Here's a list of frequently asked questions (and answers) about Onit's RFP feature.
Using the Onit RFP Tool
Q: What's the difference between a Matter RFP and a Panel RFP?
A: Choose Matter RFP when you're soliciting pricing for a specific matter or set of matters. Choose Panel RFP (Yearly Rates) when you're collecting rate cards from firms being considered for your annual panel. Use Panel for once-a-year rate-setting; use Matter for everything else.
Q: When should I use the Reverse Auction option?
A: Reverse Auctions work best when you have multiple qualified bidders, and price is a primary lever — typically commoditized or well-scoped work. Avoid Reverse Auctions for novel or bet-the-company matters where firm fit and expertise matter more than the fee.
Q: Should I show vendors “Price Ranking Only” or “Price Ranking and Lowest Bid Amount”?
A: Ranking-only protects your floor and prevents anchoring to the lowest bid. Showing the lowest bid drives faster convergence, but can compress all bids toward the same number. Default to ranking-only unless you specifically want speed over price discovery.
Q: What does “Require Approval” do, and who should be the approver?
A: It routes the RFP to a named Admin, Owner, or Manager before it can be published. Use it whenever the RFP commits significant spend or will be sent externally. Typical approvers are the GC, deputy GC, or the relevant category lead.
Q: Can I edit an RFP after it's published?
A: No. Settings (Proposal Setup, Approval Setup, Involved Parties, Review Ratings) can only be adjusted while the RFP is unpublished. Confirm the reviewer and approver setup before clicking Complete.
Q: What's the difference between a Verified and an Unverified Vendor?
A: Verified Vendors are firms already in your vendor database. Unverified Vendors are added ad hoc via the New Vendor flow and haven't undergone your intake or diligence process. Convert frequently used vendors to Verified status before using them in recurring RFPs.
Q: How does reviewer scoring work?
A: Each reviewer rates each Review Dimension on a 1–5 star scale. The system averages scores across reviewers for side-by-side comparison. Check the “Reviewers shouldn't see others' feedback” box to prevent anchoring between reviewers.
Q: What happens if I delete an Involved Party after the Conflict of Interest question is auto-generated?
A: The auto-generated COI question remains in the proposal. Toggle the Conflict of Interest switch off manually if the question is no longer needed.
Q: Why can't I see a particular template?
A: Check the All Templates vs. Starred tab and review your Manage Filters settings. Templates may also be restricted by Practice Area permissions — contact your admin if a template you expect to see is missing.
Q: Where do Practice Area and Matter Name come from?
A: Both fields pull from Unity. If a matter is missing from the dropdown, it needs to be created or synced in Unity first.
Q: Can vendors ask clarifying questions inside the tool?
A: Yes. After a vendor submits a response, you can communicate with them back and forth through the Comments section for that response.
Q: What does the Negotiation tool do after a Reverse Auction closes?
A: It opens a post-auction round where you can propose revised Total Fees and Sub-Task Fees to a vendor. The vendor can then approve, reject, or counter your proposal. Use it when the auction result is close but not quite where you need it.
Q: How do I see what the RFP looks like from the vendor's side?
A: Refer to the Counsel Exchange RFP user guide for the vendor-facing view and workflow.
Using an RFP with Outside Counsel — General Best Practices
Q: When is an RFP worth the overhead?
A: Generally, matters with projected fees above ~$100K, panel reviews, repeat workstreams (e.g., employment, IP prosecution, immigration), or any matter where you have three or more qualified firms. For one-off urgent work or true specialists, a direct engagement letter is usually faster.
Q: How many firms should I invite?
A: Three to five is the sweet spot. Fewer than three doesn't create enough competitive tension; more than six burns goodwill and dilutes attention from your top choices.
Q: How long should the response window be?
A: Two to three weeks for Matter RFPs, four to six weeks for Panel RFPs. Shorter windows signal urgency but reduce response quality and the seriousness with which firms engage.
Q: What should every RFP include?
A: Scope, key assumptions, staffing expectations, fee-structure preference (hourly, fixed, or hybrid), timeline, conflicts check, and your scoring criteria. Vague scope produces incomparable bids and forces follow-up rounds.
Q: Hourly, fixed, or hybrid fees — which should I ask for?
A: Hourly for unpredictable scope (litigation discovery, investigations); fixed for repeatable phases (M&A diligence, financings, immigration filings); hybrid (fixed fee plus hourly for defined contingencies) for most mid-sized matters.
Q: Should I share my budget with bidders?
A: Sharing a target range tends to compress all bids toward it. Withholding produces wider variance but better price discovery. Default to withholding for competitive RFPs; share when you need a firm to self-select in or out based on a hard ceiling.
Q: How should I weight price versus quality?
A: Common splits: 40/60 price/quality for complex matters, 60/40 for commoditized work. Define and document weights before responses come in — not after.
Q: What are the most common RFP mistakes?
A: Inviting too many firms, vague scope, inconsistent pricing tables across firms, no defined scoring rubric, and changing criteria mid-evaluation. Most of these are preventable with a tight template and discipline up front.
Q: How should I handle conflicts disclosed in responses?
A: Resolve conflicts before scoring. A conflicted firm should either be cleared via waiver or removed from consideration. Don't let conflict ambiguity bleed into the price comparison.
Q: What should I do with firms that don't win?
A: A short debrief call preserves the relationship and gives you honest feedback on your RFP process. Firms remember how they were treated when they lost, and you'll likely send another RFP their way next year.
Q: How do I make next year's RFP better?
A: Track award rationale, actual fees versus RFP estimate, and matter outcomes. Feed that information back into your template, scoring weights, and invite list.
Q: Should the winning firm see the losing bids?
A: No. Sharing competitor pricing erodes trust and creates anchor problems on your next RFP with the same firms. Share rank or general feedback only.
For Outside Counsel — Responding to an RFP
Q: How do I access and respond to an RFP sent through Onit?
A: You'll receive an invitation through Counsel Exchange. Refer to the Counsel Exchange RFP user guide for step-by-step instructions on viewing the RFP, drafting your response, and submitting pricing.
Q: What should I do first when I receive an RFP?
A: Run a conflicts check before investing drafting time. Then read the full scope, assumptions, and questions end-to-end before pricing anything — surprises buried late in the document frequently change the fee analysis.
Q: Can I ask the client clarifying questions before submitting?
A: Yes. Use the Comments feature in the tool to ask about scope, staffing, or assumptions. Asking early is expected and signals engagement; asking on the deadline looks unprepared.
Q: What if I have a conflict of interest?
A: Disclose it through the Conflict of Interest question in the RFP. A disclosed conflict that can be waived is rarely disqualifying; an undisclosed conflict discovered later is.
Q: How should I structure my pricing response?
A: Match the structure the client has requested (UTBMS phases, fixed fee, hourly, hybrid). Don't substitute your preferred format — it makes your bid harder to compare and signals you didn't read the RFP carefully. Note assumptions clearly so the client understands what's in and out of scope.
Q: What's a Reverse Auction, and how should I approach it?
A: After initial bids, the client may open a Reverse Auction period during which you can submit a lower bid to stay competitive. Decide your floor in advance — the lowest price your firm can sustainably deliver the scope at — and don't chase below it in the heat of bidding.
Q: Will I be able to see what other firms bid?
A: Usually not. Depending on the client's settings, you may see only your price ranking, or you may see the current lowest bid as well. You will not see other firms' identities.
Q: What happens after the auction closes?
A: The client may invite you into a Negotiation round to refine Total Fees or Sub-Task Fees. This is a normal step — a negotiation invitation typically means you're in serious contention.
Q: How will I be scored?
A: Clients typically score on a mix of price and qualitative factors (experience, staffing, diversity, prior results) using defined Review Dimensions. Ask up front how price is weighted relative to quality if it isn't disclosed in the RFP.
Q: What should I expect in response timing?
A: Two to three weeks for Matter RFPs and four to six weeks for Panel RFPs is typical. If you need an extension, ask early through the Comments section — last-minute extension requests reflect poorly.
Q: What if we don't win?
A: Ask for a debrief. Most clients will tell you whether you lost on price, scope fit, staffing, or relationship factors. That feedback is the most valuable output of an RFP loss and shapes how you respond next time.
Q: What should I avoid in an RFP response?
A: Generic marketing content, undefined assumptions, pricing that doesn't match the requested structure, missing required attachments, and submitting on the deadline rather than ahead of it. Clients notice all four.