TMS RFI, TMS RFP for Software Selection & Evaluation on Transportation Management Systems - Freight & Parcel

Electronic RFI / RFP Products for TMS

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Transportation Management System RFI / RFP

Electronic RFI / RFP

Building a RFI or RFP from scratch takes valuable time. A Request For Information (RFI) is a list of questions to ask a software provider about their company & software. The results of a good RFI is to get the answers to specific questions that one has about potential software products. A Request For Proposal (RFP) includes a detailed list of questions as well. One may utilize our detailed questions in RFP's, RFQ's, or RFI's that are being sent out to software vendors. These RFI products can save you significant time!

Our TMS RFI has questions in an easy to manage format - a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel. We have created these questions, which are well thought out and have a pop-up window explaining what is being asked for in more detail. This maximizes your effort, since one may e-mail the RFI to vendors. One column is designated for current version response and the next column is designated for other notes that the vendor may optionally enter.

Sample Screens from the Advanced TMS RFI

Column A contains a short description and the popup box has a precise sentence or paragraph that explains in full, concise detail. No inference and no guesswork on what is meant.

Column C is where the vendors enter their answers. Answers are validated by use of pull down boxes with a limited set of possible values. Column D is for future releases and workaround notes that the vendor is needing to indicate to you.

Notice the pop-up box above - which further explains precisely the question in more detail - whether the software package has an Error Analysis Table or not. The RFI is color coded and validated on the current version column. When a vendor responds with a negative answer, the background color is yellow. For a positive answer, the background color is green. The response that the vendor enters is also validated - whether it is a number or a yes/no response. With great validation, color highlighting, and many detailed questions - one may save significant time and money by using our RFI.

Advanced TMS RFI / RFP

The Advanced TMS RFI / RFP has approximately 900 detailed questions and Full Question Text printing ability. It includes 900 questions with pop-up text, validation, and color high-lighting. It is highly focussed on shipping, manifesting, documentation, tracking, tendering & auditing freight, and freight optimization. (Please note that it does -not- contain questions on trucking software, such as fuel tax nor fleet management.) The Advanced TMS RFI has detailed questions on:

Basics: Security, Languages, Support...
Interfaces to WMS Systems
Interfaces to ERP Systems
Interfaces to Call Center
EDI - XML API
Customer Setup Issues
Consignee / Shipto Setup Issues
Carrier Setup Issues
Outbound Shipment Planning - Advanced Planning
LTL Freight Rates & Options
TL Freight Rates & Options
Ocean Freight Rates & Options
Air Cargo Freight Rates & Options
Parcel Rates & Options
Airborne Express, DHL, Fedex, UPS, USPO Detailed Rates & Options
Freight Quote Entry
Freight Order Entry
Freight Order Management
Carrier Selection
Tender to Carrier
Freight Order History
Load Sequencing - Routing
Shipment Detail Capture
Freight Documentation
Freight Audit
Freight Billing
Customer Reporting
Freight Payment
International Shipments - International Trade Logistics (ITL)
Import / Export Issues
Import / Export Documentation
Import / Export Reports
Container Tracking System

What One Consulting Firm Said

"I have used your RFP format on two submissions and have received good reviews from both the clients and the prospective vendors. Thanks!

In the course of developing a WMS specification and RFP for two clients, I used your Excel based requirements product extensively. By starting with the existing form, deleting those areas not required, and modifying fields, responses and instructions we were able to provide a tailored RFP for each client. We developed a scoring methodology based on the response, with weighting developed in conjunction with the client organizations. We then developed a scoring summary sheet with conditional formatting that showed how the scores were above or below average, providing graphic representations of the relative strengths and weaknesses of the responses. Your tools saved us a great deal of time and provided a strong framework for our RFP process. Thank You!"

If you are serious about your transportation & logistics operations, then get the Advanced TMS RFI. Highly recommended for large operations, private companies, public companies, contract, public, 3PL, small & large shipment processing, parcel, LTL, TL, domestic, and those that have international freight shipments. We suggest the Advanced TMS RFI. Order Now!

Brochures - More Information

TMS RFI marketing brochure (PDF) - For more detail on the Advance TMS RFI.

What People Are Saying About The RFI's

Craig from McHugh says "Very well done. Easy to work with. Descriptions made life very simple. .... Excellent Tool! I like the way you ask the questions.". Lori of Uniteq says that it is "Excellent ... most professional RFI".

When IDII consults with a company and then adds their company specific requirements to the RFI, we receive high marks of praise. I.E., Marc from Tecsys says "I used to develop RFP's when I was a consultant at Kom International and I have to say that the RFP work you have done is by far and away the best in the business."

Both vendors and customers continue to praise the design. Both appreciate the precise questions and the color coding scheme that quickly points out what a solution does (green) and does not do (yellow).

Order a RFI

To order a RFI, click here for the Order Form. Considering the cost of consulting, the RFI costs less than a single day of a consultant's time. Permission is given in our license agreement so that one may expand & modify the RFI to include your company specific requirements. The RFI is an unlocked spreadsheet, so that one may tailor the RFI, if one requires doing so.

For a TMS search - IDII recommends that you purchase the Advanced TMS RFI.
For a WMS search - IDII recommends that you purchase the Advanced WMS RFI Bundle, which inlcudes a WMS Research Report, the Advanced WMS RFI, and the Warehouse Software Directory. The report will give you an education on common deficeiences & differences in WMS software today and also explains the selection process.

About The Author

Philip Obal, is the president of Industrial Data & Information, Inc. He has been consulting and designing software for over 23 years. For more details on IDI and the author, see About Us.

Other Information

RFI's requires a PC with Microsoft's Excel 97 or higher utilizing a CD-ROM drive.

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E-mail - info@idii.com

Industrial Data & Information, Inc. (IDII)
7217 East 92nd Street
Tulsa, OK 74133
918.292.8785 - Fax 918.512.4132