RFP Tips: Questions Cities Should Ask When Choosing a Courier Vendor

City courier contracts look simple until something goes wrong. A time-sensitive packet goes to the wrong building, a sealed item is left with an unauthorized receiver, a delivery gets disputed with no proof, or a driver cannot access a facility and nobody is notified until the deadline has passed.

A strong RFP prevents those issues by forcing operational clarity up front. It also helps you evaluate vendors on more than price, since public agencies often need the greatest overall benefit for reliability, documentation, and risk control. External link (best value definition reference):

If you want to see how courier programs are structured for public-sector workflows like inter-office routes and controlled handoffs, here is a government agency service example.

Start by defining what the city is actually buying

Before you write questions, define the service categories in your scope so vendors price and staff the right model.

If your need is predictable inter-office movement, write it as a route-based program with scheduled stops and receiving windows.
If your need is deadline-driven or unpredictable, separate it as on-demand or priority service with clear response time expectations.

The courier vendor questions that matter most in a city RFP

1) How will you classify and prioritize deliveries?

Ask vendors how they separate routine stops from urgent runs, and how priority is assigned when demand spikes. A city usually needs at least two lanes: scheduled routes for repeatable movement and on-demand for true exceptions.

2) What are your service levels, and how are they measured?

Require specific metrics like on-time pickup, on-time delivery, average exception resolution time, and proof-of-delivery completion rate. Then require monthly reporting with those metrics and root-cause notes.

3) How do you handle buildings with access restrictions?

Cities have facilities with security desks, badge access, and receiving windows. Ask for a written protocol for access issues, after-hours deliveries, and denied entry. Make it clear that unauthorized drop-offs are not acceptable and exceptions must be escalated immediately.

4) How do you verify recipients and document delivery?

Ask what proof of delivery includes: timestamp, recipient name, signature when required, and exception notes when delivery rules cannot be followed. Require that POD records are retrievable later for audits and disputes.

5) What is your chain-of-custody process for sensitive items?

If your city moves sealed records, court-related packets, HR files, or evidence-style materials, require a chain-of-custody workflow with documented custody events and handoffs. A useful definition reference is NIST’s chain-of-custody glossary, which emphasizes documenting who handled the item, the date/time, and the transfer purpose.

6) Do you support tamper-evident handling when required?

Ask whether the vendor supports tamper-evident seals or security bags, whether seal condition is verified at pickup and delivery, and how seal irregularities are escalated. For many city workflows, this is the difference between “delivered” and “defensible.”

7) What training and safety program do you require for drivers?

Driving is a workplace safety issue when it is job-related. Ask vendors to describe their driver safety program, training cadence, and incident reporting procedures. OSHA’s guidance for employers stresses committing resources to roadway safety.

8) How do you staff, and do you use subcontractors?

Ask whether drivers are employees or contractors, whether subcontractors are used, and what standards apply to any subcontracted labor. Require disclosure and require that subcontractors meet the same screening, training, and documentation rules.

9) What insurance do you carry, and what is your claims process?

Ask for proof of insurance, limits, and coverage types relevant to city work. Then ask for the step-by-step claims process and typical resolution timelines.

10) What data do you collect, and how is it protected?

Cities increasingly move information that is regulated or sensitive. Ask how delivery data is stored, who has access, how long records are retained, and whether the vendor can support city retention policies.

If deliveries include protected health information contexts, require alignment with HIPAA Security Rule expectations for administrative, physical, and technical safeguards.

11) Can you support CJIS-aligned environments when applicable?

If any department touches criminal justice information environments, ask how the vendor supports CJIS Security Policy expectations, including safeguarding information in transit and controlling access. calation?

This should be a required written procedure in the response. Ask who is notified, how quickly, what communication channels are used, and what documentation is created. Require that the vendor does not improvise alternate delivery methods without authorization.

13) What coverage area and operating hours do you guarantee?

Cities need clarity on service boundaries, cutoff times, and weekend or after-hours support. Ask for a coverage map, standard hours, and surge capacity plan.

14) How will you support implementation and ongoing governance?

Ask who the account manager is, how onboarding works, what the rollout timeline looks like, and how performance reviews are conducted. Require a quarterly business review with metrics, exceptions, and improvement actions.

RFP structure tips that make vendor answers easier to score

Define mandatory requirements separately from scored requirements. Mandatory items usually include proof of delivery, escalation rules, insurance, and data handling.

Use a best-value approach that evaluates technical capability and past performance alongside price, since price alone often fails to capture risk. , not theoretical. Examples: a sample POD record, a sample exception report, a sample monthly KPI dashboard.

If you’re preparing a city courier RFP and want a second set of eyes on the scope, service levels, and accountability requirements, reach out to Express Courier Services. Share your pickup and delivery locations, expected volume, facility access rules, and whether you need scheduled routes, on-demand response, or both, and the team can recommend an operating plan with tracking, proof of delivery, exception escalation, and reporting standards that fit public-sector workflows.