HRIS RFP (request for proposal) guide + a free template

More than 75% of organizations use an HRIS in 2025, but only 24% of People professionals say they’re getting the most out of their HR tech.* Even more concerning is that two out of three believe their department’s effectiveness will drop if they don’t improve their tech strategy.**

This makes selecting the right HRIS critical — but what “right” means depends on your organization’s priorities.

If employee engagement is your focus, you’ll want strong L&D and survey features. If prioritizing internal mobility is key, performance management tools will matter most. These priorities will shape your HRIS selection process and how you draft your HRIS request for proposal (RFP); getting them right will help maximize your investment and set your team up for success.

This guide breaks down what to include in your RFP and comes with a free HRIS RFP template to make your selection process easier.

🤔 Unsure where to start with your HRIS RFP?

Our free HRIS RFP template will guide you through building a successful request for proposal.

👉 Download it now

*Leapsome Workforce Trends Report, 2024

**Gartner, 2024
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Our free, downloadable HRIS RFP template

Drafting an HRIS RFP can be a long process. These documents require a thorough overview of your system of choice, including its technical requirements, pricing, and functionality. They should also include extensive background information about your HR team and organization.

Getting started is often the hardest part. But don’t worry — with this guide and our free HRIS RFP template, you’ll be fielding vendor responses in no time.

🙌 Get started with our free HRIS RFP template

Creating an effective RFP can be challenging — our template makes it easier to get started!

👉 Download it now

How to write an HRIS RFP: key components

A well-structured RFP ensures you adopt the right system for your organization’s needs. Here’s what to include:

• Business objectives & HR needs — Define what you want your HRIS to achieve, whether it’s streamlining performance management, automating core HR processes, or improving employee engagement levels.
  
  Remember that an HRIS is more comprehensive in scope than other HR systems, so it’s OK to outline several HR KPIs here. The right HRIS will mold to fit your company’s unique needs.

🤔 Did you know? “HRIS” is often used as a catch-all term for comprehensive HR systems. However, there are many different types of HRIS platforms, as well as human capital management (HCM) and human resources management systems (HRMS).

💡Knowing the difference is key to ensuring you adopt the right solution for your organization.

• Technical requirements — Specify whether you need a cloud-based solution or an on-premise system. You may also want to consider integrations with payroll, applicant tracking systems (ATS), or communication platforms. 

• Security & compliance considerations — Outline the industry-specific compliance standards you can’t compromise on (e.g., GDPR, ISO 27001:2022, CCPA). Providing this information up front ensures your HRIS vendor of choice can meet your security requirements. 

• Scalability & future-proofing — Your HRIS should enable growth, not hinder it. Research flexible pricing, modular add-ons, and AI capabilities to understand how the platform can evolve with your business. Then, include this information within your RFP.

• Implementation & training support — Ask vendors about onboarding assistance, training resources, and customer support availability. And if you’re looking for a specific time-to-value or rollout window, clarify those expectations.

• Pricing structure & total cost of ownership — Request detailed pricing, including setup fees, subscription costs, and potential add-ons. Ideally, your chosen HRIS should provide clear, modular pricing — so hidden fees never enter the conversation.
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HRIS RFP process: step-by-step guide

These are the most important steps you should take when developing an HRIS RFP. Don’t forget to download our free template to make this process much, much simpler.
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1. Gather internal requirements

Before diving into vendor research, align with key stakeholders — including C-level executives, finance, and operations — to define what your HRIS must deliver.

Separate must-have features from nice-to-haves. For example, having AI-powered people analytics, automated performance management cycles, and granular automations might be essential for your organization. Still, you may be more flexible on things like recruitment capabilities and custom dashboards. Creating these categories upfront will help you determine how to grade respondents, making the selection process smoother in the long run.

If you’re struggling to prioritize different HRIS features, consider asking team members from other departments what they find the most valuable. Employee surveys can help you verify that your HR system meets real needs.
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2. Research potential vendors

Create a vendor shortlist based on industry reputation, feature set, and peer recommendations. This will help you prioritize RFP responses when they come in.

Look beyond marketing claims by reading real user testimonials and asking colleagues about their experiences. However, keep in mind that no two organizations are alike, so the HRIS that works best for your mentor or peer may not work for you. That’s OK.

😰 Overwhelmed? You’re not alone.

We know the HRIS market is daunting. Get started on the right foot with our comprehensive HRIS software buyer’s guide, which can help you narrow down the most important features and choose the best HRIS for your organization.

3. Draft a clear & concise RFP

A strong RFP attracts quality vendor responses, shortening the selection process (for reference, the average HRIS selection process takes up to 15 weeks)! So, be specific about your technical, security, and functionality needs while avoiding making vague or overly broad requests.

Common mistakes to avoid while drafting include:

• Asking for too much — Make sure you’re focused on what truly matters to your business. This is where sorting “needs” from “wants” becomes critical.

• Being too generic — Vague RFPs lead to underwhelming responses. So, instead, be precise. For example, instead of asking for a “security-focused vendor,” outline the specific compliance and security standards you’re looking for.

• Ignoring implementation details — Clarify expected support needs and your preferred timeline. It’ll save you time in the long run.
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4. Evaluate vendor responses

As RFP responses come flooding in, be prepared to score vendors based on your established criteria (e.g., technical capabilities, ease of use, integration potential, and total cost of ownership). Stay alert for red flags like unclear pricing structures, vague security policies, or too-good-to-be-true promises. 

✨ Pro tip: Customer stories are a gold mine for what to expect in a partner. Be sure to scout them out before making your final judgment about a vendor.

5. Conduct vendor demos & interviews

A well-structured demo validates if a vendor’s promises hold up in practice. Product tours are another excellent option for trialing new software, especially if you prefer the self-guided route. While exploring these resources and interviewing vendors, focus on:

• User experience — Will it be intuitive for HR team members, managers, and employees?
  
• Implementation & support — How hands-on is the vendor during onboarding?
  
• Service-level agreements (SLAs) & uptime guarantees — What happens if something breaks?
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6. Negotiate terms & final selection

Once you’ve chosen your HRIS, review contract terms carefully. Confirm that contracts are flexible and allow for future scaling, and consider including a legal representative during this process so you completely understand the terms.

During this phase, you’ll also want to finalize an implementation timeline with your vendor, create a change management plan to ease adoption, and schedule initial check-ins to track system performance and address concerns.
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Get started with the right HRIS for your organization

Whether you’re looking for employee self-service capabilities, streamlined people management workflows, improved people analytics, or all of the above, an HRIS has you covered. But the only way to ensure you’ve checked all your boxes is to draft a comprehensive RFP.

Luckily, the information (and template!) provided in this guide will get you started on the right foot with your new vendor.

Revisit your RFP throughout your relationship to confirm they consistently meet your needs. If they’re not, it may be time to return to the drawing board — after all, your people deserve nothing better than the best.

🎩 Looking for an HRIS? We’ll throw our hat in the ring.

Leapsome’s HRIS empowers your people to do their best work, all while centralizing your critical HR data and uncovering hidden insights.

👉 Book a demo

Frequently asked questions about HRIS RFPs

What is an HRIS RFP?

An HRIS RFP is a comprehensive document outlining everything an organization looks for in a human resources information system (HRIS). It establishes all of your preferences, from specific solutions or features you’re searching for to security concerns and technical requirements.
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Why should companies use HRIS RFPs?

Creating an RFP helps your team quickly zero in on the best HRIS, improving your time-to-value. As a result, you’ll be able to implement a holistic HR strategy sooner rather than later.

It also reduces the burden of thorough research by inviting third-party vendors to approach you instead of the reverse. In addition, because you outline all of your evaluation criteria upfront, you don’t need to compromise on any of your requests. The best providers will work to ensure all your specific requirements are met.
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What should an HRIS RFP include?

Your HRIS RFP should include:

• Company information — Basic information about your company, like name and logo.
  
• Timeline — Details about when you’ll make your decision and when you’d like your new HRIS fully implemented.
  
• Project background — Context about your current HR systems and experience with other HRIS platforms.
  
• Stakeholders — Contact information for all internal decision-makers.
  
• Evaluation criteria — An explanation of what you’re looking for in an HRIS, including technical requirements, pricing expectations, and functionality (this will comprise the bulk of your RFP!)
  
• Evaluation process — Overview of how you’ll grade respondents and how you’d like them to get in touch.

Download our free HRIS RFP template for more details on what to include in each section.
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What are some common HRIS RFP pitfalls?

One of the most common HRIS RFP pitfalls is lacking or incomplete details. That’s because the more detail you can provide in an HRIS RFP, the better. Vague descriptions of what you’re looking for will leave you drowning in clarification requests and may drag out the HRIS selection process. Or, it’ll leave you with an HRIS vendor that doesn’t meet your expectations. Remember, transparency is key.