Iris Glossary-RFP Win Rate

What Is an RFP Win Rate?

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An RFP win rate measures how often your submitted requests for proposal (RFPs) result in a win or signed deal.

It’s a key performance metric used by sales, presales, and proposal teams to evaluate how effectively they convert opportunities into closed business.

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Formula:

RFP Win Rate = (Number of Won RFPs ÷ Total RFPs Submitted) × 100

For example, if your team submitted 25 proposals and won 10, your RFP win rate would be 40%.

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A strong RFP win rate indicates that your team is qualifying the right opportunities, creating tailored responses, and managing the RFP process efficiently.

Related: Request for Proposal (RFP)

Why RFP Win Rate Matters

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Tracking RFP win rate helps organizations understand the effectiveness of their proposal process and identify areas for improvement.

It reflects how well your team:

Targets high-fit opportunities.
Delivers compelling and relevant responses.
Collaborates across sales, marketing, and technical teams.
Aligns proposal strategy with customer needs.

A consistently high win rate shows that your proposal process is both strategic and scalable, while a low one can highlight inefficiencies in qualification or content quality.

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What Is a Good RFP Win Rate?

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Benchmarks vary by industry, but most organizations aim for:

SaaS / Technology: 30–50%
Professional Services: 40–60%
Public Sector: 10–25%

A win rate below 25% may signal over-commitment to low-fit opportunities or outdated content that doesn’t align with client expectations.

Related: RFP Evaluation

How to Improve RFP Win Rate

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1. Qualify Opportunities Early

Use a Go/No-Go Decision Making process to prioritize RFPs where your solution has the strongest alignment and likelihood of success.

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2. Customize Your Responses

Tailor content to each client’s goals, pain points, and industry. Generic answers lower engagement and credibility.

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3. Leverage Automation Tools

Use AI-powered RFP software like Iris Pro to automatically source relevant content, manage collaboration, and track version history—freeing up time for strategic customization.

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4. Conduct Post-RFP Analysis

After each RFP, document why you won or lost. This feedback loop helps refine future responses and improve win consistency.

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Benefits of Tracking RFP Win Rate

Improves qualification accuracy and efficiency.
Enhances proposal quality and relevance.
Increases collaboration between teams.
Strengthens forecasting accuracy and pipeline visibility.
Creates a culture of continuous improvement.

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Why It Matters

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Your RFP win rate isn’t just a number — it’s a reflection of your team’s overall sales effectiveness.

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By focusing on smarter qualification, stronger collaboration, and modern automation, organizations can turn proposal management from a manual process into a strategic growth driver.

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Continue reading: Sample RFP Response

Frequently Asked Questions: RFP Win Rate

What does RFP win rate measure?
RFP win rate measures how many of your submitted proposals result in a successful deal or contract. It reflects the overall effectiveness of your proposal process, from qualification to final submission.

How do you calculate RFP win rate?
Use this simple formula:
RFP Win Rate = (Number of Won RFPs ÷ Total RFPs Submitted) × 100
For example, if your team won 8 out of 20 RFPs, your win rate would be 40%.

What is considered a good RFP win rate?
Benchmarks vary by industry:

SaaS / Technology: 30–50%
Professional Services: 40–60%
Public Sector: 10–25%
Teams should focus on consistent improvement rather than absolute numbers, since factors like deal size and complexity also influence performance.

What factors most influence win rate?
Win rates are driven by opportunity qualification, proposal quality, client alignment, and internal collaboration. Teams that tailor responses, use automation tools, and analyze results regularly see the strongest gains.

How can automation improve RFP win rate?
Platforms like Iris Pro automate repetitive tasks—such as content retrieval, formatting, and version tracking—so teams can focus on crafting persuasive, client-focused proposals that increase close rates.

Why is tracking RFP win rate important?
Tracking win rate helps identify patterns in what works and what doesn’t. It allows sales and proposal teams to refine strategy, improve forecasting accuracy, and make data-driven decisions about where to focus resources.

Related Glossary Terms

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