Incorporating Software Requirements into the System RFP: Survey of RFP Language for Software by Topic, v. 2.0

SEI Report
The 2009 report defines and communicates software engineering and management events necessary to support the successful acquisition of software-intensive systems.
Publisher

Software Engineering Institute

CMU/SEI Report Number
CMU/SEI-2009-SR-008
DOI (Digital Object Identifier)
10.1184/R1/6574337.v1

Abstract

Organizations developing a Request for Proposal (RFP) often look to existing sources for ideas on how to phrase language for a specific topic—a time-consuming exercise that usually involves searching across multiple publications. 

With this report, the Software Engineering Institute has compiled publicly available recommendations for RFP content, and examples of language for federal RFP Sections C, M, and L. The paper, one element of the implementation plan for the Army Strategic Software Improvement Program, defines and communicates software engineering and management events and deliverables necessary to support the successful acquisition of software intensive systems.

Cite This SEI Report

Gross, C. (2009, May 1). Incorporating Software Requirements into the System RFP: Survey of RFP Language for Software by Topic, v. 2.0. (SEI Report CMU/SEI-2009-SR-008). Retrieved September 17, 2026, from https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6574337.v1.

@techreport{gross_2009,
author={Gross, Charlene},
title={Incorporating Software Requirements into the System RFP: Survey of RFP Language for Software by Topic, v. 2.0},
month={May},
year={2009},
number={{CMU/SEI-2009-SR-008},
institution={Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University},
doi={10.1184/R1/6574337.v1},
url={https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6574337.v1},
note={Accessed: 2026-Sep-17}
}

Gross, Charlene. "Incorporating Software Requirements into the System RFP: Survey of RFP Language for Software by Topic, v. 2.0." (CMU/SEI-2009-SR-008). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, May 1, 2009. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6574337.v1.

C. Gross, "Incorporating Software Requirements into the System RFP: Survey of RFP Language for Software by Topic, v. 2.0," Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, SEI Report CMU/SEI-2009-SR-008, 1-May-2009 [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6574337.v1. [Accessed: 17-Sep-2026].

Gross, Charlene. "Incorporating Software Requirements into the System RFP: Survey of RFP Language for Software by Topic, v. 2.0." (SEI Report CMU/SEI-2009-SR-008). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute, 1 May. 2009. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6574337.v1. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

Gross, Charlene. Incorporating Software Requirements into the System RFP: Survey of RFP Language for Software by Topic, v. 2.0. CMU/SEI-2009-SR-008. Software Engineering Institute. 2009. DOI: 10.1184/R1/6574337.v1. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6574337.v1