Addressing the challenges of RFPs, RFTs, and RFSs.
The procurement industry is facing a growing identity crisis. Frustrated by slow, rigid processes, many organisations are looking to an RFS as the solution —believing that a more open-ended, solution-focused approach will magically drive better outcomes.
But is the problem really the process, or how we’re using it? Procurement methodologies — whether RFPs, RFTs, or RFS — are only as effective as the strategy behind them.
Procurement is no stranger to reinvention. Every few years, a new request type promises to fix inefficiencies, streamline processes, and unlock better outcomes. The latest contender? The Request for Solution (RFS) — positioned as the answer to rigid RFPs and restrictive RFTs. On the surface, an RFS sounds like the natural evolution of the RFX process. Instead of prescribing rigid requirements, it invites vendors to propose solutions tailored to business needs. Flexibility, innovation, and collaboration— it checks all the right boxes.