Moving-Company RFP & Vendor Selection Guide
A move is only as safe as the carrier you hire. This guide frames the request-for-proposal and a selection matrix that weights authority, insurance, and scope clarity above the lowest bid.
What goes in the RFP
- Scope: square footage, floors/access, IT/AV, furniture, packing, storage, after-hours.
- Timeline and move window, with a named supervisor and crew plan.
- Required certificates of insurance and carrier authority (not broker).
- Separate line items for crane, permits, and contingencies.
Vendor selection matrix
| Criterion | Weight | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Carrier authority (not broker) | High | FMCSA MC/MX number for interstate; state authority for intrastate. Verify at safer.fmcsa.gov. |
| Certificate of insurance | High | Auto, general liability, and cargo limits; additional insured; umbrella. No COI = no job. |
| Itemized scope of work | High | Separate lines for labor, transport, crane/permit, IT, furniture, packing, storage, after-hours. |
| Price & basis | Medium | Per-sqft, hourly, or lump sum; what is excluded; binding vs non-binding. |
| Contingency & change-order policy | Medium | How unknowns (access, stairs, weather) and change orders are priced. |
| References & claims history | Medium | 3 comparable jobs; claims ratio; how claims are resolved. |
| Timeline & crew plan | Medium | Move window, crew size, supervisor on site, backup plan. |
Red flags
- Require a certificate of insurance (COI) with adequate liability & cargo limits before signing — confirm it names your company as additional insured.
- Verify carrier authority: FMCSA (safer.fmcsa.gov) for interstate; the state agency for intrastate. A broker is NOT a carrier — know who is actually hauling your assets.
- Beware large-project change-order abuse and vague 'hourly' crews with no not-to-exceed cap. Insist on a detailed, itemized scope of work (SOV).
- Confirm warehouse/storage is bonded and insured; check freight-forwarder vs. mover licensing, and ask how your goods are segregated and secured.
- Get separate, line-item pricing for crane/rigging, permits, escorts, and after-hours premiums — never a single lump sum that hides these.
- Confirm data-custody and chain-of-custody for IT/server gear, and that the mover carries cargo/warehouseman's coverage adequate to your equipment value.
whrg.com, www.crowell.com, www.kpmg.com, www.calt.iastate.edu, www.congress.gov, www.irs.gov, finance.yahoo.com, jilaniplace.com, www.vectorinstallations.com, www.vectorinstallations.com, ocnjdaily.com, agmoving.com, lincolnmoving.com, www.dir.ca.gov, sam.gov, www.fmcsa.dot.gov, www.bls.gov, www.worldwideerc.org, www.atlasvanlines.com, www.cbre.com, www.irs.gov. Figures are model benchmarks, not quotes. ReloFig never sells your information.
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