Wireless Procurement: Writing an RFP That Gets You What You Need

Abstract. How to specify a wireless tender in terms of measurable outcomes rather than product features, with a requirements template, evaluation criteria, and the clauses that prevent the most common post-award disputes.

The core problem Wireless RFPs are usually written as a bill of materials and then evaluated on price. This guarantees the cheapest interpretation of an ambiguous requirement, and it moves every risk to the buyer. Specify outcomes that can be measured on handover, and the tender evaluates itself. Specify outcomes, not products Weak: "Supply and install 80 Wi Fi 6E access points." Strong: "Deliver wireless coverage across the areas marked on the attached plans achieving a minimum of 67 dBm at 6 GHz and 25 dB SNR at 95 percent of measured points, supporting 715 concurrent devices at a sustained 3.5 Mbps each during business hours, with channel utilisation not exceeding 50 percent at peak,…