---
title: Digital Agency RFP & Scorecard Builder
url: https://www.haketi.com/labs/digital-agency-rfp-builder/
date: 2026-11-05T02:14:31+00:00
modified: 2026-11-05T04:56:52+00:00
lang: en_US
---

Phase 01: Project Definition

# Digital Agency RFP & Scorecard Builder

Create an objective Request for Proposal outline and a weighted partner evaluation scorecard. Formulate the right technical screening questions, protect intellectual property ownership, and avoid costly agency traps.

## Request for Proposal (RFP) Specification

Issued by: Organization • Objective Partner Evaluation Package

### 1\. Scope of Work & Capabilities

Executive summary

**Mandatory Technical Capabilities:**

### 2\. Weighted Partner Evaluation Scorecard

Use this objective 100-point rubric to compare incoming agency proposals across balanced criteria rather than pricing alone.

| Evaluation Dimension | Weight | Evaluation Questions & Verification Criteria | Score (1-10) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Technical Architecture & Code Quality** | **30%** | Does the vendor build using clean standards without excessive plugins or slow page-builder bloat? Do they guarantee sub-1.5s mobile load times and WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility? | _____ / 10 |
| **UX Strategy & Discovery Rigor** | **25%** | Do they conduct user research, information architecture mapping, and wireframing before touching visual design? Is their solution tied to business conversion metrics? | _____ / 10 |
| **Code Ownership & Transparency** | **20%** | Do you own 100% of the code, Git repository, and Figma files upon payment? Can the website be freely hosted anywhere without proprietary agency platform lock-in? | _____ / 10 |
| **Relevant Case Studies & Proof** | **15%** | Can they show live, working web products in similar industries with verifiable client references and measurable business outcomes? | _____ / 10 |
| **Cost Value & Milestones** | **10%** | Is pricing transparent with clearly defined milestone deliverables rather than ambiguous time-and-materials billing? | _____ / 10 |

### 3\. High-Leverage Vendor Interview Questions

Ask candidate agencies these specific technical questions to uncover hidden weaknesses:

- **"Will our project be built by the senior team presenting today, or handed off to junior freelancers or white-label contractors?"**
- **"If we decide to migrate hosting or change development partners in two years, will anything prevent another developer from taking over the codebase?"**
- **"How do you ensure the site passes Core Web Vitals on mobile viewports out of the box?"**
- **"What is your formal process for 301 redirect mapping to guarantee we don't lose existing search rankings during launch?"**

### Critical Agency Red Flags to Watch For:

- **Proprietary CMS Lock-In:** Agencies that insist on hosting your site on their private custom CMS where you cannot take your code if you leave.
- **No Direct Git Repository Access:** Agencies that refuse to grant access to source code repositories or design files during development.
- **Over-Reliance on Monolithic Page Builders:** Tools that inject dozens of megabytes of nested DIVs and heavy JavaScript, causing poor mobile speed.
- **Uncapped Time & Materials:** Bids that leave deliverables and final milestones open-ended without a clear definition of done.

[Read Haketi's Anti-Agency Model](/why-haketi/) [Submit RFP to Haketi →](https://booking.haketi.com/)

## Why Objective Vendor Scorecards Prevent Costly Mistakes

Agency procurement is often swayed by slick sales pitches and flashy showreels. However, the true long-term total cost of ownership (TCO) of a digital platform is determined by code maintainability, technical performance, and intellectual property freedom.

By establishing a weighted evaluation rubric before reviewing vendor bids, your selection committee can evaluate proposals objectively. Weighting technical architecture and code ownership at 50% combined ensures you choose a partner that builds lasting enterprise value.

**Framework by:** Haketi Digital Strategy & Governance Practice.
Designed to create transparent, fair partnerships across public and private sector projects.