Coffee Vending RFP Template for Bangalore Procurement Teams

Most vending RFPs are won on a number that turns out not to be comparable across bidders. If two quotes are built on different assumptions about cup volume, consumables and service scope, the cheaper one is not necessarily cheaper. The point of a structured RFP is to make the quotes actually comparable.

Scope section

• Number of machines and locations
• Expected daily cup volume
• Preferred coffee brand(s)
• Payment model preference (per cup / fixed monthly)
• AMC and service SLA expectation

Pricing asks

• Per-cup rate breakdown (machine, ingredients, service)
• Fixed monthly rate for the same volume
• Extra-usage surcharge (if volume exceeds commitment)
• Escalation clause (annual price hike cap)

Service asks

• Response SLA (hours, on-site)
• Spare parts coverage
• Backup machine within 24 hours for critical issues

Scoring (weighted)

• Price: 40%
• Service SLA: 30%
• Brand + taste: 20%
• Reference quality: 10%

Make the quotes comparable before you compare them

The most useful thing you can do is state the assumptions yourself rather than let each bidder choose their own. Give every bidder the same estimated cups per day, the same water source, the same number of locations and the same service expectation, and require the quote to be built on those. Otherwise you will spend the evaluation normalising figures that should have arrived normalised.

Ask for the total, not the headline

• Cost per cup with consumables included, stated on your volume assumption rather than theirs.
• Machine cost or rental, separated from consumables so you can see both.
• AMC scope and what falls outside it — the exclusions matter more than the inclusions.
• Response time in working hours, and what happens when it is missed.
• Whether the price is held for the contract term or reviewed, and on what basis.

The questions that separate bidders

Ask who physically performs the service — own technicians or a subcontractor — and how many machines that team supports in your area. Ask what happens when a part is not in stock locally. Ask for two reference sites of similar size in Bangalore. These reveal more about the experience you will have than any line in the pricing sheet, and they are the questions bidders least expect.