Free Excel template
MES RFP template and vendor scorecard
Updated 30 October 2026. Written by the Ajinkya Technologies engineering team from MES projects in steel, metals, automotive and process plants.
What a good MES RFP does
A good request for proposal for a manufacturing execution system describes the decisions the system must support, the machines and systems it must connect, and how answers will be scored, before any vendor replies. This template gives you 53 requirements in 12 areas with must, should and could priorities, a weighted vendor scorecard, a five year cost of ownership sheet and an illustrative pilot timeline.
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The 12 requirement areas
| Area | What the template asks |
|---|---|
| Production orders and dispatch | Orders, BOMs and routings from ERP; release and sequencing; electronic work instructions; partial confirmations and rework; changeovers. |
| Machine connectivity | OPC UA, Modbus TCP and MQTT; retrofit sensors for closed controllers; edge buffering during outages; adding machines without vendor services. |
| OEE and downtime | Live OEE per machine, line and shift; operator stop reasons; automatic short stop detection; andon escalation; shift handover. |
| Quality | Inspection plans and sampling; SPC with rule alerts; quality holds that block shipping; non conformance and CAPA; gauges and vision systems. |
| Traceability and genealogy | Lots consumed per order; forward and backward genealogy in minutes; GS1 labels and DataMatrix; serialisation and SSCC aggregation; RFID; EPCIS export. |
| Labour | Badge, biometric or face login; skills checked before a job starts; hours booked per order and cost centre. |
| Maintenance | Preventive schedules by time, count or condition; work orders from alarms; spare parts per work order; MTBF and MTTR. |
| ERP and system integration | SAP S/4HANA or ECC orders, confirmations, goods movements and quality; REST APIs for other ERPs; WMS, QMS, PLM and CMMS; interface monitoring and replay. |
| Reporting and analytics | Dashboards by role; raw data export to BI or a data lake; plant comparisons with common definitions. |
| Security and IT | Role based access and single sign on; audit trail; segmentation aligned with ISA/IEC 62443; tested backup and recovery; hosting options. |
| Deployment and support | Phased plan with acceptance criteria; pilot before roll out; training by role; support hours that match your shifts; references. |
| Commercials | Clear pricing for licences, implementation and support; source code or escrow for custom work; exit plan with open data export. |
Each requirement is scored automatically: must counts 3, should 2 and could 1; a full answer earns the whole weight, partial half, roadmap a quarter. Any vendor missing a must is flagged.
Suggested scorecard weights
- Functional fit (from the requirements sheet)30%
- Machine connectivity and integration15%
- Implementation approach and team15%
- Five year cost of ownership15%
- References in a similar industry10%
- Support model and response times10%
- Ownership, exit and data access5%
Agree weights before proposals arrive so the scoring is not shaped by the answers.
Five mistakes we see in MES RFPs
Copying a feature list instead of describing decisions
Vendors answer "yes" to features. Ask how the system supports a specific decision, such as releasing the next order when a machine is down, and ask for a demonstration with your data.
Leaving machine connectivity vague
Name your controllers and their ages. Connecting older machines is where many projects slip, so ask which drivers are proven and how retrofits are handled.
Treating ERP integration as a line item
Ask for a working interface to your ERP version in another plant, the message types covered, and how failed messages are monitored and replayed.
Comparing licence prices only
Compare five year cost of ownership: implementation, integration, hardware, hosting, support and the internal time your team will spend.
Skipping the pilot
A pilot on one line with agreed success measures exposes gaps before the full commitment and gives operators a say early.
Questions
What should an MES RFP include?
Your goals and success measures, the plant and process context, the machines and systems to connect, prioritised functional requirements, integration and IT requirements, the implementation approach you expect, support needs, commercial terms, and how you will score answers.
How many vendors should receive an MES RFP?
Usually three to five after a short screening call. More than that adds evaluation effort without improving the decision.
How should MES vendors be scored?
Use a weighted scorecard agreed before proposals arrive. The template weights functional fit at 30%, connectivity and integration, implementation approach and cost of ownership at 15% each, references and support at 10% each, and ownership and exit terms at 5%. Adjust the weights to your priorities.
What do Indian manufacturers find hardest about MES?
In a Rockwell Automation survey published in July 2026, Indian respondents cited total cost of ownership (56%), integration with ERP and other systems (49%), lack of internal expertise (47%) and cybersecurity or compliance concerns (45%). 51% said the ability to start small and expand matters.
Should we ask for fixed price or time and materials?
Fixed price works when scope is clear after discovery; time and materials suits open discovery. Many buyers fix the price of a pilot and agree rates for the roll out once the pilot defines the scope.
Can we use the template for a custom MES build as well as a platform?
Yes. Keep the same requirements and scoring, and add questions on code ownership, documentation and long term support for custom work.
Survey source: CXOToday report on Rockwell Automation, Scaling MES Across the Enterprise, 21 July 2026.
Before you send it
Read what an MES does, how long implementation takes, what it costs in India and custom versus licensed MES. Or see an MES react to a breakdown in the 3D line demo.
Ask an engineer to review your RFP