Buyer question 01
What should an election services RFP require?
Start with the election’s governing rules and turn them into written, testable vendor questions: eligibility, separation of identity and choices, evidence and retention, accessibility, voting-channel reconciliation, configuration approvals, and incident support. Require vendors to identify what is configured, included, excluded, or custom, and attach evidence to every answer.
The free checklist on this page is derived only from Votem’s existing seven-question RFP article. It is designed to turn feature claims into written answers and acceptance evidence.
Sources: Online Voting Platform RFP: 7 Questions Vendors Must Answer
Buyer question 02
How should a buyer compare proposals fairly?
Set mandatory election controls as pass/fail before awarding weighted points. Give every bidder the same written scenario, requirements matrix, and demonstration script; score written evidence and the proposed implementation rather than sales claims; then retain each evaluator’s score and comments.
Compare price only after confirming that mandatory election requirements are met. Ask each finalist to demonstrate the same voter-list, ballot, accessibility, support, and audit-report sequence.
Sources: Online Voting Platform RFP: 7 Questions Vendors Must Answer
Buyer question 03
What should be tested before launch?
Before notices issue, run acceptance tests tied to each requirement: prove correct ballot assignment and ineligible-record exclusion with a test file; review documented identity-to-ballot separation; complete the agreed accessibility review on a representative ballot; and verify that the election team can review and export the final-tally records it needs.
For a covered union officer election, DOL guidance describes observer access to practice-ballot tests as a factor relevant to confirming accurate recording and tallying. Public entities should evaluate the actual ballot and associated content against the ADA requirement that applies to them.
Sources: Online Voting Platform RFP: 7 Questions Vendors Must Answer · OLMS guidance on remote officer elections · 28 CFR Part 35, Subpart H