Free LMS RFP template to simplify your learning platform search in 2025
Choosing the right Learning Management System (LMS) is hard, especially when you’re supporting frontline teams who don’t sit at desks and can’t afford clunky, outdated systems. With a crowded learning tech landscape and a never-ending list of features promising better results, it’s easy to get overwhelmed or distracted by what looks good on paper.
The LMS is the most-purchased learning tech, accounting for the largest share of learning budgets. Yet 45% of companies say their current ecosystem is inadequate, and more than half are looking to switch for better data, usability and support.
That’s why choosing the right partner—not just a platform—is so important. The best LMS providers don’t just check boxes on a feature list. They work with you to support your learners, evolve your strategy and drive long-term success.
To help you get there, we’ve created a free, customizable LMS RFP template. It’s designed to help you compare vendors, ask smarter questions and find a solution built for your frontline reality.
What is an LMS RFP?
An LMS RFP (Learning Management System Request for Proposal) is a document used to communicate an organization’s specific requirements to potential LMS partners and request formal, competitive bids. It outlines key details like your training goals, technical needs, must-have features and business context to help vendors understand exactly what you’re looking for.
RFPs often follow RFIs (Request for Information), an exploratory tool used earlier in the process to explore what’s available in the market. An RFI helps you gather high-level insights into vendor capabilities. In contrast, an RFP is a detailed, prescriptive document that defines your expectations—used to assess how well a vendor can meet your specific needs.
Why do you need an LMS RFP template?
An LMS RFP template brings structure to a complex decision. It helps align internal teams, streamlines vendor evaluation and reduces the risk of investing in a solution that doesn’t deliver, especially for the frontline, where simplicity, speed and relevance matter most.
Here are the key benefits of using a well-designed RFP template:
It helps you define your LMS needs
A good RFP process forces you to get specific. Before you start talking to vendors, it encourages internal alignment around your strategic goals, audience needs and must-have features.
Once you begin receiving bids, the RFP gives vendors a chance to tailor their responses—so you’re not getting a one-size-fits-all pitch. It also gives you a framework to evaluate how well each option maps to your business priorities.
Once you begin receiving bids, the RFP gives vendors a chance to tailor their responses and propose solutions that genuinely fit your organization’s unique challenges and priorities, rather than a one-size-fits-all pitch. It also gives you a framework to evaluate how well each option maps to your business priorities.
It helps you compare vendors efficiently
A standardized set of questions creates a level playing field. When vendors respond to the same criteria, it’s easier to compare their features, support models, pricing and implementation timelines. It also reduces ambiguity, so you’re not just seeing what each vendor wants to highlight, but getting a consistent view of what matters to you.
It’s especially critical for frontline-focused organizations
Frontline teams need flexible, fast, in-the-flow learning.. When evaluating vendors, look beyond surface-level features.Look at how key capabilities like mobile access, microlearning, offline use and shift compatibility work together and whether they actually fit into the day-to-day reality of your workforce.
Frontline teams need flexible, fast, in-the-flow learning. When reviewing vendor responses, go beyond surface-level features. Look at how capabilities like mobile access, microlearning, offline use and shift compatibility work together—and whether they actually fit into the day-to-day reality of your workforce.
Key sections to include in your LMS RFP
A strong RFP doesn’t just list features, it tells a story about your organization’s goals, constraints and frontline realities. Vendors need enough context to tailor their proposals to your environment, not just submit a generic response.
Here’s what to include so you can identify real alignment and weed out superficial fits early.
Company and project overview
In this section, offer basic info like your organization’s name and location, as well as a general sense of how your business functions, including the total number of employees and an overview of your organizational structure. Make sure you specify your industry (e.g., manufacturing, retail, hospitality) and your role within it (e.g., market leader, growing startup). Give a brief overview of your organization’s core values.
This information helps vendors understand your organizational culture and business context—as well as any industry-specific compliance or training needs—and consider how learning and development fits into the bigger picture.
Training delivery for frontline environments
In order to see if a proposed learning solution can genuinely meet the needs of your frontline workforce, make sure to ask about critical, experience-defining capabilities. Go beyond a simple “yes” or “no” and ask vendors to describe their key capabilities—things like mobile-first design, offline access and shift-based learning.
It’s always a good idea to ask about a vendor’s agility and accessibility. When you inquire about device flexibility, language options and the average amount of time it takes for system updates and content revisions, it can tell you a lot about whether or not a solution will actually be able to meet your business needs.
Learning objectives and KPIs
Include targeted questions about how potential learning platforms can support the creation, tracking and achievement of specific learning objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) for both employees and admins. This ensures the LMS isn’t just a content repository, but works as a strategic tool—one that drives measurable business outcomes.
Functional and technical requirements
A thorough assessment of functional and technical requirements will determine if a learning platform can support your organization’s needs, especially at the frontline. Establish the non-negotiable requirements first, which could include elements like security and compliance, reporting capabilities, content compatibility and external integrations.
Don’t forget to flag important integrations that your frontline teams rely on, such as scheduling tools or communication platforms.
Support, onboarding and vendor experience
To ensure a vendor is the right candidate for your organization, you need to look beyond the product itself. Ask potential vendors to explain their process for onboarding, and have them explain their approach to ongoing customer support—including who you can expect to help you and how quickly you can expect a response. Request customer stories, especially from companies that operate in frontline industries, and evaluate the strategies and solutions they’ve implemented to solve challenges similar to those that your RFP outlines.
▶️ Also read: LMS evaluation guide: How to choose a Learning Management System
10 must-ask questions in your LMS RFP
A well-structured RFP helps you uncover whether a vendor truly understands the complexity of your business and the realities of your frontline workforce. The right questions push vendors beyond yes/no answers, giving you insight into how they think, how they work, and whether they’re ready to partner with you for the long haul.
Below are 10 essential questions that reflect both general LMS best practices and the specific needs of frontline organizations. These prompts are designed to help you uncover usability, agility and alignment so you don’t get stuck with a solution that looks good on paper but fails in practice.
- How does your LMS support mobile learning for shared and personal devices?
Look for support across a range of devices—especially in frontline environments with limited or no desktop access. - What does the offline learning experience look like for users in low- or no-connectivity environments?
Learners should be able to access, complete and sync training without requiring constant connectivity. - How do you support short, in-the-flow-of-work learning experiences?
The platform should be optimized for microlearning and fit naturally into daily workflows. - How can frontline managers track learner completions and performance in real time?
Managers need user-friendly tools to monitor progress, identify trends and act quickly—ideally on mobile. - Is your platform mobile-responsive, or do you offer a dedicated app built for frontline use?
A mobile-first experience should be more than a resized desktop version. Purpose-built apps make a big difference. - How flexible is your learning path functionality for different roles, regions or locations?
Admins should be able to easily tailor content and structure to fit specific audiences without complex workarounds. - What documentation can you share regarding your security protocols, compliance standards and data privacy policies?
You’ll need proof that the vendor can meet your industry’s compliance requirements and protect employee data. - Can you describe your experience supporting organizations with large, distributed frontline teams?
Ask for relevant examples and customer stories to confirm they understand your environment. - How does your system manage notifications and reminders for shift-based workforces?
Look for smart scheduling features that avoid sending messages during off-hours or irrelevant shifts. - What is your average turnaround time for implementing system updates or content revisions?
Fast, efficient updates are essential to maintaining accuracy and momentum in your training program.
▶️ Read: Top 10 enterprise LMS solutions to scale learning (+ Buyer’s checklist)
LMS RFP tips for different industries and team structures
Not every LMS buyer has the same needs, especially when comparing a desk-based corporate team to a globally distributed frontline workforce. Here’s how to adapt your RFP based on your team’s structure and industry—ensuring the questions you ask reflect the reality of how your people learn and work every day.
Retail, manufacturing and other frontline-heavy organizations
Frontline teams need flexible training that fits into daily workflows: Be sure to emphasize the importance of mobile-first learning and short, impactful modules that don’t interrupt productivity.
Ask for examples of success in similar environments: Don’t take it for granted that any LMS vendor has the agility or experience to address the unique needs of a frontline workforce.
Consider how learning connects with tasks, communication and scheduling: Are there ways to ensure that the tools your teams already rely on can seamlessly integrate with new solutions?
Corporate or hybrid teams
Workers in this context often have more access to desktop devices and more time for formal learning: How does a solution make the most of these differences, and cater the learning experience to every worker’s needs and resources?
Administrators of all kinds may need advanced integrations and credentialing: What reporting capabilities and external integrations are already in place to make this possible?
▶️ When you’re ready: How to successfully implement an LMS in your organization
Why your LMS RFP should reflect the realities of frontline work
A generic RFP can’t capture the unique challenges and needs of frontline organizations when it comes to choosing a Learning Management System—and choosing the wrong LMS results wasted time and poor performance outcomes for everyone in your organization.
Frontline teams need tools that set them up for success—and a tailored RFP sets you up for success from the start when it comes to choosing the right LMS for your workforce.
Build a strong LMS RFP with Axonify’s free and customizable template
Designed for frontline organizations, this customizable template gives you a clear, guided structure to create an RFP that reflects your real-world business needs and learning goals. It simplifies vendor evaluations—and helps you choose a solution that will actually work on the frontline.
Download your LMS RFP Template
A smarter RFP leads to smarter LMS decisions
Choosing the right LMS is about asking the right questions—questions that reflect the reality of your frontline teams and business needs.
A generic RFP can’t help you discover the solution that your workforce needs to learn the flow of work and succeed during every shift. When you challenge potential vendors to think critically and rely on industry expertise to effectively respond, you can transform the search from a simple product comparison into a strategic evaluation—one that has better outcomes for both your business and every member of your frontline team.
Need help aligning your RFP with your frontline learning strategy?