SASE Marketplace

SASE RFP: The Definitive Framework for Enterprise Procurement

What is a SASE RFP? A SASE RFP (Request for Proposal) is a structured procurement document used by enterprise IT teams to evaluate Secure Access Service Edge vendors against standardised technical, security, and commercial criteria. The Netify 20-Pillar SASE Procurement Framework provides a methodology covering architecture, security posture, deployment model, compliance, and commercial terms — used by IT teams across Manufacturing, Retail, Healthcare, and Financial Services.

Netify is an enterprise SD-WAN and SASE RFP builder platform supporting 30+ vendors across UK, North American and global deployments. The Netify 20-Pillar SASE Procurement Framework standardises vendor evaluation so procurement teams can compare responses on a consistent, auditable basis.

Last updated: March 2026

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📋 What should my RFP include? The 20-Pillar evaluation framework and module coverage ⚠️ Common procurement failures Five structural mistakes and how to avoid them ⚖️ Compare procurement methods Platform vs manual vs consultant-led RFPs 🏥 My sector's requirements Healthcare, Retail, Manufacturing, Financial Services 📊 Scoring vendor responses 1–10 per-requirement methodology and ranking ✅ Compliance mapping GDPR, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, DSPT, FCA, NIS2 ⚙️ How does the builder work? Five phases from requirements to scored shortlist 🚀 Build your SASE RFP Start building now — free to publish and evaluate

Common Failures

Why Most SASE RFPs Fail

Most SASE RFP processes produce inconclusive results because the evaluation was compromised before a single vendor responded. The following table identifies the five structural failures observed in traditional SASE procurement and how the Netify 20-Pillar SASE Procurement Framework addresses each.

SASE RFP Failure Analysis Structural procurement failures and how the Netify framework eliminates them
Failure Mode	What Happens	Impact on Evaluation	Netify Framework Response
Vendor-led question bias	RFP questions drawn from vendor sales materials or pre-sales documentation rather than business requirements	Evaluation criteria favour the incumbent or preferred vendor; competing providers cannot differentiate on genuine capability	Pre-built requirement modules developed from cross-vendor evaluation experience across 30+ SASE providers
No scoring model	Responses evaluated subjectively by individuals without agreed weighting or criteria	Shortlist determined by presentation quality or existing relationships rather than technical merit	1–10 per-requirement scoring with cumulative totals and automated vendor ranking
No compliance mapping	Security requirements written without reference to NHS DSPT, PCI DSS, SOC 2, FCA or sector-specific standards	Vendor responses cannot demonstrate regulatory alignment; compliance gaps discovered post-contract	Compliance framework mapping built into each module covering UK GDPR, PCI DSS 4.0.1, ISO 27001, DSPT, FCA PS21/3, NIS2, IEC 62443 and HIPAA
No stakeholder alignment	IT, security, procurement and business stakeholders not agreed on evaluation priorities before vendor engagement begins	Conflicting scoring, disputed shortlists and procurement delays as teams revisit criteria mid-evaluation	Modular requirement selection allows stakeholders to agree scope before publication; each module independently activated or deactivated
No structured comparison	Vendor responses arrive as PDFs, slide decks and spreadsheets in incompatible formats	Evaluation teams spend weeks normalising responses rather than assessing capability; like-for-like comparison is impossible	Platform-enforced response structure where providers address each requirement independently within a common format

The Netify 20-Pillar SASE Procurement Framework eliminates these failures structurally. Requirements are standardised, responses are comparable, scoring is quantified and compliance alignment is pre-mapped — before the first vendor receives your RFP.

Overview

SASE RFP Builder App: Publish and Get Responses from over 30 Vendors and Service Providers

With the Netify SASE RFP Builder you can construct a comprehensive security and networking evaluation and reach providers directly in minutes (a process that would otherwise take weeks or even months coordinating across stakeholders and vendors), whilst eliminating the challenge of fragmented responses that resist meaningful comparison. Simply select your security requirements, define access policies and user groups, publish to our vetted provider network, then evaluate and rank submissions - all within our platform.

Used by IT teams in Manufacturing, Retail, Healthcare and Financial Services for structured vendor procurement.

Over 30 Vendors and Service Providers

Pre-built SASE requirement modules for every security component

Evaluation and shortlisting within the platform

Process

How the SASE RFP Builder Works

A SASE RFP through Netify is built through five phases: choosing questions for your business, security requirement specification, marketplace publication, response management and scoring.

Introduce your Company & Environment Input your industry, company overview and primary contact details
Define your Security Posture & Access Patterns Input your existing identity provider, user types, device posture requirements and application access policies
Specify ZTNA, SWG, CASB, FWaaS and DLP requirements Detail which security components you need vendors to address and your organisation's specific compliance obligations.
Collect structured submissions in-platform Providers respond to each security requirement with standardised, directly comparable results. Monitor responses, request clarifications and RFP progress in the dashboard.
Evaluate, rank and build shortlists Score vendor responses, assess security capabilities and produce a shortlist highlighting capability differences.

Requirements Framework

What to Include in a SASE RFP

A SASE RFP must present consistent evaluation criteria spanning security services and operational controls. The Netify 20-Pillar SASE Procurement Framework delivers modular requirement categories containing a bank of pre-written security and operational questions you can toggle to match your deployment's scope.

Core Modules & Security Requirements

AI-Assistant Custom Requirements: Use the AI Helper to draft organisation-specific questions addressing unique identity workflows, legacy application constraints or sector-specific compliance mandates.

The Netify 20-Pillar SASE Procurement Framework

SASE RFP Evaluation Pillars: Complete Coverage Matrix

Developed by Netify for enterprise IT procurement teams, the Netify 20-Pillar SASE Procurement Framework evaluates vendors across standardised pillars spanning identity, threat prevention, network connectivity, operations and commercial terms. The following matrix defines each pillar, the security components evaluated, and their presence in the Netify RFP Builder.

The Netify 20-Pillar SASE Procurement Framework All pillars available in the Netify SASE RFP Builder application
RFP Module	Security Components Evaluated	Key Evaluation Criteria	Netify Builder
Identity & Access
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)	User authentication, device posture, per-app micro-tunnels, least-privilege enforcement	IdP integration depth, MFA enforcement patterns, clientless access, legacy app support	✓ Full module
Identity Integration & Authentication	SSO, MFA, Azure AD / Okta / on-prem AD compatibility, conditional access	Directory sync latency, group-based policy mapping, certificate-based auth	✓ Full module
Third-Party Access Management	Contractor access, vendor remote sessions, temporary credentials, session recording	Least-privilege enforcement for non-employees, time-bound access, audit trail per session	✓ Full module
Threat Prevention
Secure Web Gateway (SWG)	URL filtering, TLS inspection, malware scanning, bandwidth controls	Inspection throughput, certificate handling, bypass policies, user experience impact	✓ Full module
Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)	Shadow IT discovery, inline / API modes, DLP for SaaS, OAuth app control	SaaS app catalogue breadth, API coverage, real-time vs near-real-time enforcement	✓ Full module
Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)	L3–L7 policy enforcement, IPS/IDS, DNS security, micro-segmentation	Policy granularity, east–west inspection, cloud workload protection, PoP distribution	✓ Full module
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)	Content inspection, regex/fingerprint matching, exact data match, OCR	Detection accuracy, false positive rates, channel coverage (web, email, endpoint)	✓ Full module
Encryption & TLS Inspection	TLS 1.3 decryption, certificate management, bypass policies, performance impact	Inspection throughput under load, latency impact, selective bypass for sensitive traffic	✓ Full module
Network & Connectivity
SD-WAN Convergence	Path selection, application-aware routing, WAN optimisation, branch connectivity	Unified vs bolt-on architecture, single management plane, traffic engineering	✓ Full module
Global Backbone & PoP Distribution	PoP locations, peering arrangements, latency SLAs, regional redundancy	Geographic coverage, on-ramp options, private backbone vs public internet	✓ Full module
Operations & Governance
Logging, Monitoring & SIEM Integration	Log aggregation, SIEM forwarding, dashboards, alerting, retention policies	Log completeness, export formats, real-time streaming, retention periods	✓ Full module
Implementation & Migration Methodology	Phased rollout, VPN coexistence, user onboarding, rollback procedures	Migration plan quality, coexistence strategies, training provision, timeline	✓ Full module
Service Model & Support	Managed vs co-managed vs self-service, SLA tiers, escalation paths	NOC/SOC capability, response time guarantees, named account management	✓ Full module
Resilience & Business Continuity	HA architecture, failover mechanisms, disaster recovery, RTO/RPO	Redundancy design, geographic failover, degraded-mode operation, testing	✓ Full module
Compliance & Certification Validation	ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, Cyber Essentials Plus, PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR	Current certification status, audit frequency, evidence provision, data residency	✓ Full module
Policy Governance & Audit Trail	Role-based access control, approval workflows, change logging, immutable audit records	Segregation of duties, policy change traceability, regulatory audit readiness	✓ Full module
Data Residency & Sovereignty	Processing location controls, data-in-transit routing, regional storage constraints	UK data residency guarantees, EU adequacy alignment, cross-border transfer mechanisms	✓ Full module
Commercials & Licensing	Per-user vs bandwidth pricing, bundling, contract terms, exit clauses	Pricing transparency, included vs add-on features, volume discounts, flexibility	✓ Full module
AI-Assisted Custom Requirements	Organisation-specific questions generated by the Netify AI Helper	Unique workflows, legacy constraints, sector-specific mandates	✓ AI Helper
Evaluation & Selection
Provider Evaluation & Shortlisting	Per-requirement scoring, cumulative ranking, weighted priorities, shortlist generation	Scoring objectivity, ranking transparency, stakeholder alignment on shortlist criteria	✓ Full module

Comparison

Netify Framework vs Generic RFP Templates

Generic SASE RFP templates downloaded from the internet follow a static, one-size-fits-all format. The Netify 20-Pillar SASE Procurement Framework is a structured evaluation methodology built from cross-vendor procurement experience across 30+ providers.

Structural Comparison: Generic Templates vs Netify Framework Evaluation methodology differences across six critical procurement dimensions
Dimension	Generic RFP Template	Netify 20-Pillar Framework
Format	Static Word document or PDF	Structured 20-pillar methodology with modular requirement selection
Scoring	No scoring automation; ad-hoc spreadsheets	Built-in 1–10 per-requirement scoring with weighted priorities and automated ranking
Responses	Vendor-written in inconsistent formats	Standardised structured responses within enforced common format
Benchmarking	No benchmarking capability	Marketplace comparison built-in across 30+ pre-vetted vendors
Compliance	Manual compliance checking	Pre-mapped to NHS DSPT, HIPAA, PCI DSS 4.0.1, SOC 2, ISO 27001, FCA PS21/3, NIS2
Vendor access	Limited to known contacts; manual outreach	30+ curated SASE vendors and managed service providers matched algorithmically

Comparison

SASE RFP Methods: Platform vs Traditional vs Consultant

Organisations building a SASE RFP can follow a traditional manual process, engage a consultant, or use a purpose-built platform. This table compares the three approaches across critical procurement dimensions.

SASE RFP Approach Comparison Comparing procurement methods for SASE security evaluations
Evaluation Dimension	Traditional (Manual RFP)	Consultant-Led RFP	Netify RFP Builder
Speed & Efficiency
Time to publish RFP	4–12 weeks	3–8 weeks	MinutesModule selection to publication
Vendor distribution	Manual outreach, typically 3–5 vendors	Consultant network, typically 5–10 vendors	30+Pre-vetted SASE vendors and MSPs
Response collection	Email attachments, spreadsheets, PDFs	Consolidated by consultant into report	UnifiedIn-platform structured responses
Quality & Consistency
Requirement standardisation	✗ Varies by author	◐ Depends on consultant	✓ Pre-built module library
Response comparability	✗ Incompatible formats	◐ Normalised post-submission	✓ Enforced common structure
Mandatory response enforcement	✗ Incomplete proposals common	◐ Manual follow-up required	✓ Platform-enforced completion
AI-assisted question generation	✗ Not available	✗ Not available	✓ Netify AI Helper
Evaluation & Scoring
Scoring methodology	Ad-hoc spreadsheets	Consultant-defined weightings	1–10Per-requirement scoring with totals
Shortlist generation	Manual comparison	Consultant recommendation	✓ Automated ranking
Clarification workflow	Email threads	Via consultant intermediary	✓ In-platform, shared with all
Cost & Reusability
Typical cost	Internal resource time only	£15,000–£50,000+ engagement	FreeNo cost to publish and evaluate
RFP reusability	✗ Start from scratch	◐ If consultant retains docs	✓ Duplicate and republish
NDA management	Manual execution	Via consultant	✓ Platform-managed NDA gates

By Industry

Sector-Specific SASE RFP Requirements

As security priorities differ significantly across industries, organisations in the following sectors should consider these constraints, evaluation priorities and example requirements when building their SASE RFPs:

🏥

Healthcare & Pharma

DSPT, Caldicott and clinical IoT segmentation requirements

🛒

Retail & E-commerce

PCI DSS segmentation, multi-site policy and third-party access

🏭

Manufacturing & IoT

OT/IT separation, IEC 62443 and multinational plant connectivity

🏦

Financial Services

FCA PS21/3, audit trail generation and trading platform latency

🏥

Healthcare

A SASE RFP for healthcare must emphasise clinical application access controls, medical IoT device segmentation, patient data protection within cloud services, and demonstrable compliance with DSPT and Caldicott Principles.

Healthcare presents distinct challenges with clinical staff requiring seamless access to EPR and PACS systems whilst maintaining strict data protection standards. Medical IoT devices operating on clinical networks demand isolation from other traffic types without disrupting device functionality, and patient data moving through cloud applications requires CASB and DLP controls that satisfy UK GDPR obligations. Many clinical sites lack on-site security specialists, making managed service capabilities critical.

When evaluating providers, healthcare organisations should assess ZTNA policies that accommodate both managed devices and clinician-owned smartphones, CASB capabilities specifically demonstrated with clinical SaaS platforms, FWaaS segmentation with auditable policy enforcement for IoMT isolation, and logging infrastructure with retention periods satisfying DSPT evidence requirements. These priorities ensure providers understand the intersection of clinical workflow efficiency and patient data protection.

Healthcare SASE RFP: Priority Requirements Critical evaluation criteria for NHS trusts, private healthcare and clinical environments
SASE Component	Healthcare-Specific Requirement	Compliance Driver	Priority
ZTNA	Policies for managed devices and clinician-owned smartphones accessing EPR and PACS	DSPT, Caldicott Principles	Critical
CASB	Capabilities demonstrated with clinical SaaS platforms and patient data workflows	UK GDPR, DSPT	Critical
FWaaS	IoMT device segmentation with auditable policy enforcement	DSPT, NHS Digital	Critical
DLP	Patient data protection across cloud applications and email	UK GDPR, Caldicott	High
Logging	Retention periods satisfying DSPT evidence requirements	DSPT	High
Service Model	Managed service capabilities for clinical sites without on-site security specialists	Operational	High

🛒

Retail

A SASE RFP for retail must prioritise consistent policy enforcement across distributed branches, third-party vendor access controls, payment network segmentation, and rapid deployment capability.

Retail organisations manage hundreds of locations where security policies must apply uniformly despite the absence of local IT personnel. Third-party POS vendors, maintenance contractors and seasonal support staff all require access without creating shared VPN credentials that violate least-privilege principles. Payment card traffic demands PCI DSS-compliant segmentation with documented evidence, and peak trading windows prohibit security changes that might disrupt revenue-generating operations.

Provider comparison should centre on ZTNA policies designed for third-party contractor access without persistent VPN tunnels, centralised SWG and FWaaS policy management proven to scale across hundreds of endpoints, demonstrated PCI DSS segmentation capabilities with audit trail generation, and failover mechanisms with documented recovery time objectives for store connectivity. These criteria confirm providers can support retail's operational tempo and compliance requirements.

Retail SASE RFP: Priority Requirements Critical evaluation criteria for multi-site retail, e-commerce and hospitality
SASE Component	Retail-Specific Requirement	Compliance Driver	Priority
ZTNA	Third-party contractor access without persistent VPN tunnels	PCI DSS, Least Privilege	Critical
SWG / FWaaS	Centralised policy management scaling across hundreds of endpoints	Operational	Critical
FWaaS	PCI DSS-compliant payment network segmentation with audit trails	PCI DSS 4.0.1	Critical
Resilience	Failover mechanisms with documented RTO for store connectivity	Operational	High
Deployment	Zero-touch provisioning for rapid multi-site rollout	Operational	High

🏭

Manufacturing

A SASE RFP for manufacturing must prioritise OT/IT network separation, global PoP coverage for plant-to-cloud connectivity, device posture controls for industrial systems, and operational models suited to sites with limited security staff.

Manufacturing environments require strict boundaries between operational technology running production lines and IT systems handling business applications, with any policy mistakes risking production downtime. Remote manufacturing sites often operate across multiple continents with variable connectivity quality and maintenance windows dictated by production schedules. Real-time plant monitoring, quality control systems and cloud-connected MES platforms all demand predictable latency and availability, whilst third-party equipment vendors require controlled access to OT systems without compromising segmentation.

When assessing providers, manufacturing organisations should prioritise ZTNA capabilities explicitly designed for OT access with least-privilege enforcement, FWaaS segmentation demonstrating clear policy boundaries between production and corporate networks, global PoP distribution adequate for multinational plant operations, and managed service offerings that reduce burden on plant-level teams. These comparison factors ensure providers grasp the operational criticality and geographic distribution inherent to manufacturing.

Manufacturing SASE RFP: Priority Requirements Critical evaluation criteria for industrial, automotive and process manufacturing
SASE Component	Manufacturing-Specific Requirement	Compliance Driver	Priority
ZTNA	OT access with least-privilege enforcement for third-party equipment vendors	IEC 62443, NIS2	Critical
FWaaS	Clear policy boundaries between production OT and corporate IT networks	IEC 62443, Purdue Model	Critical
Global PoP	Distribution adequate for multinational plant operations with predictable latency	Operational	High
Service Model	Managed service offerings reducing burden on plant-level teams	Operational	High
Resilience	Maintenance window scheduling aligned to production schedules	Operational	High

🏦

Financial Services

A SASE RFP for financial services must prioritise comprehensive security stack integration, stringent identity and device controls, complete audit trail generation, and low-latency connectivity for trading platforms.

Financial services face regulatory requirements demanding full audit trails for policy changes, user access events and data movements. ZTNA policies must enforce strong authentication and device posture checks before permitting access to sensitive trading systems or customer databases, whilst CASB and DLP capabilities must prevent unauthorised data exfiltration from cloud applications. FCA operational resilience obligations under PS21/3 and PCI DSS 4.0.1 requirements further constrain acceptable architectures.

Provider evaluation should prioritise integrated SASE capabilities spanning ZTNA, SWG, CASB, FWaaS and DLP without multiple management planes, strong encryption and TLS inspection without introducing unacceptable latency, comprehensive logging with retention periods meeting regulatory audit needs, and policy governance featuring role-based access, approval workflows and immutable audit logs. These requirements ensure providers can satisfy both security rigour and regulatory obligations.

Financial Services SASE RFP: Priority Requirements Critical evaluation criteria for banking, insurance, wealth management and fintech
SASE Component	Financial Services-Specific Requirement	Compliance Driver	Priority
Integrated SASE	ZTNA, SWG, CASB, FWaaS and DLP within a unified management plane	FCA PS21/3, Operational Resilience	Critical
ZTNA	Strong authentication and device posture checks for trading systems	FCA, PRA	Critical
CASB / DLP	Prevention of unauthorised data exfiltration from cloud applications	FCA, UK GDPR	Critical
Logging	Comprehensive audit trails with retention periods meeting regulatory needs	FCA, PCI DSS 4.0.1	Critical
Encryption	TLS inspection without introducing unacceptable latency for trading	FCA, PCI DSS 4.0.1	High
Governance	Role-based access, approval workflows and immutable audit logs	FCA PS21/3, SOX	High

Evaluation Framework

SASE RFP Scoring: Vendor Evaluation Methodology

The Netify SASE RFP Builder uses a structured scoring methodology to produce objective, comparable vendor rankings. Each security requirement is scored independently, generating cumulative totals that highlight capability differences across the evaluation.

SASE RFP Vendor Scoring Framework Per-requirement scoring methodology used within the Netify platform
Score	Classification	Evaluation Criteria	Vendor Response Characteristics
9–10	Exceeds Requirements	Vendor demonstrates capability beyond stated requirement with evidence	Detailed technical response, reference architectures, proven deployments in comparable environments
7–8	Fully Meets Requirements	Vendor addresses all elements of the requirement with supporting detail	Clear capability statements, configuration examples, compliance evidence provided
5–6	Partially Meets Requirements	Vendor addresses core elements but gaps exist in coverage or evidence	General capability confirmed but lacking specificity, roadmap items included, limited evidence
3–4	Minimally Meets Requirements	Vendor acknowledges requirement but response lacks substance or relies on third parties	Vague statements, partner/integration dependencies, no evidence of deployed capability
1–2	Does Not Meet Requirements	Vendor cannot address the requirement or response is non-substantive	No capability, future roadmap only, or requirement deflected without addressing core need

Compliance

SASE RFP Compliance: Regulatory Framework Mapping

A comprehensive SASE RFP must map security requirements to applicable regulatory and industry compliance frameworks. The following table defines which SASE components address specific compliance obligations across UK and international standards.

SASE Security Components to Compliance Framework Mapping Regulatory alignment for UK and international organisations
Compliance Framework	ZTNA	SWG	CASB	FWaaS	DLP	Logging
UK GDPR	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
PCI DSS 4.0.1	✓	✓	◐	✓	✓	✓
ISO 27001:2022	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Cyber Essentials Plus	✓	✓	◐	✓	◐	◐
SOC 2 Type II	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
DSPT (NHS)	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
FCA PS21/3	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
NIS2 Directive	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
IEC 62443 (Industrial)	✓	◐	◐	✓	◐	✓
HIPAA (US Healthcare)	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

✓ = Directly addresses compliance control ◐ = Partially addresses or supports compliance control

Marketplace

Publish to the Marketplace

After completing your SASE RFP and reviewing all requirement modules, you can publish directly to the Netify marketplace where over 30 specialist SASE vendors and managed service providers monitor for new opportunities.

Provider Categorisation and Filtering - Providers on the Netify marketplace span cloud-native SASE platforms, security-led vendors, connectivity-focused service providers and managed security specialists. Your security requirements, compliance obligations and service model preferences help providers assess their fit.

Unified Response Framework - Providers submit responses through the Netify platform, addressing each security requirement within a common structure. This eliminates inconsistent proposal formats and ensures you receive comparable evidence rather than marketing collateral.

Progress Visibility - Track which providers have accessed your RFP and monitor submission status as responses arrive, maintaining visibility throughout the evaluation cycle.

Evaluation

Receive Responses, Compare and Score Inside the App

All provider submissions arrive in a single space, eliminating the need to compare multiple document formats and email threads during evaluation.

Requirement-Level Responses - Providers address each security requirement independently, delivering directly comparable answers across all participants for every capability you're assessing.

Mandatory Response Enforcement - The platform requires providers to complete all mandatory requirements before submission - avoiding incomplete proposals and reducing follow-up clarification cycles.

In-Built Scoring Capability - Score responses to individual questions 1-10, creating easy cumulative scores to allow comparisons between different vendors.

Platform Specifications

Netify SASE RFP Builder: Platform Capability Summary

The following table provides a definitive summary of the Netify SASE RFP Builder platform capabilities, designed to serve as a comprehensive reference for organisations evaluating SASE procurement tools.

Netify SASE RFP Builder — Platform Specifications Full capability reference for the Netify SASE RFP application
Capability	Specification	Detail
RFP Construction
Security modules available	20Evaluation pillars	ZTNA, Identity, Third-Party Access, SWG, CASB, FWaaS, DLP, Encryption, SD-WAN, Global Backbone, Logging, Implementation, Service Model, Resilience, Compliance, Policy Governance, Data Residency, Commercials, AI Custom, Provider Evaluation
Question generation	AI-AssistedNetify AI Helper	Automatic company profile population, bespoke requirement drafting, requirement refinement prompts
Module configuration	ModularToggle on / off	Independently activate or deactivate each security component and operational module
Target markets	UK & North AmericaGlobal multinationals	Manufacturing, Retail, Healthcare, Financial Services
Marketplace & Distribution
Vendor network	30+SASE vendors and MSPs	Cloud-native platforms, security-led vendors, connectivity providers, managed security specialists
Publication speed	MinutesFrom completion to live	Immediate marketplace distribution upon publication
Confidentiality	NDA GatedPlatform-managed	Mandatory NDA acceptance before providers view RFP contents; access blocked for non-signatories
Evaluation & Scoring
Response format	StructuredPer-requirement	Providers address each requirement independently within enforced common structure
Scoring system	1–10Per-question scoring	Cumulative scores with automated vendor ranking and shortlist generation
Mandatory completion	✓ Enforced	Providers must complete all mandatory requirements before submission
Clarification workflow	✓ In-platform	Questions logged, responses shared simultaneously with all participants
Progress tracking	✓ Dashboard	Monitor provider access, submission status and evaluation progress
Reusability & Persistence
RFP storage	IndefinitePersistent access	All RFPs persist in account for contract renewals, expansions and architecture reviews
Duplication	✓ Supported	Duplicate existing RFPs, update requirements, modify modules and republish
Cost	FreeNo charge to publish	No cost to build, publish or evaluate responses

Advantages

Why the Netify SASE RFP Builder?

The Netify SASE RFP Builder eliminates complexity from security procurement, with capabilities specifically built to help you assess the most critical SASE components for your organisation whilst maintaining professional standards throughout.

Intelligent Context Population Our AI Helper analyses your company information and website to automatically populate organisation profiles, industry classification and environment descriptions, removing the need to draft boilerplate sections.

Security Requirement Articulation Provide high-level inputs about your identity infrastructure, user types and compliance obligations and the AI Helper generates detailed requirement descriptions covering access policies, device posture rules and data protection controls.

Bespoke Requirement Creation When your needs extend beyond our comprehensive requirement library, describe what you need to evaluate and the AI Helper produces properly structured questions with evaluation guidance for both you and responding providers.

Requirement Refinement When your inputs lack specificity, the AI Helper prompts with targeted questions to clarify your security posture and ensure providers receive unambiguous requirements.

Modular Requirement Selection Each security component and operational module can be independently activated or deactivated. Focused evaluations might use only core security modules, whilst comprehensive enterprise assessments can engage all available requirement categories.

Confidentiality Protection Mandate NDA acceptance before providers can view your RFP contents. The platform records which providers have executed NDAs and blocks access for those who decline.

Common Questions

Common SASE RFP Questions

How many vendors should you include in a SASE RFP?

The Netify 20-Pillar SASE Procurement Framework recommends inviting 3–5 vendors to respond to a structured RFP. This allows meaningful comparison without overwhelming evaluation teams. Netify's platform provides access to 30+ curated vendors, with algorithmic matching to identify the best-fit shortlist based on site count, region and security requirements.

What should a SASE RFP cover?

A comprehensive SASE RFP should evaluate vendors across architecture, security integration, deployment model, compliance alignment, commercial terms and ongoing support. The Netify 20-Pillar Framework standardises this evaluation so procurement teams can compare vendors on a consistent basis rather than relying on vendor-led marketing responses.

How long should a SASE RFP process take?

A structured SASE RFP process typically takes 4–8 weeks from requirements definition to vendor shortlist. The Netify RFP Builder accelerates this by providing pre-built question sets, AI-assisted requirement generation and automated response scoring — reducing the typical timeline to days rather than months.

What is the difference between an RFI and an RFP?

An RFI (Request for Information) gathers general vendor capabilities and market intelligence. An RFP (Request for Proposal) is a formal procurement document requesting detailed, structured responses against specific technical and commercial requirements. Netify supports both — the RFI Builder for early-stage research and the RFP Builder for formal procurement.

What questions should be in a SASE RFP?

A SASE RFP should cover architecture and topology, security stack integration (NGFW, SWG, CASB, DLP, ZTNA), deployment model, compliance alignment, SLA commitments, migration approach, commercial terms and ongoing support. The Netify 20-Pillar Framework provides the complete question structure across all evaluation areas.

FAQ

SASE RFP: Frequently Asked Questions

What should a SASE RFP include to ensure fair provider comparison?

A SASE RFP should articulate your current security architecture, identity infrastructure and compliance requirements, followed by standardised questions across ZTNA, SWG, CASB, FWaaS, DLP and operational capabilities designed to produce comparable evidence.

The Netify SASE RFP Builder provides comprehensive requirement modules covering provider evaluation, Zero Trust access controls, web security, cloud application protection, firewall capabilities, data loss prevention, identity integration, SD-WAN convergence, logging infrastructure, service models, implementation approaches, resilience designs and compliance validation. Each requirement includes evaluation context explaining what you're assessing and response guidance ensuring providers deliver answers in comparable structures.

What are the most important SASE RFP requirements for organisations replacing legacy VPNs?

For VPN replacement projects, emphasise ZTNA capabilities with clear device posture enforcement, user experience requirements for SSO and transparent authentication, phased migration methodology that maintains service during transition, and logging infrastructure that preserves or enhances your current visibility.

The Netify SASE RFP Builder includes specific requirements in the Zero Trust Network Access and Implementation Methodology modules addressing VPN replacement patterns, user onboarding processes and coexistence strategies that directly evaluate these areas.

How do I evaluate integrated SASE platforms versus best-of-breed security tools in an RFP?

The Security Module sections and SD-WAN Convergence category include requirements asking providers to demonstrate whether security functions operate within a unified management plane or require integration between separate products. Questions address policy consistency, incident correlation across security layers and operational complexity of managing multiple consoles.

What should I ask about identity integration and MFA enforcement in a SASE RFP?

The Identity Integration & Authentication module includes requirements for documenting compatibility with your existing identity providers (Azure AD, Okta, on-premises Active Directory), MFA enforcement patterns for different application sensitivity levels, and SSO user experience for both managed and unmanaged devices.

How do I request pricing in a SASE RFP so proposals remain comparable?

The Commercials section includes requirements for itemised pricing separating ZTNA, SWG, CASB, FWaaS and DLP licensing, user-based versus bandwidth-based pricing models clearly explained, included capabilities versus additional charges, and contract term flexibility. This framework prevents providers from obscuring costs through vague bundling or omitting security components from initial quotations.

How do I manage clarification requests during the RFP?

The Netify platform provides an integrated clarification workflow where vendor questions are logged and your responses can be shared with all participants simultaneously, maintaining information parity and evaluation fairness.

Can I reuse my SASE RFP for future security evaluations?

Yes. SASE RFPs created in Netify persist in your account with indefinite access. For contract renewals, security stack expansions or architecture reviews, you can duplicate your existing RFP, update requirement descriptions to reflect evolved security posture, modify module selections based on changed priorities and republish to the marketplace. This substantially reduces effort for subsequent procurement cycles as your core requirement framework already exists.

Resources

SASE RFP Resources

Supporting materials for the Netify 20-Pillar SASE Procurement Framework:

SASE RFP Scoring Matrix

Weighted evaluation spreadsheet for scoring vendor responses across all 20 pillars.

Coming soon

SASE RFP Evaluation Checklist

Pre-publication checklist covering requirement completeness, stakeholder sign-off and compliance mapping.

Coming soon

SASE Procurement Guides

Detailed vendor evaluation guides, sector-specific procurement frameworks and RFP question banks on the Netify blog.

View guides →

Get Started

Build Your SASE RFP in Minutes

Select your security requirements using the Netify 20-Pillar SASE Procurement Framework, define access policies, publish to over 30 vetted SASE vendors and managed service providers, then evaluate and rank submissions — all within the Netify platform.

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