> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.owlery.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# RFP Overview

> What an RFP is, what you need before you start, and how to build and send one.

An RFP is how you ask your carriers to bid on a set of lanes all at once, then turn the bids you accept into contract rates.

**Where to find it:** `Dashboard → RFPs → Create RFP`

## How It Works

You build a list of lanes, choose which carriers get to bid, and set a deadline. Owlery emails each carrier their lanes, and their bids come back into Owlery so you can compare them side by side. When you award a bid, it becomes a contract rate you can quote and tender against.

<Info>
  RFP is an add-on feature. If it isn't on your plan, the Create RFP page shows an upgrade message instead of the builder.
</Info>

## Before You Start

* **Add your carriers first**: only carriers already in Owlery show up in the carrier list. See [Who Can Bid](#who-can-bid) below for the two ways to add one.
* **Carriers don't need an integration**: a carrier you only have an email contact for can still bid.
* **Set lookup codes on your facilities**: then you can list a stop by its code instead of typing the full address. See [Facility Profile](/facilities/facility-profile).

## How to Build and Send One

Everything happens on one page. Fill in the top, add your lanes, then set carriers and dates at the bottom.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Name the RFP">
    The name is filled in with the current month, like "RFP September 2026". Your carriers see this name, so make it something they'll recognize.

    Use the optional **Description** for anything carriers should read before they bid — service expectations, seasonality, or when you plan to award.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Attach Documents (Optional)">
    **Attach Documents** at the top right shares files with every carrier you invite — a bid packet, insurance requirements, or accessorial rules.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Your Lanes">
    You can upload a CSV file, let Owlery suggest lanes you already run, or type them in one at a time. See [Adding Lanes to Your RFP](/shippers/rfps/adding-lanes).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the Lane Table">
    Every lane you add appears in the table, with its stops, equipment, volume, weight, distance, and target rate. Whatever is in this table is what gets sent, so give it a read before you send.

    To remove one lane, use the menu on its row. To start over, use **Clear All** in the toolbar menu.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose Your Carriers">
    Pick one or more carriers under **Include the following carriers for proposal**. Every carrier you pick is asked to bid on every lane in the RFP.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set Your Dates">
    * **Contract Starts** and **Contract Expires**: the period the rates you award will cover.
    * **Deadline to Submit Bids**: the date and time bids are due. You can extend this later.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send RFP">
    Owlery emails each carrier the lanes you asked them to bid on, and takes you to the RFP's lane list. See [Running Your RFP](/shippers/rfps/running).
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Your carrier list is locked once you send. A carrier you add to Owlery afterward can't join an RFP that's already out, so get your list right before you send.
</Warning>

## Who Can Bid

Every carrier you have a relationship with in Owlery can be invited, even one you've never tendered a load to. To invite a carrier who isn't in Owlery yet, add them as a contact at [owlery.ai/dashboard/contacts](https://owlery.ai/dashboard/contacts) before you build the RFP. Enter their email and Owlery fills in their name and carrier for you. Give them the **RFP Manager** role, which sends them RFP requests without subscribing them to day-to-day quote, tender, and load email.

<Note>
  This is the right route for a carrier you only want bids from. If you also plan to quote and tender with them, set them up as a full integration instead — see [Add a Carrier or Broker](/shippers/carrier-portal/add-a-carrier-or-broker).
</Note>

## Good to Know

* **Your draft is saved on your computer**: lanes stay in the table if you leave the page and come back on the same computer. A teammate on a different computer won't see your draft.
* **An RFP with no lanes is a draft**: you can reopen it and finish it in the builder later. Once an RFP has been sent, you can't edit it back through the Create RFP page.

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Adding Lanes to Your RFP" icon="route" href="/shippers/rfps/adding-lanes">
    Three ways to get lanes into your RFP: upload a CSV file, use Owlery's suggestions, or type them in.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Running Your RFP" icon="gavel" href="/shippers/rfps/running">
    Compare bids, run another round, extend a deadline, and award your lanes.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>