What should HR include in a request for proposal for destination services?

Remco · 26 Sep 2026

Writing a strong request for proposal for destination services is one of the most valuable things an HR or global mobility team can do before selecting a relocation partner. Yet many organizations treat the RFP as a formality rather than a strategic tool, and the result is often a provider relationship that looks good on paper but struggles in practice. This guide walks you through everything your destination services RFP should include, from defining the scope to evaluating responses, so you can make a well-informed decision that genuinely supports your relocating employees.

Whether you are managing a handful of international assignments each year or running a large-scale corporate mobility programme, the principles here apply equally. A well-constructed global mobility RFP protects both your organization and your employees by setting clear expectations from the very start.

What are destination services and what do they cover?

Destination services are the practical, on-the-ground support services provided to employees and their families when they arrive in a new location. They are distinct from immigration or visa assistance, though they often run alongside those processes. The goal is to help assignees settle into their new environment quickly, reducing the stress and lost productivity that come with an unfamiliar city, housing market, or school system.

A comprehensive destination services package typically includes a range of support categories:

Area orientation: Guided tours of neighbourhoods, local amenities, transport links, and community resources
Home search assistance: Support finding suitable rental or purchase properties, attending viewings, and negotiating lease terms
School search: Identifying and visiting schools that match the employee’s children’s needs, whether international, bilingual, or local
Settling-in support: Help with utility registrations, bank account opening, local authority registrations, and other administrative tasks
Cultural integration: Briefings, language training coordination, and community introductions to support long-term adjustment

For example, an international hire relocating to Germany with a family would need not just a place to live, but help navigating the local school system, understanding the rental market conventions, and knowing where to register with the local authorities. Destination services cover all of that. Understanding this breadth is the foundation for writing an effective RFP for destination services.

Why the RFP scope directly shapes service quality

The scope you define in your RFP is not just an administrative detail. It is the blueprint that providers use to design their service delivery model, price their offering, and staff their teams. A vague or incomplete scope leads to vague proposals, making it almost impossible to compare providers fairly or hold them accountable later.

Think of the RFP scope as a contract in embryo. If you ask for “home search support” without specifying how many property viewings are included, what happens when an employee needs more time, or whether a dedicated consultant is assigned, each provider will interpret this differently. You will receive proposals that appear comparable but are fundamentally different in what they deliver.

Building on this, a precise scope also protects the employee experience. When employees relocating internationally know exactly what support they will receive, they can plan their transition with confidence. Ambiguity in the RFP translates directly into ambiguity in service delivery, and that ambiguity is felt most acutely by the people actually moving.

Core sections every destination services RFP must include

A well-structured destination services RFP template covers several essential areas. Each section serves a distinct purpose, and omitting any one of them creates gaps that become problems after the contract is signed.

Company and programme overview

Begin by giving providers the context they need to understand your organization. Include your industry, the size and nature of your mobility programme, your key destination countries, and the typical profile of your relocating employees. A provider serving a technology company with mostly single professionals will approach things differently than one serving a manufacturing firm with families relocating to multiple countries.

Scope of services required

List every service category you need, broken down by activity. Do not use umbrella terms alone. Instead of writing “settling-in support,” specify whether this includes registration with local authorities, utility setup, bank account assistance, and how many days of consultant time are allocated per assignee.

Volume and destination data

Providers need to know how many assignments you run annually, which destinations are involved, and how volumes are distributed. This information directly affects their resourcing and pricing. Include historical data where possible, and flag any planned growth or new destination markets for the coming year.

Technology and reporting requirements

Specify what you expect in terms of case management systems, reporting dashboards, data security standards, and integration with your own HR platforms. HR and global mobility professionals increasingly require real-time visibility into assignment status, and this should be clearly articulated in the RFP.

Service level expectations

Define your expectations for response times, consultant availability, escalation procedures, and satisfaction measurement. For example, you might require that an assignee receives their first contact within 24 hours of referral, or that quarterly satisfaction surveys are conducted and shared with your team.

Pricing and commercial structure

Ask providers to present their pricing in a standardized format so you can compare like with like. This might include per-service pricing, bundled package options, and any additional costs for extended support or out-of-scope requests.

How to define service tiers and assignee eligibility criteria

Not every employee who relocates needs the same level of support. Defining service tiers in your HR relocation RFP is one of the most practical ways to manage costs while ensuring that each assignee receives appropriate care.

A tiered model typically works as follows. A senior executive relocating internationally with a family might receive a full destination services package including extended home search, school search for multiple children, and several weeks of settling-in support. A junior employee on a short-term assignment might receive an area orientation and a single day of settling-in assistance. The key is to define these tiers clearly and to specify which employee populations fall into each category.

When building your eligibility criteria, consider factors such as:

Assignment type (permanent transfer, short-term assignment, commuter, international hire)
Family status and number of dependants
Seniority level or grade band
Destination country and complexity of the local market
Whether the employee has relocated before

Be explicit in the RFP about how tier assignment works and whether exceptions can be requested. Providers need this information to propose realistic service models, and your employees benefit from knowing what to expect before they even begin the relocation management process.

Key evaluation criteria for comparing provider responses

Once proposals arrive, you need a consistent framework to evaluate them. Without defined criteria, it is easy to be swayed by a polished presentation rather than genuine service capability. A structured evaluation approach ensures that your decision reflects what actually matters to your programme and your employees.

Consider weighting your evaluation across the following dimensions:

Service coverage and depth: Does the provider offer all the services you need in all your destination markets? Do they have local consultants on the ground, or do they rely on subcontractors?
Consultant experience and continuity: Will assignees work with a dedicated consultant throughout their relocation, or be passed between team members? What is the average consultant tenure?
Technology and transparency: Is there a client-facing platform? Can you access real-time data on active cases? How are issues escalated and tracked?
References and track record: Can the provider demonstrate experience with programmes similar in size and complexity to yours? Are references available from clients in your key industries or destinations?
Cultural and service alignment: Does the provider’s approach to employee experience match your company culture? Are they responsive, communicative, and genuinely employee-focused?
Commercial transparency: Is the pricing clear, itemized, and easy to compare? Are there hidden costs for common requests?

Assigning a numerical weight to each criterion before you receive proposals removes the temptation to retrofit your scoring to favour a preferred vendor. It also makes the decision easier to defend internally.

Common RFP mistakes that lead to poor provider fits

Even well-intentioned HR teams make avoidable errors when drafting a global mobility RFP. Understanding these common pitfalls is the final step in building a process that leads to a genuinely good provider match.

Copying a previous RFP without updating it. Your programme evolves over time. An RFP written three years ago may not reflect your current destinations, employee demographics, or technology expectations. Always review and refresh the document before sending it out.

Focusing exclusively on price. The cheapest proposal is rarely the best one. If a provider wins on price by cutting corners on consultant availability or local coverage, your employees will feel the impact. Balance cost against service quality and delivery capacity.

Failing to involve stakeholders. HR is not the only team with a stake in destination services. Finance, legal, and the employees themselves all have relevant perspectives. Gathering input before drafting the RFP leads to a more complete and accurate document.

Leaving evaluation criteria vague. If your RFP does not tell providers what you value most, you will receive generic proposals. The more specific your evaluation criteria, the more tailored and useful the responses will be.

Skipping the due diligence step. A proposal is a promise. Before awarding a contract, verify the provider’s references, ask to speak with current clients, and, if possible, arrange a demonstration of their technology platform. What looks good in a document should also hold up under scrutiny.

How ProfOrg supports your destination services RFP process

We work with HR and global mobility teams at every stage of the provider selection process, from helping you define your programme scope to delivering the destination services your employees actually need. Whether you are running your first formal RFP or refreshing an existing provider relationship, we bring practical experience and a straightforward approach to the table.

Here is what working with ProfOrg on destination services looks like in practice:

Comprehensive relocation management covering home search, area orientation, school search, and settling-in support across key destinations including Germany, France, Spain, the USA, the UAE, Singapore, and beyond
Dedicated consultants assigned to each employee, providing continuity and a single point of contact throughout the assignment
Flexible service tiers that can be tailored to your company’s policy and assignee eligibility criteria
Transparent reporting and case visibility so your HR team always knows where things stand
Support for global immigration processes running alongside destination services, coordinated by our team to avoid gaps in the employee experience
A collaborative approach to RMC and partner relationships, ensuring smooth coordination across your entire mobility supply chain

If you are in the process of building or refreshing your destination services RFP, we are happy to share our experience and help you ask the right questions.

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