SharePoint Intranet RFP Template for Enterprise
By Errin O'Connor, Chief AI Architect & CEO of EPC Group | Updated April 2026
A battle-tested RFP framework for enterprise SharePoint intranet projects — including evaluation criteria, must-ask technical questions, governance requirements, vendor scoring matrix, and migration-specific cautions. Built from EPC Group's 25+ years and 10,000+ SharePoint implementations.
Why Your SharePoint Intranet RFP Probably Needs Work
Most enterprise intranet RFPs we review are either too vague (resulting in proposals that cannot be compared) or too prescriptive (dictating solutions before the vendor can apply expertise). The goal of a well-structured RFP is to establish clear evaluation criteria while giving qualified vendors enough room to demonstrate differentiated approaches.
After reviewing hundreds of intranet RFPs and responding to dozens as a SharePoint consulting partner, EPC Group has identified the sections that separate high-quality RFPs from ones that produce mediocre vendor responses.
RFP Section 1: Organizational Context
Give vendors enough context to size the engagement accurately:
- User count: Total employees, active intranet users, geographic distribution, remote vs. office ratio.
- Current platform: What are you migrating from? (Classic SharePoint, Jive, Unily, Interact, custom, none). Include content volume (pages, documents, sites).
- Microsoft 365 licensing: Which license tier? (E1, E3, E5, F1 for frontline). This determines available features without add-on licensing.
- IT maturity: Do you have SharePoint admins on staff? PowerShell expertise? Existing governance policies?
- Timeline drivers: Why now? Lease expiration on current platform? Compliance deadline? Executive mandate?
- Budget range: Optional but recommended. Including a budget range eliminates vendors who cannot deliver within your constraints and encourages realistic proposals.
RFP Section 2: Functional Requirements
Organize functional requirements into priority tiers:
Must-Have (P0)
- Corporate news publishing with targeted audiences and scheduling
- Enterprise search across all intranet content, people, and documents
- People directory with org chart integration (Azure AD sourced)
- Document management with metadata, versioning, and retention policies
- Mobile-responsive design that works on unmanaged devices
- Single sign-on via Azure AD / Entra ID
- Multi-site architecture with hub-and-spoke navigation
Should-Have (P1)
- Viva Connections integration for personalized dashboard experience
- Multilingual support (specify languages required)
- Workflow automation for common HR, IT, and facilities processes
- Analytics dashboard showing adoption, engagement, and content performance
- Integration with existing LOB applications (specify which: SAP, Workday, ServiceNow, etc.)
Nice-to-Have (P2)
- Microsoft Copilot integration for AI-powered search and content generation
- Digital signage integration for lobby/office displays
- Gamification or recognition features
- Advanced personalization beyond audience targeting
RFP Section 3: Technical Requirements
These are the questions most RFPs miss that cause problems post-award:
- Authentication and identity: Azure AD / Entra ID configuration. Conditional Access policies. Guest access requirements. B2B/B2C scenarios for external users.
- Compliance: Data residency requirements (Multi-Geo?). Sensitivity labels. DLP policies. Retention policies. Industry-specific regulations (HIPAA, SOX, ITAR).
- Hybrid requirements: Any on-premises SharePoint Server that must coexist or be migrated? Hybrid search? On-premises file shares to migrate?
- Custom development: SPFx web parts needed? Specify functionality. Power Platform integrations? Custom APIs?
- Performance requirements: Page load time targets. Concurrent user expectations during all-hands announcements. Search indexing latency requirements.
- Disaster recovery: RPO and RTO requirements. Backup strategy beyond native Microsoft retention (third-party backup tools?).
RFP Section 4: Governance Framework
Governance is the number one predictor of long-term intranet success. Require vendors to address:
- Site provisioning: How will new sites be requested, approved, and created? Automated or manual?
- Content lifecycle: Who owns content? What triggers content review? How are stale pages identified and archived?
- Permissions model: How are permissions managed at scale? Azure AD group-based? Site collection admin delegation?
- Naming conventions: URLs, site names, document libraries, metadata columns.
- Training and adoption: How will the vendor ensure users actually adopt the new intranet? What does the change management plan include?
- Ongoing governance: Who is responsible post-launch? Does the vendor provide a governance toolkit or playbook?
EPC Group delivers a governance framework document with every SharePoint implementation that covers all six areas above, tailored to the client's organizational structure and compliance requirements.
RFP Section 5: Migration Scope
If you are replacing an existing intranet, migration deserves its own RFP section. This is where most projects blow their budgets:
- Content inventory: How many pages, documents, and sites exist today? What percentage should be migrated vs. archived vs. deleted?
- Content cleanup: Require the vendor to include a content audit phase. Migrating 100% of legacy content guarantees a cluttered new intranet.
- Permissions migration: How will legacy permissions map to Azure AD groups? This is the most complex part of most migrations.
- URL redirects: Require a redirect strategy for bookmarked pages. Users will complain louder about broken links than about any new feature.
- Workflow migration: Legacy InfoPath forms and SharePoint Designer workflows do not migrate automatically. Require remediation plans for each.
- Parallel run period: How long will old and new intranets coexist? What is the decommission plan?
For detailed cost guidance, see our SharePoint Migration Cost: Complete Pricing Guide.
Vendor Scoring Matrix
Use this weighted scoring framework to evaluate vendor proposals objectively:
| Category | Weight | Subcriteria |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Capability | 30% | Architecture quality, SPFx expertise, Fabric/Purview/Copilot readiness, performance approach |
| Implementation Methodology | 25% | Project plan quality, risk mitigation, governance approach, migration strategy, UAT process |
| Relevant Experience | 20% | Similar-size deployments, industry experience, client references, team credentials |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 15% | Implementation cost, ongoing support cost, licensing optimization, hidden cost transparency |
| Support Model | 10% | Post-launch support, SLA commitments, escalation path, knowledge transfer plan |
Score each vendor 1 to 5 on every subcriteria. Multiply by weight. Total scores provide an objective comparison. EPC Group recommends shortlisting to 3 vendors for live demos after initial scoring.
Must-Ask Questions for Vendor Demos
- Show us a live intranet you built for an organization of similar size. Walk through the information architecture decisions.
- How do you handle content governance at scale? Show the content lifecycle workflow in a production environment.
- Demonstrate your migration approach. How do you handle permissions mapping from our current platform?
- What is your approach to search configuration? How do you tune search relevance after launch?
- Walk through your change management and training plan. What adoption metrics do you track?
- What happens after go-live? Show us your support model, response times, and escalation process.
- How do you incorporate AI governance considerations for Copilot-enabled intranet features?
Red Flags in Vendor Proposals
- Fixed price without discovery: Any vendor offering a fixed-price intranet without a paid discovery phase does not understand your requirements yet.
- No governance section: If the proposal does not address governance, the vendor builds intranets that fail within 18 months.
- Generic case studies: Proposals that reference "a Fortune 500 client" without naming them or providing referenceable contacts.
- No migration line items: Migration buried in "implementation" instead of broken out as a distinct phase with its own budget.
- Single-person dependency: Proposals where one architect does everything. Enterprise intranets require a team.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should an enterprise SharePoint intranet RFP include?
A comprehensive SharePoint intranet RFP should include: organizational context and current state (number of users, existing platforms, content volume), functional requirements (news, search, people directory, document management), technical requirements (authentication, compliance, hybrid on-premises needs), governance framework expectations, migration scope if replacing an existing intranet, vendor qualifications (Microsoft partner status, similar-size deployments), and evaluation criteria with weighted scoring. EPC Group recommends including a mandatory proof-of-concept phase in the RFP timeline.
How do you evaluate SharePoint intranet vendors objectively?
Use a weighted scoring matrix with five categories: technical capability (30%), implementation methodology (25%), relevant experience (20%), total cost of ownership (15%), and support model (10%). Score each vendor 1-5 on subcriteria within each category. Require client references from organizations of similar size and industry. Mandate a live demo using your actual content and scenarios, not canned presentations. EPC Group provides a detailed scoring template as part of our RFP advisory service.
What are the biggest mistakes in SharePoint intranet RFPs?
The top five mistakes: (1) Not specifying governance requirements, leading to vendors proposing ungoverned solutions that fail at scale. (2) Treating migration as an afterthought instead of a distinct phase with its own budget. (3) Asking for fixed-price bids without a discovery phase, which guarantees change orders. (4) Ignoring adoption and change management in the scope. (5) Not requiring Microsoft Partner competency verification, which means you may get a vendor learning SharePoint on your dime.
Should we require Microsoft Gold Partner status in our RFP?
Yes, for enterprise deployments. Microsoft Solutions Partner designations (the current equivalent of Gold Partner) verify that the vendor has certified architects, proven customer deployments, and access to Microsoft engineering support escalation paths. For a 5,000+ user intranet, this is non-negotiable. For smaller deployments under 500 users, Silver-tier or Microsoft 365 specialization may be sufficient. EPC Group holds Solutions Partner designations across Modern Work, Data & AI, and Azure.
How much does an enterprise SharePoint intranet implementation cost?
Enterprise SharePoint intranet implementations typically range from $150,000 to $750,000+ depending on scope. A basic modern intranet for 1,000 users with standard features runs $150K to $250K. Mid-range with custom branding, multiple hub sites, complex navigation, and migration runs $250K to $500K. Large-scale with multilingual, multi-geo, custom SPFx solutions, workflow automation, and Viva integration runs $500K to $750K+. These figures include design, build, migration, training, and 90-day post-launch support. See our detailed SharePoint migration cost breakdown for more.
Need Help Writing or Evaluating Your SharePoint RFP?
EPC Group offers a 2-week RFP Advisory engagement: we review or co-author your RFP, define evaluation criteria, and optionally participate in vendor evaluation as an independent technical advisor. We can also respond to your RFP directly as your SharePoint implementation partner.
Call (888) 381-9725 or schedule a consultation below.
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