Dispute Management Software RFP: A Complete Template for Enterprise Finance Teams

Finance teams waste months evaluating dispute management software vendors without a structured framework. Incomplete RFPs lead to vendor responses that can’t be compared fairly. Critical requirements get overlooked. The vendor selection process drags on. And too often, the wrong software gets purchased.

A well-structured RFP template changes this. It saves time, ensures consistency across vendor responses, and dramatically improves your chances of finding the best dispute management solution for your organization. This complete guide walks through every component you need, from defining functional requirements to establishing scoring criteria that actually matter.

What Is a Dispute Management Software RFP?

A request for proposal (RFP) is a document that outlines your business requirements, technical specifications, and evaluation criteria for dispute management software. You send it to potential vendors to solicit detailed proposals that address your specific needs.

For finance teams managing customer deductions, chargebacks, and AR disputes, the RFP process serves several essential functions. It standardizes vendor responses so you can compare solutions on equal footing. It forces you to document requirements before you start shopping, which prevents scope creep and ensures alignment across stakeholders. It creates an audit trail for procurement compliance. And it signals to vendors that you’re serious about the evaluation, which typically results in more thoughtful, detailed information in their proposals.

The RFP sits in the middle of the procurement process, distinct from its cousins the RFI and RFQ. An RFI (Request for Information) comes earlier—you use it for market discovery when you’re still figuring out what’s even possible with dispute management software. An RFQ (Request for Quotation) comes later, after you’ve defined requirements and just need pricing details. The RFP is the comprehensive evaluation document where you’re asking vendors to propose complete solutions, including functionality, implementation approach, pricing, and support.

Free Dispute Management Software RFP Template

Use this template as the foundation for your automated dispute management software RFP. Customize sections based on your organization’s specific requirements, remove components that don’t apply, and add industry-specific needs where relevant.

Section 1: Cover Page & Instructions

Project Title: Dispute Management Software Selection – [Your Company Name]

RFP Issued: [Date]

Submission Deadline: [Date and Time]

Primary Contact: [Name, Title, Email, Phone]

Submission Instructions: All proposals must be submitted electronically in PDF format to [email address]. Late submissions will not be accepted. Vendors must use this RFP template structure in their responses to ensure fair comparison. Supplementary materials (case studies, product brochures) may be attached but should not replace direct responses to RFP questions.

Questions & Clarifications: All vendor questions must be submitted in writing to [email address] by [date]. Responses will be shared with all participating vendors to ensure equal footing. No verbal commitments or side agreements will be honored—all vendor commitments must appear in written proposals.

Section 2: Company & Project Overview

About Our Organization: [Brief description of your company, industry, size, business model. For example: “We are a $500M consumer goods manufacturer supplying major retail chains including Walmart, Target, and Kroger. We process 800-1,200 customer deductions monthly across 15 sales territories.”]

Current Challenge: [Describe what’s broken today. For example: “Our dispute resolution process is entirely manual. Analysts spend 35+ hours weekly downloading remittance data from retailer portals, researching validity in Excel spreadsheets, and uploading dispute responses individually. Average resolution time is 52 days, missing many retailer dispute windows. Recovery rate sits at 48%.”]

Business Goals: [Quantify what success looks like. For example: “Reduce average resolution time from 52 days to 15 days, improve recovery rate from 48% to 70%, eliminate 30+ hours of manual work weekly, gain visibility into root causes driving deductions.”]

Project Timeline: [Expected implementation start date, go-live target, key milestones]

Section 3: Functional Requirements

For each requirement below, vendors should respond with: Fully Supported (native functionality), Partially Supported (requires configuration), Custom Development Required, or Not Supported.

Dispute Capture & Data Aggregation

• Automatically capture disputes from customer emails
• Import EDI remittance files (specify EDI formats: 820, 823, etc.)
• Connect to retailer portals for automated dispute download (specify which: Walmart APDP, Amazon Vendor Central, etc.)
• Parse bank lockbox remittance data
• Support manual dispute entry with customizable forms
• Handle both trade deductions and non-trade deductions with distinct workflows
• Process disputes in multiple currencies

Classification & Routing

• Auto-classify disputes by type (pricing, quality, shipping, promotional, shortage)
• Assign reason codes based on configurable rules
• Route disputes to appropriate teams based on dispute type, amount, or customer
• Support multi-level approval workflows with configurable thresholds
• Escalate aged disputes automatically based on business rules
• Handle dispute reassignment when team members are unavailable

Document Management

• Centralized repository for all dispute-related documents
• Automatically attach supporting documentation (POD, BOL, contracts, promotional agreements)
• Connect to external document storage systems (specify: SharePoint, Box, Google Drive)
• Version control for documents updated during dispute lifecycle
• Search capabilities across document content, not just filenames

ERP Integration

• Native integration with [your ERP: NetSuite, SAP, Dynamics, Oracle]
• Pull invoice data, customer records, and transaction history
• Post credit memos or journal entries back to ERP
• Sync dispute status in real-time (not batch overnight updates)
• Handle multi-entity configurations across subsidiaries
• Support custom fields and data mappings

Communication & Collaboration

• Track all customer communication related to disputes (email, phone notes, portal messages)
• Send automated status updates to customers based on dispute progress
• Internal collaboration tools for cross-functional dispute resolution
• Audit trail showing all actions taken, by whom, and when
• Template library for common dispute responses

Reporting & Analytics

• Real-time dashboards showing open disputes by age, amount, and type
• Recovery rate tracking by customer, dispute type, and team
• Root cause analysis identifying why deductions occur
• SLA compliance reporting (disputes resolved within customer windows)
• Customizable reports exportable to Excel or PDF
• Scheduled report delivery to stakeholders

Volume & Scale Requirements

• Support [X] disputes processed monthly
• Accommodate [X] concurrent users
• Handle [X] customers generating disputes
• Store [X] years of historical dispute data

Section 4: Technical Requirements

Deployment & Infrastructure

• Cloud-based deployment (specify requirements: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
• Uptime SLA: [specify minimum: 99.5%, 99.9%]
• Data residency requirements: [specify geographic restrictions]
• Mobile access via responsive web design or native app

Security & Compliance

• SOC 2 Type II certification (provide most recent report)
• PCI DSS compliance if handling payment card data
• GDPR compliance for EU data processing
• Data encryption at rest and in transit (specify standards)
• Multi-factor authentication support
• Role-based access controls with granular permissions
• Single sign-on (SSO) integration with [your identity provider]

Integration & API

• RESTful API with comprehensive documentation
• Webhook support for real-time event notifications
• Pre-built connectors for [list specific systems]
• Data import/export capabilities (CSV, Excel, XML)
• Rate limits and API usage monitoring

Performance & Reliability

• Page load times under 3 seconds for standard operations
• Search results returned in under 2 seconds
• Support for [X] concurrent users without performance degradation
• Disaster recovery plan with [specify RPO/RTO requirements]
• Scheduled maintenance windows and notification procedures

Section 5: Implementation & Support

Implementation Approach

• Describe your standard implementation methodology
• Typical timeline for organizations our size
• Resource requirements from our team (hours per week, specific roles)
• Data migration approach for historical disputes
• Testing and UAT support provided
• Go-live support and stabilization period

Training & Change Management

• Training programs offered (live, recorded, documentation)
• Role-based training for different user types
• Train-the-trainer options for our internal team
• Change management resources and best practices
• User adoption measurement and support

Ongoing Support

• Support hours and channels (phone, email, chat, portal)
• Response time SLAs by severity level
• Dedicated account manager or shared support queue
• Software update frequency and communication
• User community or knowledge base access
• Professional services available for customization or optimization

Section 6: Pricing & Costs

Provide detailed pricing for a three-year period including:

Subscription Fees

• Per user, per month pricing (or alternative pricing model)
• Tiered pricing if applicable based on volume or features
• Annual vs. monthly payment options and discounts

Implementation Costs

• Setup and configuration fees
• Data migration costs
• Integration development (if not included in base price)
• Training costs (per user or per session)

Ongoing Costs

• Annual support and maintenance fees
• Software updates and upgrades
• Additional storage beyond base allocation
• Professional services hourly rates

Total Cost of Ownership

• Year 1 total (including implementation)
• Year 2 total
• Year 3 total
• Assumptions underlying your pricing (number of users, dispute volume, etc.)

Section 7: Vendor Information

Company Background

• Years in business
• Total number of customers
• Number of customers in our industry
• Annual revenue (if publicly available)
• Ownership structure (privately held, VC-backed, public, subsidiary)
• Geographic presence and office locations

Product Roadmap

• Major features planned for next 12 months
• How customer feedback influences development priorities
• Frequency of product releases

Customer References

• Provide three customer references in similar industries with comparable dispute volumes
• Include company name, contact person, title, email, and phone
• Brief description of how they use your solution and results achieved

Case Studies

• Attach 2-3 case studies demonstrating measurable results from dispute management software implementation
• Prioritize examples showing resolution time reduction, recovery rate improvement, or cost savings

Section 8: Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated using the following weighted scoring system:

• Functional Fit (40%): Does the solution meet our must-have requirements? How well does it address our specific dispute management workflows?
• Technical Capabilities (20%): Integration with our ERP, security and compliance certifications, performance and scalability, API capabilities
• Implementation Approach (15%): Realistic timeline, resource requirements, data migration plan, training and change management support
• Pricing (15%): Total cost of ownership over three years, transparency of pricing model, payment terms
• Vendor Stability (10%): Financial health, customer references, product roadmap, longevity in dispute management space

Each criterion will be scored on a 1-5 scale where 1 = Does not meet requirements, 3 = Meets requirements, 5 = Exceeds requirements significantly.

Kolleno: Dispute Management Built for Complex AR Operations

If you’re evaluating dispute management software, Kolleno offers enterprise-grade dispute management capabilities designed specifically for finance teams managing high volumes of customer deductions and chargebacks.

The platform transforms dispute resolution with a self-serve customer portal where clients can log and track disputes directly, accessing outstanding invoices anytime. AI-powered prioritization automatically ranks disputes by urgency, helping your team focus on critical cases first and dramatically improve resolution time.

Kolleno’s AI categorizes disputes by reason code and validates claims faster, giving you instant visibility into chargebacks and deductions as they occur. Comprehensive analytics reveal patterns across dispute types, helping you identify root causes and implement preventive measures that reduce future deductions.

What’s more, the platform integrates seamlessly with major ERP systems including NetSuite, SAP, and Microsoft Dynamics, keeping dispute data synchronized across your finance tech stack.

Final Thoughts

A structured RFP process is your best defense against selecting the wrong dispute management software. It forces you to document requirements before shopping, ensures vendor responses can be compared fairly, and creates accountability for the selection decision.

Most organizations spend three to six months evaluating software. Investing two to four weeks upfront to build a comprehensive RFP template saves time in the long run and dramatically improves your chances of finding the right solution for your business needs.

Start with the free RFP template provided here. Customize it for your organization—remove sections that don’t apply, add industry-specific requirements, adjust evaluation criteria based on what matters most to your finance team. Involve key stakeholders early in the process so requirements reflect real operational needs, not just what sounds good in a document.Ready to start considering dispute management software providers? Book a demo to see how Kolleno works.