These Transportation Management System (TMS) RFP sample questions are designed to help organizations uncover specifics about different solutions and ensure they select the right TMS for their needs. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Generic questions about company history, office locations, commercial terms, etc. are not part of this document.
- General solution questions:
- What modes of transportation does the TMS support? Truckload/Road, Less-than-Truckload/Groupage, Fleet, Ocean, Road, Air, Parcel and Rail?
- Can the TMS handle multi-modal shipments (multiple legs on same shipment)?
- What are the capabilities of the TMS to handle international shipments and small parcel shipments?
- Can the TMS handle complex optimization requirements, such as multi-stop shipments, pooling, fleet vs. for-hire, or zone skipping?
- Does the TMS vendor also provide a connected carrier/forwarder network (API-EDI, etc.)?
- How easy can the TMS vendor add any carriers/forwarders to the network if they are not yet connected?
- Has the TMS an in-house real-time visibility platform? Or do you need to contract a different party for this?
- Does the TMS have a good solution for both inbound and outbound flows, domestic and international?
- Does the TMS have internal dock appointment scheduling and yard management solutions?
- What are the capabilities to meet sustainability targets and to do CO2 emission reporting?
- Does the TMS have freight invoice audit module? With pre-billing and/or invoice control options?
- Can the TMS handle specific transportation requirements, such as temperature-controlled shipping, hazardous materials, or cross-border shipping?
- How easily can the TMS connect to my internal systems, such as ERP and WMS?
- What are the reporting capabilities does the TMS have? Does it have embedded analytics and/or is it easy to export data into a data warehouse?
- Which certifications does the TMS provider have (ISO, SOC2 etc.)?
- How much focus does the TMS provider have for security of the solution, and what security measures are in place?
- Does the TMS have a single sign on solution to my company identity and access solution?
- Is there a clear strategic roadmap of the TMS for the coming years?
- Will the solution scale as needed?
2. Benefit questions
- How does the TMS improve shipment planning and execution, and what kind of time savings can we expect to see?
- Can the TMS help us reduce transportation costs, and if so, how?
- Can the TMS help us improve our customer service and satisfaction? If so, how?
- Does the TMS provide real-time visibility into transportation processes, and how does this improve decision-making and operational efficiency?
- How does the TMS handle transportation optimization, such as load consolidation, multi-leg, fleet, and what kind of savings can we expect to see?
- Can the vendor provide case studies or customer references that demonstrate specific benefits achieved by other companies using their TMS?
3. Overall vendor reputation
- Does the TMS have a track record for complex and global roll outs in the key regions with happy customers?
- What is the supplier’s reputation in the market with customers and supply chain partners
- Is the supplier innovating, investing, and keeping current with industry trends?
INDUSTRY WHITEPAPER
The 4 key points to take full advantage of a TMS
Anyone considering investing in a TMS or replacing an existing package as a company should focus on 4 aspects. This makes it possible to tackle the most important challenges of today and the near future.
