Process Improvement Some guidelines on things to ask before entering a new contract. By The Editors A request for proposal (RFP) is a business standard when organizations vet service providers before entering a new contract. There are some nuances HR executives need to know when going out to market for a recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) program. The RFP should include a summary statement, which is a description of the services that are being sought and are expected of the program. For example: " Our organization is looking to increase effi ciencies in our hiring practices and build our talent pipeline. " Organizations are also best served to outline the anticipated goals of the program and any technology that is required. Some of the intended goals may include: * Decrease time to hire * Build a talent pipeline of qualifi ed candidates * Increase the diversity of sources * Create an employer brand strategy * Promote and communicate an employee value proposition * Incorporate a total talent approach * Improve strategic workforce planning [8] RPO Provider Directory A scope of work summary can further detail the expectations of the contract, including specifi cs on the number of hires per year and any technology solutions and/or integrations. A RPF should also include key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs), plus a thorough description of the quality expectations and the metrics to quantify quality. Some of the common KPIs and SLAs that human resources executives and hiring managers should consider include: * Quality of hire * Time to hire * Hiring manager satisfaction * Fill rates * Data and reporting * Diversity of candidate slate * Employee retention * Candidate attrition * Cost reduction RFP AT A GLANCE