TL;DR · OEE software RFI/RFP template in 60 words
This guide provides a complete OEE software vendor selection toolkit: 50-question RFI/RFP template covering functional, technical, deployment, and commercial requirements. 12-criterion weighted evaluation scorecard. Implementation checklist from pre-deployment through post-go-live. Reference call script with 10 critical questions. Covers edge sensor, OPC UA, multi-site ISO 22400-2, cybersecurity IEC 62443, 5-year TCO model.
For manufacturing procurement and operations teams running OEE software vendor selection in 2027, a structured evaluation process is critical: the difference between a successful 4-week deployment delivering +10 OEE points and a failed 12-month project wasting $500K+ comes down to asking the right questions before purchase. This guide provides ready-to-use templates: a comprehensive RFI/RFP questionnaire, a weighted evaluation scorecard, an implementation checklist, and a reference call script, all based on patterns observed across 450+ factory deployments.
RFI/RFP template: 50 essential questions
Section 1: OEE methodology and functionality (15 questions)
| # | Question | Why it matters |
|---|
| 1 | Describe your OEE calculation methodology. Is it ISO 22400-2 compliant? | Ensures standardized A × P × Q across all sites, prevents “OEE definition wars” |
| 2 | How do you categorize the Six Big Losses? Can categories be customized per site? | Six Big Losses taxonomy must match your continuous improvement methodology |
| 3 | How is planned downtime handled in the OEE calculation? Excluded or included? | Critical distinction: “loading time” definition impacts OEE number significantly |
| 4 | How do you measure Performance (speed loss)? Ideal cycle time vs actual? | Performance calculation methodology varies widely between vendors |
| 5 | How are minor stops vs reduced speed differentiated? | Minor stops (<5 min, frequent) vs reduced speed (continuous but slower) require different detection methods |
| 6 | How is Quality rate calculated? First-pass yield or all production? | Quality = good units / total units produced, startup rejects + production rejects |
| 7 | What real-time dashboards are included? Can they be customized? | Operator-facing andon, supervisor shift report, manager plant overview, VP multi-site |
| 8 | How do operators categorize stop reasons? Touch screen, tablet, barcode? | Operator input method impacts adoption rate, simplicity is critical |
| 9 | What reporting is available? Shift, daily, weekly, monthly, custom date range? | Different stakeholders need different report cadences |
| 10 | How is inter-site benchmarking supported? Normalized or raw comparison? | Fair multi-site comparison requires normalization for product mix, machine age, shift pattern |
| 11 | What alerting and notification capabilities exist? | Real-time alerts for downtime threshold, OEE drop, quality event critical for rapid response |
| 12 | What languages are supported in the UI? | Global deployments require multilingual operator interfaces |
| 13 | Can different sites have different stop reason categories while maintaining group-level reporting? | Balance: local relevance vs group standardization |
| 14 | How is shift pattern management handled? | Shift definitions vary by site and change seasonally, system must be flexible |
| 15 | What continuous improvement workflow support is included? | OEE measurement without improvement workflow = measuring but not improving |
Section 2: Technical architecture (10 questions)
| # | Question | Why it matters |
|---|
| 16 | Do you offer edge sensor (PLC-independent) data collection? | Edge sensor eliminates PLC dependency, critical for legacy machines and locked-down automation |
| 17 | What PLC/SCADA protocols do you support (OPC UA, Modbus, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET)? | Protocol coverage determines integration with existing automation |
| 18 | What is your cloud architecture (SaaS, private cloud, on-premise)? | Data sovereignty, latency, offline operation requirements vary |
| 19 | What happens when cloud connectivity is lost? Offline operation capability? | Manufacturing cannot stop when internet drops, edge buffering essential |
| 20 | What APIs are available for integration (REST, MQTT, OPC UA)? | Integration with ERP, MES, CMMS, BI tools requires open APIs |
| 21 | How is data stored? Time-series database? Retention period? | Historical OEE data for trending, benchmarking, compliance |
| 22 | What is your data export capability? Formats? Frequency? | Data portability, YOUR data must be exportable if you switch vendors |
| 23 | What BI tool integration exists (Power BI, Tableau, Grafana)? | Many enterprises want OEE data in existing BI infrastructure |
| 24 | What mobile app capabilities exist? | Supervisors and managers need mobile OEE access on plant floor |
| 25 | What is your product roadmap for next 2-3 years? | ML/AI, digital twin, sustainability, deeper ERP integration, future-proofing |
Section 3: Security and compliance (8 questions)
| # | Question |
|---|
| 26 | Do you hold SOC 2 Type II certification? |
| 27 | Are you ISO 27001 certified? |
| 28 | Is your edge hardware IEC 62443 SL2 compliant? |
| 29 | Where is data stored geographically? GDPR/PIPL data residency compliance? |
| 30 | What encryption is used (in transit TLS version, at rest AES-256)? |
| 31 | What authentication methods are supported (SSO SAML/OIDC, MFA)? |
| 32 | What is your vulnerability management process (penetration testing frequency)? |
| 33 | How do you handle NIS2 Directive requirements (EU manufacturing)? |
Section 4: Deployment and support (9 questions)
| # | Question |
|---|
| 34 | What is your typical deployment timeline for a single site (10-50 machines)? |
| 35 | What is your deployment methodology (phases, milestones)? |
| 36 | What training is included (operators, supervisors, administrators)? |
| 37 | What support tiers are available (business hours, 24/7)? |
| 38 | What is your SLA for system availability (99.9%, 99.99%)? |
| 39 | How is multi-site rollout managed (central team, local teams)? |
| 40 | What change management support do you provide? |
| 41 | How are software updates deployed (automatic, scheduled, manual)? |
| 42 | What is your escalation path for critical issues? |
Section 5: Commercial (8 questions)
| # | Question |
|---|
| 43 | Provide 5-year TCO breakdown (Year 0 + Years 1-4 recurring) for our scope. |
| 44 | What is your pricing model (per machine, per site, per user, enterprise)? |
| 45 | What are edge sensor / hardware costs? |
| 46 | What discounts are available for multi-site commitment? |
| 47 | Can you propose a paid pilot (scope, success criteria, conversion terms)? |
| 48 | Provide 3 customer references (similar industry, similar scale). |
| 49 | What contract terms: length, exit clause, data portability? |
| 50 | What is included vs additional cost (training, integration, custom reports)? |
Weighted evaluation scorecard
| Criterion | Weight | Vendor A | Vendor B | Vendor C |
|---|
| Deployment speed (time to first OEE) | 15% | _/5 | _/5 | _/5 |
| Operator usability (demo impression + G2) | 15% | _/5 | _/5 | _/5 |
| OEE methodology (ISO 22400-2 rigor) | 12% | _/5 | _/5 | _/5 |
| Multi-site standardization | 12% | _/5 | _/5 | _/5 |
| Edge sensor / PLC independence | 10% | _/5 | _/5 | _/5 |
| Integration (ERP/MES/CMMS/BI) | 10% | _/5 | _/5 | _/5 |
| 5-year TCO | 10% | _/5 | _/5 | _/5 |
| Vendor references and stability | 8% | _/5 | _/5 | _/5 |
| Cybersecurity (IEC 62443, SOC 2) | 4% | _/5 | _/5 | _/5 |
| Roadmap / innovation | 4% | _/5 | _/5 | _/5 |
| Weighted total | 100% | _/5 | _/5 | _/5 |
Implementation checklist: 12-week OEE deployment
| Week | Activity | Owner | Deliverable |
|---|
| Pre | Define scope, assign project lead, machine inventory, network assessment | Project Lead + Vendor | Scope document, machine list, network diagram |
| 1-2 | Install edge sensors / configure OPC UA connections on first 10-20 machines | Vendor + Maintenance | Sensors installed, data flowing to platform |
| 2-3 | Configure dashboards, define stop reason categories, set OEE targets | Vendor + CI Manager | Dashboards live, categories approved |
| 3-4 | Train operators (stop categorization), supervisors (reports), managers (dashboards) | Vendor + CI Manager | All users trained, documented |
| 4-6 | Go-live: operators using system daily, morning meeting with OEE data | CI Manager + Supervisors | Daily OEE measurement operational |
| 6-8 | Refine stop categories, address operator feedback, optimize dashboard layout | CI Manager | Refined categories, improved adoption |
| 8-10 | First formal OEE review with management, identify top 3 losses, improvement plan | Plant Manager + CI | Management review deck, improvement plan |
| 10-12 | Execute first improvement actions (SMED, autonomous maintenance, etc.) | CI Team + Operators | Measurable OEE improvement vs baseline |
Reference call script: 10 critical questions
- What was the actual deployment timeline from contract signing to first OEE measurement? (Compare to vendor’s claim)
- What operator adoption rate did you achieve after 3 months? (Target: >80% consistent use)
- What OEE improvement have you measured since deployment? (Credible range: +5-15 points in Year 1)
- Were there hidden costs the vendor did not disclose upfront? (Integration, network, training)
- How responsive is vendor support when issues arise? (SLA adherence)
- What integration challenges did you encounter? (ERP, MES, CMMS, PLC compatibility)
- If you have multiple sites, how did multi-site rollout go? (Template reuse, local customization)
- How accurate is the OEE data? Do operators trust the numbers? (Data quality is adoption killer)
- Knowing what you know now, would you choose the same vendor? (Direct recommendation)
- What would you do differently in the evaluation or deployment process? (Lessons learned)
Conclusion
A structured OEE software evaluation using this 50-question RFI/RFP template + 12-criterion weighted scorecard + implementation checklist + reference call script de-risks your vendor selection and accelerates time-to-value. Key principles: (1) require pilot before full commitment, (2) evaluate 5-year TCO not just Year 1 pricing, (3) weight operator usability and deployment speed highest, (4) verify claims via reference calls with similar-scale organizations. TeepTrak Pulse scores highest on multi-site standardization (450+ factories, 30 countries), edge sensor independence (TeepTrak Box), and ISO 22400-2 methodology rigor, proven by Hutchinson +33 OEE points across 40 sites.
Next step: download the editable OEE software evaluation scorecard or request a free TeepTrak Pulse pilot proposal.
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