If you’ve ever drafted an RFP and wondered, “Am I giving agencies what they really need to do their best work?” — you’re not alone. 

The RFP process is one of the most important tools in an event professional’s toolkit. But it can also be one of the most frustrating. Too vague, and agencies are left guessing, wasting precious time on ideas that miss the mark. Too prescriptive, and you box your partners into execution mode instead of strategic, creative collaboration. 

Of course, agencies need the fundamentals—budget, goals, vision. But the truth is, those basics alone won’t get you the most strategic or creative proposal. What really elevates an RFP are the details that bring your event to life: how success will be measured, what internal pressures your stakeholders care most about, where you’re willing to experiment, and what boundaries can’t be crossed. The more context you provide, the more agencies are able to focus their energy on creative solutions that are achievable, on-budget, and designed to truly motivate your audience.

“A strong RFP is your first filter for excellence,” shares VP of Business Development Tracy Thompson-Harte. “Write it well, and you’ll attract the right partners, inspire tailored solutions, and make evaluation easy.” 

At Opus Agency, we’ve received and responded to thousands of RFPs over 40+ years, spanning Fortune 50 companies to startups. This article outlines what helps us put forward our strongest ideas—and what slows the process down. We asked our team to reveal the top ten things agencies wish you’d include in your event RFPs. 

Let’s dig in. 

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10 Must-Haves to Elevate Your RFP

1. Success Criteria Beyond Standard KPIs

Of course, we need your standard KPIs. They’re non-negotiable and critical for measuring impact. But beyond the data, how else does your leadership measure success? What does “good” look like to your organization? Sometimes it’s buzz on social, sometimes it’s cost savings, sometimes it’s a flawless C-suite experience. 

Share the additional measures of success that matter most to your stakeholders, and help us understand your priorities when trade-offs become necessary. Are you optimizing for speed, quality, or budget?

“I’ve seen brilliant creative concepts fall flat because we didn’t understand what the CEO valued most,” says Kristin Waters, EVP of Global Accounts at Opus Agency. “One client’s ‘successful event’ meant a seamless executive experience above all else. Another prioritized authentic employee engagement over polished production. When you tell us what success looks like to your organization, beyond the traditional KPIs, we will design everything around those priorities, instead of guessing.”

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2. Your Audience’s History

What can you share about your attendees from past events? Do they skip breakouts but love gamification? Hate waiting for shuttles, but stay late for networking? 

Share audience personas, post-event survey data, or past behavioral insights that reveal how your attendees typically behave onsite. If you don’t have a clear picture, that’s okay. We will work with you through workshops and discovery to uncover the insights you need.

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3. Internal Team Dynamics

Help us understand how decisions are made and work is done. Who has final approval, and who are the key influencers? How are your teams structured, and what collaboration styles work best? What will you handle in-house versus what you need from your event agency? 

This context helps us staff appropriately and frame our ideas in ways that resonate with your stakeholders. 

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4. Experience Priorities That Matter Most

Beyond attendee behavior, what motivates your audience to attend? Is it networking opportunities, cutting-edge education, memorable entertainment, or meaningful recognition? Understanding these priorities helps us design content and experiences that deliver on what matters most. 

This is also a place to highlight VIP and executive expectations around travel, backstage access, and special accommodations. 

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5. Partnership and Sponsorship Expectations

How do sponsors and partners fit into your event vision? What activation opportunities, content integration, or branding moments will create mutual value? 

Clear expectations help us design seamless experiences that benefit everyone while protecting your attendees’ experience. 

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6. Potential Challenges and Sensitivities

Every event has potential risk factors, like historically low registration, hard-to-reach audiences, leadership changes, or sensitive topics like politics, DEI, or sustainability. 

While it may seem uncomfortable to put this in writing, sharing these challenges upfront helps us craft solutions that address them head-on rather than hoping they don’t surface later. 

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7. Brand Guidelines and Creative Assets

Provide your brand standards, logos, color palettes, tone of voice, and any creative boundaries. Share your asset library—photos, videos, past event materials—so we maintain consistency and move faster. Clear brand direction leads to stronger, more cohesive creative work. 

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8. Budget Philosophy and Constraints

Beyond the total budget, share how your team values investment priorities. Are there areas where you’re willing to stretch for impact? Are there line items that are non-negotiable? 

Understanding your budget philosophy helps us allocate resources where they’ll make the biggest difference.

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9. Cultural and Working Style Fit

What kind of partnership do you want? A bold, creative challenger who pushes boundaries, or a steady partner who executes flawlessly within established parameters? 

Do you prefer formal processes or rapid, iterative collaboration? Help us understand how to work with you most effectively. 

“The best proposals happen when we understand a team’s working style from day one,” notes Waters. “Some clients thrive on rapid-fire brainstorming sessions and quick pivots. Others need structured processes with clear approval gates. There’s no right or wrong way, but when we understand your team’s rhythm and decision-making style upfront, we adapt our approach to bring out everyone’s best work.”

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10. Pre-Submission Collaboration

Consider inviting agencies for a pre-RFP call or workshop. This conversation will clarify objectives, share additional context, and even explore early creative concepts. 

It’s an opportunity to align on your vision before agencies invest significant time and resources in drafting formal proposals, leading to stronger submissions that better match your needs. 

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Big Idea

The next time you sit down to draft an event RFP, think of it as setting the stage for finding the right agency partner. The more context you share, the easier it is for agencies to show you the ideas, solutions, and approaches that best fit your needs. 

At Opus Agency, we’re ready to meet you at the starting line, bringing scale, resources, and global connections that turn great proposals into iconic experiences. 

Have a project in mind? Let’s get started.