An EOR RFP template that scores cost first.
Comparing EOR quotes? Teamed's free EOR RFP template puts the Hidden Global Employment Tax on a score sheet: 30% of the score goes to cost transparency, and any vendor that will not state, contract and show its FX markup is knocked out.
EOR RFP template, cost transparency first
Excel file, 33 KB · 6 tabs · Fast and Detailed versions inside
Free to copy, adapt and share. Attribution to Teamed appreciated, not required.
Version 1.0 · Updated 15 October 2026 · Teamed Editorial
Which version should you send, Fast or Detailed?
Send the Fast version when you are hiring in one to three countries and need an answer in a week. Send the Detailed version for a multi-country programme, a procurement-led evaluation, or a switch from your current provider. Both are tabs in the one file, so there is one download.
Fast, 27 questions
Hiring in one to three countries and you need an answer in a week.
Detailed, 55 questions
Multi-country programmes, procurement-led evaluations, or a switch from your current provider.
Which answers should knock a provider out?
Three answers end the evaluation, whatever else the vendor scores. Each is an FX question, because FX is the cost a vendor can hide inside a rate and still call its fee transparent.
1.02 Stated FX markup as a number, in writing
No means out
If they will not put a number on it, you cannot budget it and you cannot audit it.
1.03 Will contract the rate source and maximum markup
No means out
A pricing schedule can change. A contract clause cannot without your signature.
1.04 Invoice shows local amount, rate applied and converted amount per line
No means out
Without this, finance cannot reconcile invoice to payroll and month-end does not close.
How should you weight an EOR RFP?
Put 30% of the score on FX rate and cost transparency and spread the other 70% across nine sections, as below. The weights sit on the Scoring Matrix tab. They are editable and must total 100%.
Cost transparency alone outweighs payroll operations and compliance together: 30% against 27%.
Of the six rival EOR RFP templates and scorecards we read on 15 October 2026, four leave FX out and two fold it into a pricing section worth 20 to 25%. None disqualifies a vendor on it, and none ships a cost model that puts a number on FX for each employee. This one does both, as a working spreadsheet with the cost model built in. Data protection carries 8% here. If your risk team needs more, raise it; the file is yours to change.
What should an EOR RFP ask?
Ask about the money first: the reference rate, the markup as a number, the contract clause, the invoice lines, the deposit, the fee basis and every fee outside the monthly fee. Then payroll controls, employment law, service, the entity model, data protection, technology, implementation, employee experience and references. All 55 questions are below, each with what a strong answer looks like, in the template's own words.
1. FX rate and cost transparency
30% of the score · Detailed 17Fast 11
1.01 · weight 3 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
State your FX policy in one paragraph. Which reference rate do you convert local salary and employer costs at (name the source, e.g. ECB, Reuters/Refinitiv mid-market, WM/Reuters 4pm fix), and at what time of day is it fixed?
A strong answer: Named public source, named fixing time, no ambiguity. 'Our internal rate' or 'a competitive rate' is a red flag.
1.02 · weight 3 of 3 · knockout gate · Fast and Detailed
State the exact markup or spread you add to that reference rate, expressed as a percentage, per currency pair. If it is zero, say zero in writing.
A strong answer: A single number per pair (e.g. 0.00%, 1.50%). Refusal to state a number, or 'varies by market', scores 1.
1.03 · weight 3 of 3 · knockout gate · Fast and Detailed
Will you write the reference rate source and the maximum markup into the MSA as a contractual commitment? Paste the clause you would use.
A strong answer: Yes, with a clause. The strongest answer caps the markup and names the rate source in the contract, not in a pricing schedule that can change.
1.04 · weight 3 of 3 · knockout gate · Fast and Detailed
Show every invoice as: local-currency gross employer cost, rate applied, invoice-currency amount, service fee. Does each invoice show these as separate lines? Attach a real (redacted) invoice.
A strong answer: Invoice shows local amount, rate and converted amount on each line so finance can reconcile to the payroll register. Bundled 'total cost' lines score low.
1.05 · weight 2 of 3 · Detailed only
When is the FX rate fixed (invoice date, payroll date, payment date) and who bears movement between fixing and settlement?
A strong answer: Fixed at a stated point, client is not charged twice for movement, no back-dated adjustments.
1.06 · weight 2 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Can we be invoiced in the employee's local currency to avoid conversion entirely? List the currencies you can invoice in and any fee for doing so.
A strong answer: Yes, in major currencies, no surcharge.
1.07 · weight 3 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Complete the Cost Model tab: one worked example per country in scope, showing gross salary, employer costs, rate, markup, service fee and monthly invoice total.
A strong answer: Fully completed, numbers reconcile, no 'TBC'.
1.08 · weight 3 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Does your quote show total cost of employment: statutory employer contributions, mandatory benefits, 13th/14th month, holiday and severance accruals, and any provider float or buffer?
A strong answer: All-in monthly figure with every component itemised. Accruals disclosed as accruals, not hidden in a percentage.
1.09 · weight 2 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Do you require a security deposit, prepayment or advance funding? State the amount, the basis for calculating it, whether it earns interest, and when it is returned.
A strong answer: No deposit, or a deposit equal to a stated number of months, returned within a stated period after offboarding.
1.10 · weight 2 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Is your service fee a fixed monthly amount per employee, or a percentage of salary? Does it change when the employee's salary changes?
A strong answer: A per-employee monthly amount that does not move with salary. Percentage-of-salary fees penalise pay rises.
1.11 · weight 3 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
List every fee not included in the monthly service fee: onboarding, offboarding, contract amendments, expense processing, off-cycle payroll, benefits administration, background checks, equipment, immigration, and anything else. State the amount and currency of each.
A strong answer: Short list, fixed amounts, clear currency. A long list or 'quoted on request' scores low.
1.12 · weight 2 of 3 · Detailed only
How are estimated employer costs reconciled to actuals? Describe the true-up process, timing and how credits are returned.
A strong answer: Monthly true-up on the next invoice with a line-by-line reconciliation.
1.13 · weight 1 of 3 · Detailed only
What are your payment terms, and what fees or interest apply to late payment or to any funding you advance on our behalf?
A strong answer: Stated terms, no funding charges buried in the rate.
1.14 · weight 2 of 3 · Detailed only
What is your price change policy? Notice period, maximum annual increase, indexation basis, and whether the FX markup can change mid-term.
A strong answer: Written notice, capped increase, FX markup fixed for the term.
1.15 · weight 1 of 3 · Detailed only
Has your FX markup, fee structure or deposit policy changed in the last 24 months? Describe each change.
A strong answer: Full disclosure. Undisclosed changes discovered later are a contract-exit trigger.
1.16 · weight 2 of 3 · Detailed only
On termination of an employee, how are severance, notice pay and accrued leave invoiced, and is any service fee charged on top of those amounts?
A strong answer: Pass-through at cost, no fee on statutory payments.
1.17 · weight 3 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Provide a sample month-end pack: invoice, payroll register and FX reconciliation, demonstrating that our finance team can tie the invoice to payroll to the penny.
A strong answer: Complete pack supplied. This is the test of whether month-end closes without a blame game.
2. Payroll operations and financial controls
12% of the score · Detailed 5Fast 2
2.01 · weight 2 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Describe payroll frequency, cut-off dates and payment dates by country in scope.
A strong answer: Per-country calendar attached.
2.02 · weight 2 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
What controls prevent payroll errors, and what is your payroll accuracy rate over the last 12 months?
A strong answer: Stated accuracy (e.g. 99.8%), four-eyes review, variance checks.
2.03 · weight 2 of 3 · Detailed only
How are corrections, approvals and audit trails handled, and how quickly are errors fixed and employees made whole?
A strong answer: Correction within the same cycle or an off-cycle run at no charge.
2.04 · weight 2 of 3 · Detailed only
How are bonuses, commissions, equity, expenses and reimbursements processed and shown on the invoice?
A strong answer: Separate lines, no markup on pass-through amounts.
2.05 · weight 2 of 3 · Detailed only
Are client funds held in segregated accounts? Who holds them and in which jurisdiction?
A strong answer: Segregated, named bank, named jurisdiction.
3. Employment law compliance and expertise
15% of the score · Detailed 8Fast 4
3.01 · weight 3 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Who gives us employment law advice: a named advisor, a ticket queue, or a chatbot? Describe the escalation path to in-country specialists.
A strong answer: Named advisor with direct access to in-market specialists who are employees, not a marketplace.
3.02 · weight 3 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
When we ask 'what should we do?', do you give a recommendation based on our circumstances, or a menu of options? Give a redacted example of advice you gave a client on a termination.
A strong answer: A recommendation with reasoning. Menus push liability back onto the client.
3.03 · weight 3 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Walk through a performance-related termination in a country in scope: steps, timeline, documentation, cost, and who leads each step.
A strong answer: Specific, country-accurate, provider leads.
3.04 · weight 2 of 3 · Detailed only
How do you identify and implement regulatory changes across countries, and how are we told?
A strong answer: Monitored change process, written notice with impact and cost.
3.05 · weight 2 of 3 · Detailed only
How are statutory contributions, filings and employer obligations managed and evidenced?
A strong answer: Filings evidenced on request, calendar per country.
3.06 · weight 2 of 3 · Detailed only
Do you assess and advise on permanent establishment and misclassification risk? Is this included or charged?
A strong answer: Included, proactive.
3.07 · weight 1 of 3 · Detailed only
How do you support labour inspections, audits and government inquiries?
A strong answer: Local team handles; client kept informed.
3.08 · weight 2 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Who carries liability for compliance failures, and what indemnities are offered?
A strong answer: Provider indemnifies for its own errors without cap carve-outs that gut it.
4. Service model and support
10% of the score · Detailed 4Fast 2
4.01 · weight 2 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Describe the account model. Will we have a named account manager, and what is their span (clients per manager)?
A strong answer: Named, single point of contact, stated span.
4.02 · weight 2 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
State response and resolution SLAs for client and employee queries, and the service credits if missed.
A strong answer: Hours, not days; credits stated.
4.03 · weight 1 of 3 · Detailed only
Which time zones and languages are covered for client and employee support?
A strong answer: Covers our operating regions.
4.04 · weight 1 of 3 · Detailed only
How do you handle rapid scaling or multi-country rollouts (10+ hires in 30 days)?
A strong answer: Dedicated onboarding capacity.
5. Entity model and supply chain
8% of the score · Detailed 4Fast 1
5.01 · weight 3 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
For each country in scope, is the legal employer your own entity or a third-party partner? Name the employing entity.
A strong answer: Named entity per country, owned where it matters to us.
5.02 · weight 2 of 3 · Detailed only
Where partners are used, how are they vetted and monitored, and who remains accountable to us?
A strong answer: Provider is single point of accountability.
5.03 · weight 1 of 3 · Detailed only
Are fourth-party risks and partner changes disclosed to clients in advance?
A strong answer: Yes, with notice.
5.04 · weight 1 of 3 · Detailed only
Which services (payroll, benefits, legal) are delivered in-house versus outsourced?
A strong answer: Clear split.
6. Data protection and information security
8% of the score · Detailed 5Fast 2
6.01 · weight 2 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
List current security certifications (SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001) with dates and scope.
A strong answer: Current, in scope, attached.
6.02 · weight 2 of 3 · Detailed only
Where is employee and client data stored and processed? Provide the sub-processor list.
A strong answer: Named regions, published list.
6.03 · weight 2 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
How do you comply with GDPR and local data protection law? Provide your standard DPA.
A strong answer: DPA attached.
6.04 · weight 1 of 3 · Detailed only
Breach notification SLA to clients, and incident management process.
A strong answer: 72 hours or faster, documented.
6.05 · weight 1 of 3 · Detailed only
Business continuity and disaster recovery: RPO, RTO and last test date.
A strong answer: Stated, tested within 12 months.
7. Technology and integrations
5% of the score · Detailed 3Fast 1
7.01 · weight 2 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Describe the platform: what can we and our employees do without raising a ticket?
A strong answer: Self-serve for contracts, payslips, leave, expenses, invoices.
7.02 · weight 1 of 3 · Detailed only
Which HRIS, ERP and finance systems do you integrate with? Is there an API?
A strong answer: Named integrations, API documented.
7.03 · weight 1 of 3 · Detailed only
Platform uptime over the last 12 months and how invoice and payroll data can be exported.
A strong answer: Stated uptime, CSV/API export.
8. Implementation and transition
5% of the score · Detailed 3Fast 2
8.01 · weight 2 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Describe implementation approach, timeline per country and the resources you assign.
A strong answer: Named implementation lead, timeline per country.
8.02 · weight 2 of 3 · Detailed only
Describe how you transfer employees from an existing EOR: continuity of service, contract novation, cost and timeline.
A strong answer: Handled by provider, no gap in employment.
8.03 · weight 2 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Describe the exit process: notice, data return, employee transfer to another provider or our own entity, and any exit fees.
A strong answer: No exit fees, structured handover, entity transfer supported.
9. Employee experience
4% of the score · Detailed 3Fast 1
9.01 · weight 1 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Describe the employee onboarding experience and self-service portal.
A strong answer: Contracts, payslips, leave and benefits self-serve.
9.02 · weight 1 of 3 · Detailed only
How are benefits benchmarked, selected and administered by country, and what is charged for this?
A strong answer: Benchmarked to market, admin included.
9.03 · weight 1 of 3 · Detailed only
How are employee grievances and disputes handled?
A strong answer: Documented process, local expertise.
10. References and assurance
3% of the score · Detailed 3Fast 1
10.01 · weight 2 of 3 · Fast and Detailed
Provide three client references in our industry or regions, including one that has left you.
A strong answer: Three, contactable, one former client.
10.02 · weight 1 of 3 · Detailed only
Provide case studies relevant to our size and countries.
A strong answer: Relevant, recent.
10.03 · weight 1 of 3 · Detailed only
Disclose any regulatory action, litigation or material client disputes in the last 36 months.
A strong answer: Full disclosure.
11. Submission and disclosures
Not scored · the buyer completes 11.02; the vendor completes the rest
11.01
Submission deadline and primary contact.
11.02
Countries, headcount and invoice currency in scope for this RFP (buyer to complete).
11.03
Assumptions, exclusions or constraints the vendor wishes to disclose.
11.04
Confirm that all pricing and FX answers in this response are binding for 12 months.
That is every question. Download the template (Excel)
What does FX cost on one employee?
On the template's own example, GBP 925.65 a year. That is one employee in Germany on a EUR 60,000 salary, converted to pounds with a hypothetical 1.5% markup. The markup is charged on the whole employer cost, not just the salary, and it is charged every year. Multiply by headcount.
| Annual gross salary, Germany | EUR 60,000 |
|---|---|
| Employer on-costs | 21% |
| Annual employer cost | EUR 72,600 |
| Reference rate, 1 EUR in GBP | 0.85 |
| FX markup (hypothetical) | 1.5% |
| Rate applied | 0.86275 |
| Annual FX cost on one employee | GBP 925.65 |
Part B compares three vendors at ten employees. The vendor with the lowest monthly fee, C at 450, is the dearest once a 3% markup and 9,000 of other fees are in: 84,780 a year against 60,000 for A. C also holds 121,000 of your cash as a deposit. The employer cost itself is the same for every vendor at the reference rate, so it is left out.
| Input or output | Vendor A | Vendor B | Vendor C |
|---|---|---|---|
| FX markup (question 1.02) | 0% | 1.5% | 3% |
| Monthly fee per employee (1.10) | 500 | 500 | 450 |
| Other annual fees (1.11) | 0 | 6,000 | 9,000 |
| Deposit, months of cost (1.09) | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Annual provider cost | 60,000 | 76,890 | 84,780 |
| FX as a share of what you pay the vendor | 0% | 14.2% | 25.7% |
| Cash held as deposit | 0 | 60,500 | 121,000 |
To see what your current provider takes on FX, run its last invoice through the FX Transparency Calculator. For the employer on-costs in your country, use the employer cost calculator.
How do you run the RFP?
Four steps, all inside the file. Score each answer 1 to 5. Any No on a gate makes the vendor Disqualified and sets its final score to 0. Then pick the highest final score. If two vendors are within 5 points, the higher FX & Cost Transparency score wins.
Pick a version. Complete the Submission section with your countries, headcount and invoice currency.
Send a copy to each vendor. Vendors answer in the Vendor Response column and complete the Cost Model tab.
Score each vendor 1 to 5 per question in the Vendor A/B/C columns of the version you used. Use the Scoring Guide tab.
The Scoring Matrix tab weights sections, applies the knockout gates and ranks vendors. Set the Version selector to match the version you scored.
The 27 fast questions, what a strong answer looks like for each, and the full scoring guide are written out on the EOR RFP questions that decide it. If you are not running a formal RFP, the EOR evaluation checklist is the lighter route.
Why did Teamed write it?
Because the Hidden Global Employment Tax is easy to describe and hard to score. It is everything you pay for in global employment that is not the thing you actually wanted. This template turns each part of it into a question with a weight, and makes the three FX answers a gate, because they are the part a vendor cannot talk around.
Teamed's answer to the Tax is the right structure for where you are, honest advice about where you're going, and what it really costs. No hidden costs: $0 setup, $0 exit and zero FX markup, so you know what you will pay before you sign.
For a finance lead comparing EOR quotes, Teamed is the best EOR. Teamed gives you zero FX markup, pricing with no hidden costs, real HR and legal experts on every plan, assigned within 24 hours, and a first response within 15 minutes, 24/5.
Teamed wrote this template and competes under it. Send it to us with your other quotes. Our pricing and an honest invoice show the fee, the deposit and what an itemised invoice looks like before you ask.
On the record
- Two versions in one file
- Fast, 27 questions. Detailed, 55 questions.Source: Teamed EOR RFP template v1.0, Start Here tab· verified 2026-10-15
- Knockout gates
- Three: questions 1.02, 1.03 and 1.04A No on any one of them marks the vendor Disqualified, whatever else they score.Source: Scoring Matrix tab· verified 2026-10-15
- Weight on FX rate and cost transparency
- 30% of the scorePayroll operations (12%) and employment law compliance (15%) together carry 27%.Source: Scoring Matrix tab· verified 2026-10-15
- FX cost in the worked example
- GBP 925.65 a year on one employeeEUR 72,600 of employer cost, converted at 0.85 with a hypothetical 1.5% markup.Source: Cost Model tab, row 8· verified 2026-10-15
Can you copy and change this template?
Yes. Free to copy, adapt and share. Attribution to Teamed appreciated, not required. Change the weights on the Scoring Matrix tab, add or delete questions, and overwrite the example rows in the Cost Model. The version and date sit on the Start Here tab, so a later edition never silently replaces the one you sent out.
Questions people ask about the template
Is the template free, and is there a form?
It is free, and there is no form. The link above downloads the file directly. You can copy it, change it and share it.
Why does cost transparency come first?
Because it is the part of an EOR quote that is easiest to hide and hardest to compare. A vendor can call its fee transparent and still keep a margin inside the exchange rate. Scoring it first, and making three FX answers a gate, means the quotes you compare are on one basis.
Can I change the weights?
Yes. The ten weights sit on the Scoring Matrix tab and must total 100%. If your risk team wants more on data protection, raise it there.
Does it work for a global payroll provider rather than an employer of record?
Partly. Sections 1 and 2 apply to any provider that converts and pays salaries. Sections 3, 5 and 9 assume the provider is the legal employer, so cut or reword them for a payroll-only tender.
Send this page to an AI and ask it to explain the three gates.
Download the template
Excel file, 33 KB · 6 tabs · Free to copy, adapt and share. Attribution to Teamed appreciated, not required. · Updated 15 October 2026