Travel agency RFP: how to run one for corporate travel

Switching corporate travel agencies, or hiring the first one, is a decision that affects travelers’ daily routine, the finance team’s control and the company’s budget for years. Even so, many companies choose based on a single fare quote or a polished sales presentation. An RFP (Request for Proposal) brings order to that choice: every agency answers the same questions, based on the same data, and the comparison becomes fair.

At ArrowTur, which has managed corporate travel in Brazil since 1989, we answer many RFPs and see first-hand what makes a process efficient and what only creates work for both sides. In this guide, we show how to build a travel agency RFP that produces comparable answers and helps the company decide with confidence.

When an RFP is worth it

An RFP makes sense when the company already has a significant volume of travel, when the current contract is about to end, or when there is dissatisfaction with service, reporting or costs. It is also useful when the company is introducing a travel policy and a booking tool for the first time and wants to understand what the market offers.

For companies that travel little, a simpler process, with two or three agencies and a structured conversation, usually does the job. What matters is not to compare only the price of a ticket: the value of a corporate agency lies in the combination of service, technology, control and negotiation.

Gather the data before you write

An RFP without data leads to generic proposals. Before sending it, collect the information from the last 12 months:

• Volume: number of air tickets, hotel nights, car rentals and international trips.
• Total spend by type of service, even if approximate.
• Main routes and hotel cities, which show where the agency can negotiate.
• Number of travelers and cost centers, and how many people approve trips.
• How things work today: who books, whether there is a travel policy, whether there is an online booking tool and how payment is made.

If the company does not have these numbers organized, the current agency can usually provide them in a report. This exercise is a good diagnosis in itself.

What to ask in the RFP

Group the questions into sections. This makes them easier to answer and, later, to compare.

Service

• How the team dedicated to the account is set up and who the main contact is.
• Service hours and how emergency support works outside business hours.
• Average response time to a booking request.

Technology

• Which online booking (self-booking) tool the agency offers and how it applies the travel policy.
• How the approval workflow works and whether it can be adapted to the company’s structure.
• Which reports the company receives, how often, and whether there is a KPI dashboard.

Finance

• The agency’s fee model (transaction fee, monthly management fee or other), with all amounts.
• Payment methods, consolidated invoicing and payment terms.
• How unused ticket credits, refunds and penalties are handled.

Negotiation and security

• Access to corporate fares and ability to negotiate with hotels in the most-used cities.
• How the agency locates and supports travelers in crisis situations (duty of care).
• How it handles travelers’ personal data in line with the LGPD, Brazil’s General Data Protection Law.

Set criteria and weights before receiving proposals

A common mistake is deciding what matters after reading the answers, which favors the most attractive presentation. Agree beforehand, among procurement, finance and travelers, on the criteria and the weight of each one. An example scorecard:

• Service and team
• Technology and reporting
• Total cost (agency fees and expected savings on fares)
• Invoicing terms
• Experience and references in the company’s industry

The weights vary: a company with many field travelers may value emergency support more; another, focused on cost control, may value reporting more. The key is to record the rule in advance and apply it equally to everyone.

Timeline and stages

A clear schedule prevents rushed proposals. A sequence that usually works:

1. Send the RFP with the data and the response deadline, usually two to three weeks.
2. A period for agencies’ questions, with answers sent to all of them at the same time.
3. Receive and score the proposals against the criteria.
4. Finalist presentations, with a demo of the booking tool and reports.
5. Calls with reference clients suggested by the finalists.
6. Final negotiation, contract and an implementation plan with dates.

Mistakes that undermine the choice

• Comparing only the fee: a lower fee may come with less service or worse fares.
• Asking for a quote on a specific flight as a test: prices change by the minute and say little about day-to-day service.
• Forgetting implementation: ask how the transition, traveler profile setup and training will work.
• Not listening to travelers: frequent travelers know what works and what fails in the current service.

Travel agency RFP with ArrowTur

We answer RFPs with transparency about our fee model, service hours and invoicing terms, and we show in practice the booking tool, the approval workflow and the reports the company will receive. If your company is still setting up the process, we can help organize your travel data and understand what makes sense to ask for. Our team is available Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Brasília time), with emergency support outside those hours.

Learn more about our corporate travel management, talk to our sales team on WhatsApp or by phone at +55 11 5189-4120, or visit our Contact us page.

Read also: Corporate travel agency: what it does and how to choose one.

Frequently asked questions

How many agencies should be invited to the RFP?

For most companies, three to five agencies are enough. More than that increases the analysis work without improving the decision much.

How long does an RFP process take?

From sending the RFP to signing the contract, it usually takes one to three months, depending on travel volume and the number of departments involved in the decision.

Does the company need a travel policy before the RFP?

It is not mandatory. Many companies use the process to understand how the agency can help create the policy. But sharing the rules that already exist helps agencies make more accurate proposals.