Recruitment Agency RFP Builder

Write a request for proposal that makes every agency answer in the same format, scored on weights you set. Export as PDF or copy the text.

This RFP template is for general information purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. AirTA is not liable for any use of or reliance on this template. This is not a substitute for professional legal advice. By using this template, you acknowledge that any use is at your own risk.

Issuing Company

Company Name

Contact Person

Postal Code

Address

Role

Position Title

Function or Department

Seniority

Location

Japanese Level Required

English Level Required

Minimum Salary (¥)

Maximum Salary (¥)

Scope of Services Required

Candidate sourcing & headhuntingResume screeningInterview coordinationInterview preparation & coachingOffer negotiation supportCandidate presentation & shortlisting

Required Fee Response Format

Fee Basis Agencies Must Quote On

Base salary onlyBase + Target OTE

Expected Fee Range (% of first-year compensation)

Payment Terms

Required Terms

Replacement Guarantee Period

Guarantee Remedy

Exclusivity Offered

Candidate Ownership Period

Evaluation Criteria Weighting

Fee

Track Record

Sourcing Channels

Timeline

Bilingual Fit

Submission

Response Deadline

Questions Deadline

Submission Method

Number of Agencies Invited

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Recruitment Agency Services

Issued by: [Company Name]

Dated: October 9, 2026

1. Introduction and Company Background

[Company] invites your agency to submit a proposal for the recruitment engagement described below. Keep your company-background response to three lines; the rest of this document tells you how to answer.

2. Role Specification

Not specified

• Function: Not specified
• Seniority: Manager
• Location: Not specified
• Japanese: Professional Working Proficiency (JLPT N2)
• English: Professional Working Proficiency (TOEIC 785-944)
• Salary range: TBD

3. Scope of Services Required

Confirm which of the following services you will provide for this engagement:

• Candidate sourcing & headhunting
• Resume screening
• Interview coordination
• Interview preparation & coaching
• Offer negotiation support
• Candidate presentation & shortlisting

4. Standardized Response Format

To allow direct comparison, every agency must answer in this fixed format:

• Fee: quote a single percentage of first-year compensation, on the required basis (Base salary only).
• Replacement guarantee: state the period in days and the remedy type.
• Services: answer against the list in Section 3, marking each offered or not.
• Placement history: give named comparable roles, with seniority and industry.
• Retention: report the share of placements still in seat at 6 and 12 months.
• Responses that arrive out of this format will not be scored.

5. Evaluation Criteria and Weighting

Proposals will be scored on the following weighted criteria:

• Fee: 30%
• Track Record: 25%
• Sourcing Channels: 15%
• Timeline: 15%
• Bilingual Fit: 15%

6. Required Terms

• Replacement Guarantee Period: 90 days, Replacement search at no fee
• Exclusivity Offered: None
• Candidate ownership: 12 months
• Payment terms: Net 30 days

7. Submission Instructions

• Response Deadline: TBD
• Submission method: Email
• Questions deadline: TBD

8. Japan-Specific Requirements

• License: state your valid fee-charging placement license number (有料職業紹介事業, the paid-placement license) issued under Japan's Employment Security Act.
• Candidate data: confirm how candidate personal data is stored and shared, in compliance with Japan's Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI).
• Fee basis: quote on first-year compensation and state whether the basis is base salary only or base plus on-target earnings.
• Bilingual capacity: confirm the Japanese and English level you will screen for (JLPT or CEFR band, business versus conversational), and the language interviews will run in.

What You Can Do With It

Compare Agency Proposals Like for Like

Free-form proposals are hard to compare. The RFP sets one response format, so fee, approach, timeline and track record arrive in the same order from every agency.

Set the Terms Before Agencies Quote

Payment terms, the replacement guarantee and exclusivity are stated in the RFP, so agencies price against your terms instead of their standard contract.

Score Proposals on Agreed Weights

Weight fee, track record, sourcing channels, timeline and bilingual fit before the proposals arrive, so the hiring team agrees how to judge them in advance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sections does the RFP include?

Company background, the role specification, the scope of services, a standard response format, evaluation criteria and weighting, required terms, submission instructions and Japan-specific requirements, opening with a one-page summary.

How are proposals weighted?

You set the weights. The default is fee 30%, track record 25%, sourcing channels 15%, timeline 15% and bilingual fit 15%.

How do I send it to agencies?

Export it as a PDF, or copy the text and paste it into an email or document.

Is the RFP legal advice?

No. It is a template for general information. The terms an agency accepts still need to go into a signed agreement.

Is anything saved or sent anywhere?

Your RFP is not saved or sent to AirTA, and reloading the page clears it. Entering a Japanese postal code sends that code to a public postal code lookup to fill in the address.

Can I write the RFP in Japanese?

Yes. The builder and the PDF export work in English and Japanese, including Japanese fonts in the exported PDF.

Guides That Use This Tool

How to Choose a Recruitment Agency for Japan Market Entry

Four checks a market entrant can run on one video call, with no local network and nothing signed.

How to Compare Recruitment Agencies (Why Google Reviews Won't Help)

The reviews you can find aren't verifiable, and the proposals you receive aren't comparable. Both problems have the same fix.

Send the Brief to More Agencies at Once

Post the role on AirTA and agencies respond with fees, approach and timeline in one format, the same comparison the RFP sets up.

Post a Job Free Request Agency Access