RFPs: a necessary evil or indispensable tool?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess attitudes amongst librarians and system vendors towards the use of the Request for Proposal (RFP) process for selecting a library management system; and to use the results as the basis of recommendations for best practice. Design/methodology/approach – A focus group of librarians and a focus group of system vendors were asked open-ended questions. Similar groups answered quantitative questions through an electronic survey. Findings – Librarians and vendors both found some value in the RFP process provided it was done well. Practical implications – Best practice is recommended in three aspects of the RFP process: communication, preparation, and documentation. Originality/value – No previous research has assessed attitudes to the RFP process amongst librarians and vendors, and compared the results.