In-Store Media RFP Template

How to Use This Template

Send sections 1-8 to all vendors on your shortlist. Request responses in a standardized format so you can compare answers side by side. Weight sections based on your priorities — a franchise focused on music might weight Section 2 heavily, while a retailer building an RMN would prioritize Section 6.

Section 1: Company Overview

Please provide company name, headquarters, and year founded. Number of active client locations. Retail verticals served (grocery, convenience, QSR, hospitality, etc.). Parent company or ownership structure. Key leadership team members and relevant experience.

Section 2: Service Capabilities

Which of the following services do you offer? Background music and playlist management, overhead messaging and announcements, digital signage content management, interactive kiosk support, scent marketing, in-store audio advertising, retail media network enablement. For each service offered, provide a brief description of capabilities and any notable differentiators.

Section 3: Technology Platform

Describe your technology platform architecture (cloud, on-premise, hybrid). What devices and hardware do you support? Describe your content management interface and user experience. What APIs do you offer for integration with external systems? Describe your mobile management capabilities. What AI or automation features does your platform include?

Section 4: Multi-Location Management

Describe your multi-location management capabilities. How do you support role-based access control? Describe your franchise governance features (if applicable). How many locations can your platform manage from a single interface? Describe your content approval workflow capabilities. How do you handle location grouping and hierarchy management?

Section 5: Integration

Which POS systems do you integrate with natively? Which loyalty and CDP platforms do you integrate with? Describe your CRM integration capabilities. Do you support SSO and directory service integration (SAML, Okta, Active Directory)? Describe your approach to custom integrations.

Section 6: Retail Media / Monetization (if applicable)

Describe your retail media network capabilities. Which SSPs and DSPs do you integrate with? What targeting capabilities do you support for in-store advertising? Describe your attribution and measurement capabilities. What proof-of-play reporting do you provide?

Section 7: Pricing and Contract Terms

Provide per-location monthly pricing for each service tier. Describe hardware costs (included, leased, or purchased separately). What implementation and setup fees apply? What is your standard contract length? Describe your cancellation and early termination terms. Are there annual price escalation clauses?

Section 8: Support and SLA

Describe your support model (hours, channels, response times). What SLA commitments do you offer? Describe your implementation and onboarding process. What training resources do you provide? Describe your escalation procedures for critical issues. Provide 3 customer references at similar scale and in a similar vertical.

Section 9: Reliability and Security

What is your platform uptime track record for the past 12 months? Describe your offline resilience and local content caching capabilities. What security certifications do you hold (SOC 2, etc.)? Describe your data privacy practices and compliance posture. Describe your disaster recovery and business continuity capabilities.

Evaluation Tips

Require all vendors to answer every section — incomplete responses signal lack of seriousness. Compare answers in a side-by-side matrix weighted by your priorities. Follow up with in-person demos focused on the areas most critical to your deployment. Request reference calls with customers at similar scale and in similar verticals. Pilot your top 1-2 choices before final selection.