How to Write an Effective Executive Protection RFP

The procurement process for executive protection services is fundamentally broken at most organizations. RFPs are typically written by procurement departments that evaluate EP providers using the same criteria they'd use for janitorial services — hourly rates, headcount, and insurance certificates. The result is a process that selects for the cheapest bid rather than the most capable partner. This guide provides a framework for writing an RFP that actually surfaces quality.

Why Most EP RFPs Fail

The fundamental problem is that most RFPs treat executive protection as a commodity — interchangeable guard hours to be purchased at the lowest rate. In reality, the difference between a premium EP provider and a commodity guard service can be the difference between an incident prevented and an incident survived. Or not survived.

When an RFP focuses exclusively on bill rates, it incentivizes providers to cut corners on the things that matter most: agent quality, intelligence capabilities, training frequency, and advance work. The company that wins on price is often the company that spends the least on these critical investments.

Essential RFP Evaluation Criteria

• •Agent Qualifications: Minimum training hours, certifications (PPS, CPP, PSP), law enforcement or military background requirements, and ongoing training cadence. Don't just ask — require documentation.
• •Intelligence Capability: Does the firm conduct its own threat assessments, or does it outsource? What OSINT tools and methodologies are employed? How is intelligence integrated into daily operations?
• •Advance Work Methodology: Request a sample advance report for a comparable engagement. The quality of advance work is the single best predictor of overall service quality.
• •Incident History: Ask for a sanitized summary of incidents managed in the last 24 months. How they describe and categorize incidents reveals their operational maturity.
• •Scalability: Can the provider surge from a 2-agent detail to a 12-agent detail within 24 hours? What's their bench depth in your operating region?
• •Technology Stack: What tools are used for route planning, real-time communication, check-in protocols, and after-action reporting? Manual processes are red flags.
• •Client References: Require references from clients of similar profile and risk level. A firm that protects retail stores cannot credibly claim to protect C-suite executives.

Red Flags in EP Proposals

• •Bill rates significantly below market ($35-45/hr for armed EP is a warning sign)
• •No mention of advance work or pre-engagement threat assessment
• •Generic proposals that aren't tailored to your specific risk profile
• •Unwillingness to provide agent resumes or qualification documentation
• •No clear escalation protocol or 24/7 operations center
• •Emphasis on headcount over capability — more guards does not mean more security

The Scoring Framework

We recommend a weighted scoring model: Agent Quality (30%), Intelligence & Advance Work (25%), Operational Methodology (20%), Technology & Reporting (15%), Price (10%). Note that price is last. The cheapest EP provider is almost never the best, and the consequences of choosing wrong are measured in human safety, not budget overruns.

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