What is an RFP?

Let’s start with the basics. An RFP is a request for proposal. It’s a traditional way to get multiple potential tech providers to give you information about their products and services, combined with interviews, maybe some testing, and ultimately, the providers giving you a proposal.  There’s plenty of debate about whether or not this model is dead or still relevant. For this article, we are going to talk about a better process that still incorporates the RFP. 

For many IT and business leaders, issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) seems like the logical first step in selecting a managed service provider (MSP). After all, an RFP is supposed to ensure structure, transparency, and fairness—especially when evaluating partners who will play a critical role in your business operations.

But here’s the reality: the quality of your RFP process is only as strong as the questions you ask and the partners you invite to participate.

At TopSpin, we’ve seen quite a few RFPs from mid-sized and enterprise organizations across industries. Some yield strategic partnerships that drive real results. Others lead to confusion, missed expectations, and expensive do-overs. So how do you make sure your MSP RFP sets you up for success?

In this article, we’ll walk through what to look for when evaluating managed service providers through an RFP—and how bringing in an independent advisor like TopSpin can help you avoid common pitfalls, source better-fit providers, and ultimately make a smarter IT investment.

Why Businesses Issue RFPs for MSPs

Managed service providers have become a critical part of the modern IT stack. Whether you’re outsourcing IT entirely or augmenting an internal team, the right MSP can help your business:

• Support hybrid work environments
• Improve cybersecurity posture
• Reduce downtime and incident response time
• Optimize infrastructure and cloud costs
• Ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks
• Free up internal resources to focus on strategic initiatives

Given the range of services and the stakes involved, many companies opt to issue an RFP when selecting an MSP. But the traditional RFP process isn’t always well-suited to today’s IT needs. That’s why it’s so important to align your evaluation criteria with what actually matters in an MSP relationship.

1. Don’t Just Ask “What Services Do You Offer?” Ask “How Will You Support Our Business Goals?”

Many RFPs include long lists of check-the-box requirements—remote monitoring, patching, endpoint protection, ticketing response times, etc. While these are all relevant, they don’t necessarily indicate whether a provider can strategically support your organization.

Instead, look for providers who:

• Ask thoughtful questions about your environment before responding
• Align their service model to your specific business objectives
• Offer examples or case studies relevant to your industry or size
• Can scale services up or down based on your changing needs

TopSpin often helps clients rewrite RFPs to reflect these strategic priorities—and prequalify providers who are a better cultural and technical fit from the start.

2. Look Beyond SLAs: What’s Their Real Track Record?

It’s easy for providers to cite 99.9% uptime and 15-minute response times in an RFP response. But SLAs alone won’t tell you whether they actually deliver. Ask for:

• Client retention rates over the last 3 years
• NPS or customer satisfaction scores
• Real-world response time data, not just contractual commitments
• References from similar-sized clients with comparable needs

Many businesses use TopSpin to run these validations before making a final decision. Because we work closely with dozens of MSPs nationwide, we can often verify performance data and client satisfaction independently—something you won’t get from a Google search.

3. Can They Integrate With Your Existing Tech Stack?

In a world of cloud apps, SaaS tools, and hybrid networks, it’s critical that your MSP can manage and integrate across your current environment—not just their preferred vendors.

Evaluate:

• Experience managing your existing platforms (Microsoft 365, AWS, VMware, etc.)
• Ability to monitor, patch, and support heterogeneous environments
• Approach to documentation, onboarding, and knowledge transfer

Some providers are simply better equipped than others to handle multi-vendor environments. At TopSpin, we help clients match with MSPs who can seamlessly integrate into your current infrastructure—without trying to rip and replace systems that are already working.

4. What’s Their Cybersecurity Strategy—Not Just Their Product Offering?

Security is one of the most critical parts of any MSP relationship, but many providers bury it in a long list of services rather than articulating a clear strategy.

In your RFP (or during the evaluation phase), ask:

• How do you handle incident response and escalation?
• What frameworks do you use (e.g., NIST, CIS, ISO 27001)?
• Do you offer regular vulnerability assessments or penetration testing?
• How do you educate clients on emerging threats?

A good MSP won’t just provide antivirus and firewalls—they’ll help you build a proactive cybersecurity posture. And as an independent advisor, TopSpin helps clients assess whether a provider’s strategy is actually robust—or just surface-level.

5. Will You Get a Team or a Ticket System?

One of the biggest factors in long-term MSP satisfaction is the level of personalization and support you receive. Some providers operate like call centers—others assign a dedicated team who knows your business inside and out.

When reviewing proposals, clarify:

• Will we have a dedicated account manager or virtual CIO?
• How is support escalated and managed?
• What does onboarding and ongoing check-ins look like?
• Will we meet regularly to review performance and roadmap initiatives?

TopSpin emphasizes this during our sourcing process because we know support models vary widely. For growing businesses especially, it’s critical to choose a partner—not just a vendor.

6. What Does Pricing Really Look Like?

Many RFP responses offer bundled or “per user” pricing that seems attractive on the surface but can hide hidden fees or lock-in clauses.

Make sure your RFP or evaluation criteria explores:

• What’s included (and not) in the monthly rate?
• How does pricing scale as our team grows?
• Are there penalties for early termination or service changes?
• How often will the provider review our environment for cost optimization?

TopSpin helps clients compare apples-to-apples pricing and evaluate the total cost of ownership—not just the monthly rate.

7. How Transparent Are They About Their Limitations?

No MSP is perfect. But the best ones are honest about what they’re great at—and where they lean on partners or limit scope.

Look for:

• Transparent descriptions of internal capabilities vs. third-party services
• Clear boundaries around what’s in scope (and what’s not)
• Willingness to say, “That’s not our strength, but we work with a partner who can help.”

This is often where an advisor like TopSpin adds significant value. Because we already know each provider’s specialties (and limitations), we can guide clients to better-aligned matches and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Want Help with Your RFP? That’s What We Do.

If you’re evaluating MSPs through an RFP process—or considering issuing one soon—this is where TopSpin comes in.

As an independent IT advisor, we help businesses like yours:

• Define your requirements and priorities clearly
• Build a smarter, more strategic RFP
• Vet and shortlist the right providers (without bias or vendor pressure)
• Manage the process and negotiations from start to finish

We don’t sell managed services. We help you find the right ones—on your terms.

Ready to get expert help on your next MSP decision?

Whether you're building an RFP from scratch or wading through a stack of proposals, TopSpin is here to help you make a confident, informed choice. Schedule a free consultation using the "book a meeting" at the top of this page