1. Define Your Project Scope and Objectives

• Clearly state why you need a new HRIS. Identify current issues, desired outcomes, and the business objectives you want to address by choosing one.

• Engage stakeholders across human resources, IT, finance, and other departments to ensure all needs are within your project scope.

• Create "Purpose of Evaluation," "Company Background," and "Scope of the Evaluation" sections to summarize your context and goals.

2. Gather and Document Requirements

• Create a list of requirements including functional, integrations, and technical specs your HRIS needs to deliver. Prioritize them as "Must Have," "Important," or "Good to Have."

• Include requirements such as employee data management, employee engagement, mobile access, reporting, and security compliance.

• Highlight current issues with your existing tool to help potential suppliers understand your challenges.

3. Structure the RFP Document

Include the following sections for clarity and completeness:

4. Develop Clear Evaluation Criteria

• Define how your team will assess each proposal: technical requirements, user experience, cost, scalability, support, security, and vendor viability.

• Assign weights to each criteria to reflect its importance in the selection process.

• Create a scoring system to ensure objective, transparent vendor comparisons during the process.

5. Set a Realistic Timeline

• Outline each stage of the process: release date, vendor response deadline, demo rounds, final selection, and implementation phase milestones.

• Communicate key dates to all stakeholders and potential vendors.

6. Ask Effective Questions

• Use a mix of open-ended and specific questions instead of generic questions. For example, ask vendors to describe how their system handles payroll services integration, not just if it does.

• Allow space for vendors to highlight their unique value proposition and competitive differentiators in a detailed proposal where they can highlight elements that may seem outside of your scope.

7. Manage the RFP Process

• Distribute the RFP to a shortlist of vendors based on basic criteria research.

• Collect and answer clarification requests centrally to ensure fairness: gather all questions and then provide a sheet to answer them all at once for all potential vendors.

• Send reminders ahead of deadlines if needed.

8. Evaluate and Shortlist Vendors

• Review proposals for completeness and compliance with your strategic approach.

• Score proposals using your predefined evaluation criteria and weights.

• Compare vendors side by side, section by section.

• Schedule demos with top contenders to see the human resource management system in action and address any outstanding questions you may have.

9. Make the Final Decision

• Consider demo outcomes, assessment of vendors through reference checks, and total cost.

• Negotiate terms and clarify implementation process support before signing.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Focusing only on current needs, consider future objectives and scalability requirements

• Rushing through requirements gathering or the evaluation process

• Overlooking post-implementation support and training

• Not involving all relevant stakeholders in the HRIS selection process