Must-have HR services RFP template in 2025

HR services aren’t just an add-on — they’re the compliance backbone of your business. Whether you’re opening a new office in another state, handling an employee claim, or managing ACA filings, HR services help keep everything in order and compliant. Get them wrong, and you risk penalties, lawsuits, and a whole lot of wasted time.

The challenge is that HR compliance is messy. Each state has its own rules. Federal requirements stack on top. And if you’re using spreadsheets or piecemeal systems, it’s almost impossible to keep up. 

That’s why many companies look to outsource — but not all HR service providers are built the same. Some force you into a rigid PEO co-employment model. Others only cover a narrow slice of tasks, leaving gaps for your team to plug manually.

So how do you choose? This guide lays out the most important areas to evaluate in your HR Services RFP. For each one, you’ll see why it matters, what good looks like, and sample questions to ask vendors. Plus, you’ll get a free RFP template for HR services that you can use to effectively and efficiently start evaluating vendors. 

1. Multi-state compliance and filings

Once you start hiring in multiple states, compliance complexity explodes. Every new state means setting up payroll tax accounts, registering new hires, posting updated labor notices, and tracking local leave laws. Add in federal requirements like ACA, COBRA, and EEO reporting, and suddenly your HR team is buried in deadlines. Managing it all manually isn’t just inefficient — it’s risky.

A good HR services provider should act like your compliance “easy button.” They’ll open and maintain state and local payroll tax accounts, handle ongoing filings, and give you audit-ready proof. They’ll also keep your policies and posters up to date across every jurisdiction, so you never have to scramble when the rules change.

Rippling HR Services automatically registers tax accounts, manages filings, and provides proactive alerts through Compliance 360 dashboards and Mineral handbooks. Everything connects back to the Rippling employee record, so your data is accurate, consistent, and always audit-ready.

Questions to ask vendors:

• Do you handle state and local payroll tax registrations end-to-end?

• Which filings are included — ACA, COBRA, EEO, new hire, workplace posters?

• How do you keep us informed about changes in federal, state, or local laws?

• Can you provide audit-ready documentation of all filings?

2. Claims, leave, and risk management

Employee claims and leave requests are stressful for any HR team. Whether it’s an unemployment claim, a leave dispute, or a wage-and-hour issue, one wrong step can lead to penalties or legal trouble. 

A strong HR services partner should step in here. They’ll manage unemployment claims, keep you compliant with leave laws like FMLA or state programs, and help you avoid wage-and-hour violations. Employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) coverage should be part of the package, and you should have access to certified HR advisors who can guide you through complex employee relations issues. Every claim should be tracked and documented for peace of mind.

Rippling HR Services handles claims administration and leave compliance, bundles EPLI coverage, and includes access to certified HR advisors. Everything is logged in Rippling with audit trails, so you can see exactly what’s been done and stay confident in your compliance posture.

Questions to ask vendors:

• Do you manage unemployment claims and leave administration?

• Is EPLI included, and what does it cover?

• Do we have access to HR advisors for guidance on complex cases?

• How are claims and leave cases tracked and reported?

3. Benefits flexibility

Benefits shouldn’t be a trap. Unfortunately, a lot of HR service providers only support you if you buy into their benefits plan. That can mean higher costs, limited plan options, and losing a broker you trust.

The right provider should give you freedom. Whether you want to bring your own broker, make Rippling your broker of record, or join a PEO, you should be able to choose. And no matter what strategy you pick, ACA and COBRA compliance should still be covered.

With Rippling HR Services, you can use your existing broker, work with Rippling as your broker of record, or join the PEO. ACA and COBRA filings are included across all models, so compliance never depends on your benefits strategy.

Questions to ask vendors:

• Can we keep our existing broker and still use your HR services?

• Do you manage ACA and COBRA compliance across all benefits strategies?

• Can we switch benefits strategies later without disruption?

• How do benefits compliance workflows integrate with your HRIS?

4. Scalability and global support

Compliance gets harder the bigger you get. Every new hire, every new location, every new entity adds complexity. Traditional PEOs often make it worse — they lock you into co-employment, which can limit your flexibility and force painful migrations later.

The right HR services provider should scale with you. That means you can add or remove services without swapping out your HRIS or payroll system. And if you go global, they should offer solutions like Global Payroll and EOR to keep everything under one roof.

Rippling HR Services doesn’t require co-employment. You can scale up or down easily, and everything stays connected to your Rippling HRIS. For international hires, Rippling offers Global Payroll and EOR, so your U.S. and global employees are managed in one system.

Questions to ask vendors:

• Do your HR services require co-employment?

• Can we add or remove services without migrating systems?

• How do you support multi-entity or multi-state structures?

• Do you offer global payroll or EOR for international hires?

5. Expert guidance and resources

Compliance isn’t just paperwork — it’s knowing how to handle tricky employee issues and staying ahead of changing laws. Without guidance, small issues can escalate into major risks.

A good HR services partner should give you access to certified HR advisors, customizable handbooks, policy templates, and training resources. And those resources should update automatically as laws change. That way, you’re never scrambling to catch up.

Rippling HR Services includes access to HR advisors, proactive alerts through Compliance 360, and Mineral living handbooks with continuously updated policy templates. You always have the latest resources at your fingertips.

Questions to ask vendors:

• Do you provide access to certified HR advisors?

• How do you notify us about new compliance requirements?

• What resources (handbooks, templates, training) are included?

• Are those resources updated automatically when laws change?

How Rippling helps enterprises

Rippling HR Services gives you the compliance muscle of a PEO — without the lock-in. From payroll tax registrations and filings to claims management, leave compliance, and benefits flexibility, Rippling takes the complexity off your plate. And because it’s built on Rippling’s platform, it integrates directly into HR, payroll, and benefits data, so everything is accurate and up to date automatically.

With Rippling, enterprises can:

• Expand into new states without drowning in paperwork

• Offload claims, leave, and risk management

• Pair HR services with any benefits model

• Scale HR services without PEO lock-in

• Stay ahead of changes with proactive alerts and certified HR advisors

• Consolidate HR, payroll, and compliance in one modern platform

Rippling RFP for HR services example

Ready to evaluate vendors?

This blog is based on information available to Rippling as of September 11, 2025.