We all know the saying “You get what you pay for”. Well, that isn’t correct. You get what you spec for. When hiring contracted security, it is imperative that you spell out exactly what you need, want, and expect from the company. Therefore, you should always put out a Request for Proposals (RFP). RFPs detail exactly what duties and responsibilities you are looking for your contracted security professionals to perform. It specifies everything from number of personnel, to experience levels, to desired credentials. A RFP allows you to receive several bids. The more bids you receive, the better you can address your vulnerabilities and your budget. In your RFP, you want to give some background information on what you’re looking to protect. Right away, that will allow a security professional to assess their own capabilities of providing the needed service. Also, you want the answers to your proposal to be a specific as possible. You want to lay out a set of goals that you are looking to accomplish by hiring a security professional. Listing goals will help ensure that you and your contractor are on the same page. Remember goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timed aka SMART. The terms of the contract should be listed in RFP. RFP should also indicate the scope of services to be provided. Responsibilities in addition to the scope of services should be included in the RFP. Expectations (appearance, aptitude, and attitude) must also be outlined in the RFP. You’re not only hiring a security professional to protect your assets, you’re paying for peace of mind. The intention is to hire an expert in the security field that will know how to protect what you value and grant you the opportunity to put your focus elsewhere. However, only you truly know what will ease your anxieties. Although, most security professionals know how to get the job done, it is up to you, to explain exactly what job it is that you want done. It is the duty of the purchaser of the service to specify exactly what they want and allow the contractor to explain how they will provide what is requested. Lastly, the RFP must include how it is to be answered. You want the RFP to indicate specific criteria so that you may evaluate accordingly. Contractors will also need to know when, where, and to whom they shall submit their proposals. Additionally, the RFP should indicate how the contractor will be selected. A properly written RFP will attract a more professional and competent security professional. The RFP process will allow the purchaser to think out exactly what they are looking for in a contracted security professional. The RFP will serve as a reference document for the buyer to ensure that contractor provides the required services as intended.