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LMS RFP Template: The Enterprise Checklist

An LMS RFP (request for proposal) lists the requirements you send to learning management system vendors, so their answers can be compared on the same terms. This template gives you 45 requirements in 9 weighted sections, a seven-step process and a scoring sheet you can download for Excel or Google Sheets.

How to write an LMS RFP

  1. Write down the problem the LMS must solve and the three results that would make the project a success.

  2. Size the audience: learner numbers, locations, languages, and how many learners are frontline or without email.

  3. List requirements under scope, learner experience, content, compliance, integrations, reporting, security, implementation and commercials, and mark each Must, Should or Nice.

  4. Set a weight for each section before vendors reply, so scoring follows your priorities rather than the best demo.

  5. Ask for evidence with every answer: certificates, reports, reference customers and screenshots, not yes or no.

  6. Send the RFP to four to six shortlisted vendors with one deadline and one contact for questions.

  7. Score the written answers, then run scripted demos of your own scenarios with the top two or three vendors.

Download the scoring sheet

Every requirement below in one spreadsheet, with section weights, priorities and columns for each vendor’s response, evidence and score.

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The LMS RFP checklist

Must requirements rule a vendor out if missed. Should requirements separate strong vendors from adequate ones. Nice requirements break ties. Change the priorities and weights to fit your organisation before you send the RFP.

1. Scope and scale

Suggested weight: 10%

Tell vendors who will use the LMS, so every answer is sized to your organisation.

  • MustTotal learners at launch and in three years, split by employees, off-roll staff, partners and customers
  • MustPeak concurrent users the platform must support without slowing down
  • MustNumber of business units, locations and countries that need separate admin control
  • ShouldShare of learners who are frontline or deskless and have no corporate email
  • ShouldAdmin roles needed (central L&D, regional admins, managers, trainers) and what each may see

2. Learner experience and mobile

Suggested weight: 15%

Adoption decides the return on an LMS, so test the learner side as hard as the admin side.

  • MustNative iOS and Android apps, with offline download and sync for low-connectivity sites
  • ShouldLogin by mobile number or employee ID for learners without email
  • MustInterface and content in every language your workforce reads, including regional languages
  • MustPersonalised learning paths assigned by role, location and joining date
  • ShouldAccessibility conformance (WCAG 2.1 AA) with a published statement
  • NiceReminders and nudges by app push, email, SMS or WhatsApp

3. Content and authoring

Suggested weight: 10%

Check that existing courses move across and that your team can build new ones without an agency.

  • MustPlayback and tracking of SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, xAPI and cmi5 packages
  • MustMigration of existing courses, completion history and certificates from the current system
  • ShouldBuilt-in authoring for quizzes, micro-lessons and video, usable by non-designers
  • NiceAI-assisted course creation and translation, with human review before publishing
  • NiceConnectors to off-the-shelf content libraries you already license

4. Compliance training and audit

Suggested weight: 15%

For regulated training the evidence matters as much as the course.

  • MustAutomatic assignment and recertification of mandatory courses (for example POSH, DPDP Act, code of conduct, safety)
  • MustTamper-evident completion records with timestamps, scores and acknowledgements
  • MustOne-click audit reports by course, location, manager and date range
  • ShouldEscalation of overdue mandatory training to managers
  • ShouldCertificate generation with expiry dates and renewal reminders

5. Integrations

Suggested weight: 15%

Ask for named, live connectors to your systems, not a general promise of an API.

  • MustAutomatic user creation, updates and deactivation from your HRMS (name the system in the RFP)
  • MustSingle sign-on through SAML 2.0 or OpenID Connect with your identity provider
  • ShouldDocumented REST API and webhooks, with rate limits and a sandbox
  • ShouldConnectors for video meetings, calendars and collaboration tools used for live training
  • ShouldReference customers running the same HRMS integration in production

6. Reporting and analytics

Suggested weight: 10%

Make sure the reports your leadership asks for exist out of the box.

  • MustDashboards for completion, overdue training and assessment scores by any org attribute
  • ShouldScheduled report delivery by email to managers and HR business partners
  • ShouldRaw data export or a data feed into your BI tool
  • NiceSkill or competency tracking linked to courses and roles

7. Security, privacy and data residency

Suggested weight: 15%

Ask for documents, not adjectives. Your security team will want these before contract.

  • MustCurrent ISO 27001 certificate and its scope, available for review
  • MustSOC 2 Type II report under NDA, with the audit period stated
  • MustCountry and cloud region where learner data is stored and backed up, and whether you can choose it
  • MustHow the platform supports your obligations under India’s DPDP Act 2023 and, where relevant, GDPR (consent, access, correction and erasure requests)
  • MustA data processing agreement, the list of sub-processors and the breach notification timeline
  • MustEncryption in transit and at rest, role-based access and admin audit logs
  • ShouldResults of the latest third-party penetration test

8. Implementation and support

Suggested weight: 5%

A named plan and a named team tell you more than a go-live promise.

  • MustWeek-by-week implementation plan with what each side must provide
  • MustUptime commitment in the contract and service credits if it is missed
  • MustSupport hours, channels and response times by severity, in your time zone
  • ShouldAdmin training and a named customer success contact after launch

9. Commercials and exit

Suggested weight: 5%

Compare total cost over the contract, and agree now how you leave.

  • MustPricing model (per user, per active user or flat) and what happens if you exceed it
  • MustEverything in the fee: hosting, upgrades, mobile apps, integrations, languages and support
  • MustThree-year total cost, including implementation and any content fees
  • MustFull export of users, records and content in standard formats when the contract ends

How to score the responses

  1. Score each requirement from 0 (not met) to 5 (fully met, with evidence).
  2. Average the scores within each section, then multiply by the section weight (15% is 0.15).
  3. Add the weighted section scores for a total out of 5.
  4. Rule out any vendor that scores 0 on a Must requirement, whatever its total.
  5. Take the top two or three into scripted demos of your own scenarios before you decide.

Frequently asked questions

What is an LMS RFP?
An LMS RFP (request for proposal) is a document an organisation sends to learning management system vendors. It sets out its learners, requirements, security needs and commercial terms, so that every vendor answers the same questions and the replies can be scored side by side.
What should an LMS RFP include?
Nine sections: scope and scale, learner experience and mobile, content and authoring, compliance training and audit, integrations, reporting, security and data residency, implementation and support, and commercials and exit. Mark each requirement Must, Should or Nice, and ask for evidence with every answer.
How do you score LMS RFP responses?
Agree section weights before the replies arrive, score each requirement from 0 to 5 on the evidence given, and multiply by the section weight. Any Must requirement scored 0 should rule the vendor out, whatever its total.
What security and data questions should an LMS RFP ask in India?
Ask for the ISO 27001 certificate, the SOC 2 Type II report, the country and cloud region where learner data is stored, how the platform supports DPDP Act 2023 consent and data-principal requests, the data processing agreement, the sub-processor list and the breach notification timeline.
How many vendors should receive an LMS RFP?
Four to six. Fewer gives you little to compare; more creates scoring work without improving the decision. Shortlist from a requirements call first, then send the RFP.
How long does an LMS RFP process take?
Typically six to ten weeks: one to two weeks to write the RFP, two to three weeks for vendor replies, one to two weeks for scoring and scripted demos, and two to three weeks for references, security review and contract.

Go deeper: the LMS Blueprint

For the thinking behind a checklist like this one, read LMS Blueprint, the book by Gunjan Gupta, Founder and CEO of Violetinfo.ai.

Request the book

Related guides

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