How much does an RFP really cost your organization?
For many procurement teams, the answer is eye-opening — and often underestimated.
Between staff time and coordinating resources, competitive solicitations can quietly consume far more resources than expected. The RFP Tracking Project by NCPP found that even a non-complex solicitation takes over 43 personnel hours, while complex bids average 138+ hours. Orange County, CA, tracked the cost of awarding a five-year contract and found that the procurement process alone cost over $86,000 in staff time.
A data-driven look at the real cost of RFPs
The NCPP RFP Tracking Project is a free resource created to help procurement professionals understand the true cost of issuing and managing competitive solicitations, including Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and Invitations to Bid.
Over an eight-month period, dozens of public agencies tracked personnel hours and expenses for a selected solicitation — from initial planning through contract award. The findings reveal where procurement teams spend the most time and effort, providing actionable insights agencies can use to evaluate workflows, allocate resources, and compare procurement methods.
What you’ll find on the project page
The RFP Tracking Project page includes several practical tools designed for immediate use, including:
- A concise two-page summary highlighting key findings and insights
- The full RFP Tracking Report, detailing time, labor, and cost impacts across each stage of the solicitation process
- A customizable tracking spreadsheet agencies can use to measure and analyze their own RFP and bid costs
Whether you’re looking to justify staffing levels, improve internal processes, or explore more efficient procurement options, the RFP Tracking Project offers credible data to guide your planning efforts.
The power of cooperative contracts
Cooperative procurement enables multiple public entities—like municipalities, fire departments, school districts, and nonprofits—to purchase through shared agreements. These contracts deliver simplified processes, cost efficiencies, pre-vetted suppliers, and built-in compliance.
Browse NPPGov to see how cooperative purchasing can support your projects or contact our team for personalized guidance.
About NPPGov
NPPGov is a national cooperative procurement organization offering publicly solicited contracts to government entities nationwide. Our contracts are created through a public solicitation by a Lead Public Agency. Access to our cooperative contracts is complimentary and includes no purchasing obligations.
NPPGov serves Government and Nonprofit organizations, and our Public Safety GPO and Law Enforcement GPO include contracts that focus on Fire/Rescue and Law Enforcement. All members have access to a broad range of publicly solicited contracts with discounted pricing, as well as individual discount programs. NPPGov provides live contract support five days a week with a dedicated team to assist members through all stages of the procurement process.
Benefits of cooperative contracts:
- Competitively bid, no additional RFP necessary
- Saves time and money in the procurement process
- Live contract support
NPPGov is the government division of National Purchasing Partners (NPP). NPPGov is owned by non-profit hospitals and all of our proceeds support healthcare and healthy communities.
NPPGov member purchases make a difference. Become a member.