Responding to a Buyer’s RFP or RFI

Log in to SAP Ariba Sourcing

Once you’re a registered supplier on Ariba Network, you’ll have access to online tools that make responding to a customer’s request for information or proposal easy and efficient. It’s all done through SAP Ariba Sourcing.

SAP Ariba Sourcing helps buyers create and run different events for exchanging business information with companies like yours. Here’s a quick look at these events:


Request for Information (RFI)

An RFI usually precedes a request for proposal (RFP) or an auction. Buyers use RFIs to gather noncompetitive data or comments from suppliers so they can qualify participants for a follow-up event.

RFIs are not competitive. You don’t typically need to provide pricing information at this stage. You also might have several days or weeks to respond. The SAP Ariba Sourcing tool features a countdown clock that lets you track how much time you have left to respond to an RFI.


Request for Proposal (RFP)

The RFP is generally regarded as the second step of a longer sourcing process. Buyers explain their business needs and ask how you can address them. They’ll want details about:

  • The goods and services you offer

  • Your production capacity

  • Your prices

Buyers can use this information to set up an auction, determine which lots to invite you to, and intelligently set up your ceiling prices.

An RFP is not directly competitive so you might have several days or weeks to respond.


New to SAP Ariba Sourcing? Visit the Learning Center

The Learning Center in the Ariba Exchange User Community offers helpful, step-by-step guidance on how to respond to RFIs and RFP through SAP Ariba Sourcing. Follow these steps to access this resource:

  1. Log in to SAP Ariba Sourcing.

  2. Click on Help in the upper-right corner of your screen, then Help Center.

  3. A window will open. (Be sure to allow pop-ups.)

  4. Click on Learning Center at the top of the sidebar, on the right side of the window.

Once you’re in the Learning Center, you can:

  • Download documentation. That includes a printable version of our guide, Participating in Sourcing Events. Click on For Users under Product Documentation and select it from the list.

  • Watch a tutorial. Select a topic from the menu on the right side of your screen.

The Learning Center also provides guidance on how to participate in auctions.


Need a quick refresher?

If you’ve used SAP Ariba to respond to RFIs and RFPs before, but want to review the process, simply:

  1. Log in to SAP Ariba Sourcing.

  2. Click on Proposals in the upper-left corner of your screen.

Then, you can access your SAP Ariba Sourcing buyers and their requests for quotations, participate in online sourcing events, and submit your sales proposals.