Appendix B: The Legal Tech Vendor RFP Matrix & AI-Ready’ Scorecard

This appendix provides two tools: a Vendor RFP Evaluation Matrix for scoring and comparing legal technology vendors on a consistent basis, and an AI-Ready Scorecard for assessing whether a vendor’s platform is architecturally prepared for the AI-augmented workflows described in Chapters 13-14.

Part 1: The Vendor RFP Evaluation Matrix

Evaluation Categories and Weightings

The weightings below reflect a balanced assessment. Adjust weightings based on your organisation’s specific priorities — a firm facing a regulatory deadline will weight compliance capabilities higher; a firm prioritising user experience will weight adoption factors higher.

Category	Weight	Subcriteria
Functional Fit	30%	Core feature coverage, workflow alignment, configurability, reporting capabilities
Integration	20%	API availability, native connectors (CRM, ERP, DMS), middleware compatibility, data export/import
User Experience	15%	Interface design, mobile access, learning curve, self-service capability
Security & Compliance	15%	Data encryption, hosting options (cloud/on-prem/hybrid), SOC 2/ISO 27001, data residency, privacy compliance
Vendor Viability	10%	Company size and funding, customer base, product roadmap, financial stability
Commercial Terms	10%	Pricing model, contract flexibility, implementation costs, ongoing support costs

Scoring Scale

Score	Definition
5 — Exceeds	Fully meets the requirement with additional capabilities beyond the specification
4 — Meets	Fully meets the requirement as specified
3 — Partially Meets	Meets the requirement with minor gaps or workarounds required
2 — Significant Gaps	Material gaps that would require custom development or process changes
1 — Does Not Meet	Requirement not addressed; no viable workaround

The Evaluation Scorecard

Category (Weight)	Vendor A	Vendor B	Vendor C
Functional Fit (30%)	[Score × 0.30]	[Score × 0.30]	[Score × 0.30]
Integration (20%)	[Score × 0.20]	[Score × 0.20]	[Score × 0.20]
User Experience (15%)	[Score × 0.15]	[Score × 0.15]	[Score × 0.15]
Security & Compliance (15%)	[Score × 0.15]	[Score × 0.15]	[Score × 0.15]
Vendor Viability (10%)	[Score × 0.10]	[Score × 0.10]	[Score × 0.10]
Commercial Terms (10%)	[Score × 0.10]	[Score × 0.10]	[Score × 0.10]
Weighted Total	[Sum]	[Sum]	[Sum]

Key RFP Questions by Category

Functional Fit:

Describe how your platform handles [specific workflow, e.g., multi-party contract negotiation with parallel review tracks]
Provide a demonstration of [specific feature] using our sample data/scenario
What configuration is required to support our [specific process requirement]?

Integration:

List all native integrations with [CRM/ERP/DMS platforms in use]
Describe your API architecture: REST/GraphQL, authentication method, rate limits, webhook support
Provide documentation for your data export capabilities: formats supported, scheduling, and completeness

Security & Compliance:

Where is data hosted? Can we specify data residency jurisdiction?