As Global Head of Research & Leadership Advisory at JRG Partners, I have distilled what belongs in this tool from real executive hiring practice, and here it is, ready to use. Choosing a search firm is a consequential decision, and a structured RFP lets you evaluate firms on what actually matters rather than on the polish of their pitch. This template helps you write the RFP and evaluate the proposals you get back.
What follows is a ready-to-use tool you can adapt to your own process, with an explanation of why each element belongs in it and how to apply it well. It is written for boards, HR leaders, and hiring executives who want something they can put to work immediately, not a theoretical overview.
What This Tool Is For
This template structures an executive search RFP and the evaluation of the proposals it produces, so you choose a search firm on the criteria that actually predict a successful search rather than on pitch polish. It covers what to ask firms to address and how to evaluate their responses, helping you assess capability, fit, and value across firms consistently.
Key Takeaways
- Choosing a search firm is consequential and deserves a structured process.
- An RFP lets you evaluate firms on what matters, not pitch polish.
- Ask firms to address their capability, approach, relevant experience, and terms.
- Evaluate proposals on consistent criteria across firms.
- The right firm is chosen on fit and capability, not just brand or price.
Why Use an RFP
The choice of search firm materially affects a search’s success, yet firms are often chosen on brand, relationship, or the polish of their pitch rather than on what actually predicts a good search. A structured RFP asks firms to address the things that matter, their relevant capability and experience, their approach, their team, and their terms, and lets you evaluate them consistently. This turns firm selection from an impression-based choice into a structured evaluation of capability, fit, and value.
What to Ask in the RFP
- Relevant experience: Their experience with this type of role, industry, and situation, with specifics.
- The team: Who will actually do the work, their experience and their track record, not just the firm’s brand.
- The approach: How they will conduct the search, sourcing, assessment, and process.
- Network and access: Their relevant network and access to the candidates you need, including passive ones.
- References: References from comparable searches you can speak to.
- Terms: Fees, structure, guarantees, and terms.
- Fit: Evidence they understand your situation and would be a good partner.
Evaluating the Proposals
- Assess the team, not just the firm. The people who will do the work matter more than the firm’s brand; evaluate them specifically.
- Weigh relevant experience. Experience with your type of role, industry, and situation predicts a better search than general prestige.
- Check references. Speak to references from comparable searches; their experience is strong evidence.
- Evaluate on value, not just price. The cheapest firm is rarely the best value for a consequential search; weigh capability and fit against cost.
How to Use This Template Well
Use the RFP to ask firms to address the things that predict a good search, their relevant experience, the actual team who will do the work, their approach and network, references, and terms, and evaluate the proposals on consistent criteria across firms. Assess the team specifically, not just the firm’s brand, and weigh relevant experience over general prestige. Check references from comparable searches. Evaluate on value rather than just price, since the cheapest firm is rarely the best for a consequential search. Choose the firm on fit and capability, and use the RFP process to align on expectations before engaging.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The common mistakes are choosing a firm on brand, relationship, or pitch polish rather than capability and fit, evaluating the firm’s brand rather than the team who will do the work, skipping reference checks, and choosing on price rather than value. Avoid these by using a structured RFP, assessing the actual team and relevant experience, checking references from comparable searches, and evaluating on value and fit rather than brand or price.
The Bottom Line
An executive search RFP that asks firms to address their relevant experience, team, approach, network, references, and terms, evaluated on consistent criteria, lets you choose a search firm on the capability and fit that predict a successful search rather than on pitch polish, brand, or price. Put to work across your process, this tool turns a high-stakes, often-improvised decision into a structured, defensible one, which is precisely what leadership hiring demands.
Related Resources
For employers going deeper, see The Executive Hiring Process, What Is a Candidate Slate, Executive Search Kickoff Agenda Template.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Why use an RFP to choose a search firm?
- A: Because it lets you evaluate firms on what predicts a good search, capability, experience, team, and fit, rather than on brand or pitch polish.
- Q: What should the RFP ask firms to address?
- A: Their relevant experience, the actual team who will do the work, their approach and network, references from comparable searches, and their terms.
- Q: What matters most in evaluating a firm?
- A: The actual team who will do the work and their relevant experience with your type of role and situation, more than the firm’s brand.
- Q: Should you choose the cheapest firm?
- A: No; the cheapest is rarely the best value for a consequential search, so evaluate on capability and fit against cost, not price alone.
- Q: Why check references?
- A: Because references from comparable searches are strong evidence of how the firm actually performs, beyond what the proposal claims.
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Tanya Gallardo
Managing Director, Executive Search & AI Talent Strategy
Tanya Gallardo is the Managing Director of Executive Search & AI Talent Strategy at JRG Partners, leading C-suite and Board engagements across key growth sectors including Technology, Financial Services, and Manufacturing.
With over 18 years of experience specializing in disruptive technology leadership, Tanya is recognized as a leading authority on talent architecture for future-focused executive roles, such as the Chief AI Officer (CAIO) and Chief Digital Officer (CDO). Her expertise lies in accurately assessing the cultural fit and technical depth required to ensure a high return on investment (ROI) for critical leadership appointments.
Prior to her role at JRG Partners, Tanya held senior roles directing global talent acquisition strategies at a major publicly-traded technology firm, advising on organizational design and succession planning for emerging executive functions. She is a recognized speaker and contributor to industry events, sharing data-driven insights on executive compensation, leadership development, and the measurable business impact of C-suite talent.
