaluation criteria (weighted):
Strategy quality and clarity (30%)
Evidence of relevant impact (25%)
Team fit and working model (20%)
Creativity / innovation (15%)
Budget realism and transparency (10%)
Have evaluators score independently first, then discuss. That reduces bias and makes it easier to reach alignment.
7. Ask for a working session, not a “pitch theater”
Instead of a classic 60-minute pitch deck, invite finalists to a 75–90 minute working session. You want to see how they think with you, not just about you.
Good session prompts:
“Walk us through how you’d tackle the first 45 days.”
“Here’s a real problem we’re facing—how would you approach it?”
“Show us how you’d collaborate with our internal team week to week.”
You’re evaluating real partnership behavior: listening, structuring ambiguity, and problem-solving live.
8. Check references with precision
Reference checks shouldn’t be “Were they nice?” They should validate the hardest parts of your scope.
Ask references:
What did they do that surprised you (good or bad)?
How did they handle scope changes or ambiguity?
What did you get better at internally because of them?
Would you hire them again for the same work?
A single great reference can confirm fit. A hesitant one should give you pause.
9. Close with clarity and momentum
Once you choose, move quickly. Agencies are staffing and scheduling in real time. A slow close can cost you your preferred team.
In your award + kickoff:
Reconfirm outcomes, scope, timeline
Align on success metrics and reporting cadence
Lock decision owners on both sides
Agree on communication norms (async vs sync, tools, escalation)
The RFP ends when the partnership begins.
Why Zozimus should be on your 2026 shortlist
If you’re looking for an agency in 2026 that feels less like a vendor and more like a high-leverage extension of your team, Zozimus is worth serious consideration. We’re built for outcome-driven work: tight discovery, sharp strategy, and delivery that’s structured to reduce rework and accelerate learning. Clients choose Zozimus when they want senior thinking in the room, clear measurement tied to business goals, and a partner who can move from ambiguity to execution without drama. If your next agency needs to help you scale smarter—not just do more—Zozimus is ready to jump in.
BOSTON, MARS
