Event Registration RFP Checklist for Vendor Selection

Event registration is no longer a simple web form. It is the front door to your most important conferences, customer programs, and internal events. When registration fails, it is not just an inconvenience. It affects attendee trust, data quality, and your ability to measure event ROI.

For most organizations, an event registration platform now sits in the same category as CRM and marketing automation. That means procurement, IT, security, and finance all have a stake in the decision. To bring those groups together, you need a structured event registration RFP checklist, not a loose set of notes.

This guide is designed as a neutral, auditor-friendly reference. You can use it as your event registration requirements template, then adapt the details to your internal standards. It walks through a complete event registration RFP checklist that covers security, data model, approvals, onsite, analytics, and integrations.

If you want to see how these requirements work in practice, you can request a demo of a modern event registration platform like Bizzabo’s event registration solution and walk through your shortlist line by line.

What you’ll learn

By the end of this guide, you will be able to:

• Build a complete event registration RFP checklist that speaks to event leaders, procurement, and IT/security.
• Copy 60 to 80 concise, testable requirements into your registration software requirements checklist.
• Turn this article into a Must/Should/Nice scoring matrix to compare vendors in a consistent way.

How to use this event registration RFP checklist

Treat this article as a structured RFP skeleton. Every bullet below can become a row in your comparison matrix or a requirement in your formal event registration RFP.

A simple way to structure your matrix is to create a table or spreadsheet with the following columns:

• Requirement – the short, testable statement you are evaluating.
• Priority – Must, Should, or Nice.
• Vendor response – for example: Yes, Configuration, Customization, Roadmap, or Not supported.
• Evidence – link or reference to documentation, security report, or demo.
• Owner – who signs off that this requirement is satisfied (event lead, IT, security, finance, onsite).

As you build out the matrix:

• Ask internal stakeholders to help assign priorities. Security may mark some items as non-negotiable, while onsite teams will have their own must-haves.
• Keep language neutral and specific so vendors can respond clearly.
• Capture both functional fit and implementation details, not only whether a feature exists.

If you are looking for more context on designing the registration flow itself, pair this checklist with Bizzabo’s guide on how to build an event registration process.

Security and compliance requirements for event registration software

Security should be the first section in any event registration RFP checklist. Event registration systems handle personal data, payment details, and potentially internal attendee lists. Enterprise buyers expect strong identity controls, encryption, and audit logging as a baseline.

Use these requirements to frame your security and compliance section:

1. Platform supports SSO using SAML 2.0 and/or OIDC for admin and organizer users.
2. Platform supports just-in-time user provisioning via SSO.
3. Platform supports SCIM or an equivalent standard to automate user provisioning and deprovisioning.
4. Role-based access controls allow separate roles for admins, event managers, support, and read-only stakeholders.
5. All data is encrypted in transit with modern TLS and at rest with documented key management practices.
6. Vendor provides a current security whitepaper or security overview.
7. Vendor maintains relevant certifications or attestations, with summaries available under NDA where required.
8. Comprehensive audit logs capture admin actions, configuration changes, data exports, and login events.
9. Admins can search, export, and retain audit logs for a defined period.
10. Vendor publishes a clear data retention policy, including defaults and configurable options.
11. Data deletion and anonymization workflows can be triggered at the attendee and event level.
12. Data residency options are documented, including available regions and any limitations.
13. Vendor signs a data processing agreement aligned with your privacy requirements.
14. Vendor maintains a documented incident response plan and notifies customers within a defined timeframe after a confirmed incident.
15. Sandbox or test environments are available with controls to segregate test and production data.

Data model and registration form requirements

Your registration data model determines whether you can segment, personalize, and report effectively. It is also where many registration projects run into limitations later.

Include requirements like these in your data model and forms section:

16. Platform supports custom fields across common types, including text, numeric, date, select lists, multi-select, consent, and file upload.
17. Custom fields can be defined once and reused across multiple events and templates.
18. Organizers can configure conditional logic to show or hide fields based on ticket type, attendee type, or previous answers.
19. Forms support dynamic session selection that reflects ticket or track choices.
20. Field-level validation is configurable, including patterns, minimums, and maximums.
21. Organizers can mark fields as required or optional, with different rules by ticket type where needed.
22. Forms are fully responsive and usable on mobile devices without horizontal scrolling.
23. Registration flows conform to accessibility standards and support keyboard navigation and screen readers.
24. Multi-step forms are supported, with clear progress indicators and the ability to resume an in-progress registration.
25. Event templates and cloned events retain form configuration, including conditional logic and validation rules.
26. Forms can prefill fields for known contacts while respecting security and privacy controls.
27. The platform provides guardrails to encourage structured values instead of free text where appropriate.

To understand how these choices affect the attendee experience, you can also review examples from Bizzabo’s articles on corporate event registration software.

Payments and refunds in your event registration RFP

If your events collect payment, payment handling needs to be clearly represented in your event registration RFP checklist. Finance and compliance teams will expect to see these requirements in writing.

Consider including:

28. Platform offers PCI-compliant payment processing via approved gateways.
29. Payment forms use secure hosted components or tokenization to reduce PCI scope.
30. System supports multiple payment methods that match your audience and markets.
31. Strong customer authentication is supported in regions where it is required.
32. Multi-currency pricing and display are supported for global events.
33. Tax rules can be configured by jurisdiction, including VAT, GST, and local surcharges.
34. Organizers can configure discount codes, early bird pricing, and tiered pricing.
35. Group and corporate pricing models are supported without custom development.
36. Refund workflows support full and partial refunds with an audit trail and notifications.
37. Reports provide a clear view of payouts, fees, taxes, and chargebacks for reconciliation.

Approvals and group registration requirements

Approvals and groups are especially important for corporate events, partner summits, and internal programs where managers control budgets and attendance.

Use requirements such as:

38. Platform supports group registration, where a coordinator can register multiple attendees in one flow.
39. System can collect both group-level and individual attendee data.
40. Approval workflows can be configured with one or more approvers per registration or group.
41. Approvers receive structured notifications with clear approve or reject options and space for comments.
42. Approval status is visible to registrants and organizers with timestamps.
43. Platform supports quotas by ticket type, company, region, or segment.
44. Waitlists can be enabled per ticket type, with automatic promotion rules.
45. Group substitutions are supported, with tracking of original and replacement attendees.
46. Cost codes and project codes can be captured as structured fields and exported for finance.

If you are planning a large conference or trade show, this section pairs well with insights from Bizzabo’s articles on conference registration software and managing online event registrations

On-site badge printing and kiosk requirements

A smooth on-site check-in experience is one of the most visible outcomes of your registration decision. Badge printing and kiosks are often the first stress test of your platform.

Include requirements such as:

47. Platform supports on-demand badge printing directly from registration data.
48. Self-service kiosks are available for check-in and badge printing, with configurable flows.
49. Staffed check-in interfaces allow quick search by name, email, company, or confirmation code.
50. Badge layouts support attendee name, organization, role, and optional codes or identifiers.
51. Design tools or templates allow non-technical users to configure badge layouts.
52. Reprint workflows support lost or damaged badges with appropriate logging.
53. On-site check-in supports an offline mode with secure local caching and automatic sync.
54. Organizers can monitor throughput, queue length, and check-in volume per station or lane.
55. Vendor provides guidance or tools for lane design and staffing to meet target check-in times.

For a deeper look at hardware choices and layout options, see Bizzabo’s guide to event registration and badge printing.

Access control and session scanning requirements

Access control and session scanning link registration data to what actually happens onsite. They support capacity management, sponsor reporting, and CE or CPD tracking.

Add requirements like:

56. Platform supports session-level access rules driven by ticket type, pass type, or approvals.
57. Scanning options include QR codes and at least one additional form of credential, such as NFC or RFID, where appropriate.
58. System enforces rules for invalid and duplicate scans and provides clear feedback at access points.
59. Capacity and occupancy can be monitored in real time for rooms and sessions.
60. CE or CPD credit rules can be configured by session, including minimum attendance thresholds.
61. Per attendee attendance records are exportable in formats suitable for accrediting bodies.
62. On-site teams can capture both entry and exit scans where required.
63. Lead retrieval or sponsor scanning can be enabled without interfering with access control.

Analytics and export requirements for registration platforms

Analytics and exports determine whether you can prove the impact of your events. Many teams still struggle to connect registrations to revenue and engagement outcomes. That is why this section belongs squarely in your event registration RFP checklist.

Include requirements such as:

64. Platform provides standard dashboards for registrations, attendance, revenue, and funnel conversion.
65. Users can build or customize reports without vendor intervention.
66. Reports can be filtered by event, ticket type, segment, date range, and other dimensions.
67. Scheduled exports can be configured to send data to secure destinations on a recurring basis.
68. APIs or connectors can send registration data into a central warehouse or BI tool.
69. UTM parameters and campaign identifiers are captured and preserved in exports.
70. Contract language clearly defines ownership of registration and event data and the right to export it.
71. Vendor can provide guidance on connecting registration data to broader event ROI metrics.

For more context on event data strategy and ROI, Bizzabo’s guide to event data management and analytics can complement this checklist.

Integrations to include in your event registration RFP

Integrations often determine whether a registration platform fits smoothly into your stack or creates new silos. This should be one of the most detailed sections in your event registration RFP.

Consider requirements like:

72. Platform offers native integrations with your primary CRM.
73. Platform offers native integrations with your marketing automation platform.
74. Integration mappings support custom fields, event objects, and session data.
75. Bi-directional sync rules are configurable, including conflict handling and source of truth for key fields.
76. Platform supports webhooks or event streams for key lifecycle events such as registration, update, cancellation, and attendance.
77. Finance systems can receive exports or integrations aligned to invoicing and reconciliation processes.
78. Integrations are covered by service level commitments for incident response and resolution.
79. Vendor provides a test or sandbox environment for integration, development, and QA.

If integrations are a top priority, review how your shortlisted vendors describe their event registration and integration capabilities on their solution pages, such as the Bizzabo event registration platform overview.

Services and support in your registration software RFP

Features alone are not enough. Implementation, training, onsite support, and SLAs will determine how reliably your registration program runs at scale.

Include requirements such as:

80. Vendor provides a detailed implementation plan with estimated timelines and milestones.
81. A named customer success or account manager is assigned to your organization.
82. Training options are available for admins, event managers, onsite staff, and support teams.
83. Vendor offers onsite or remote support packages for major events, with clearly defined scopes.
84. Support channels include at least one real-time option during critical event windows.
85. Support SLAs define response and resolution targets by severity level.
86. Vendor publishes uptime commitments and maintenance windows, along with historical uptime data.
87. Vendor provides a runbook or best practice guide for high-volume and complex events.

How to build an event registration vendor comparison matrix

Once you have your event registration RFP checklist, the next step is to turn it into a vendor comparison matrix that makes decision-making transparent.

A simple structure looks like this:

To use this matrix effectively:

1. Set priorities first
   Work with stakeholders to mark each requirement as Must, Should, or Nice before you talk to vendors.
2. Standardize responses
   Ask vendors to respond using a consistent set of options, such as Yes, Configuration, Customization, Roadmap, or Not supported.
3. Score by priority
   Assign higher weight to Must-haves, moderate weight to Should-haves, and lower weight to Nice-to-haves.
4. Capture risks and dependencies
   Use the notes column to flag custom work, additional modules, or dependencies on future roadmap items.
5. Review with stakeholders
   Walk through the matrix with procurement, IT/security, finance, and your event team so everyone understands trade-offs.

If you’d like to see how a modern event registration platform stacks up against this checklist, the most direct next step is to speak with a product expert. Request a live demo of Bizzabo’s event registration platform to see how it addresses security, data model, onsite, analytics, and integration requirements in real time.

Event registration RFP checklist FAQs