How to Write a Panic Button RFP

Most panic button RFPs are written around a specific product a vendor already had in mind — which means the spec quietly rules out better architectures before anyone opens a bid. This checklist is written the other way: state the outcome you need, not the brand. Use it as-is, or hand it to procurement.

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1. Start with the requirement, not the product

Name the actual mandate or policy driving the purchase (a state law, a district safety plan, an insurance requirement) and let the RFP describe the outcome that satisfies it — not a specific device. A spec that says "wearable badge with app-based activation" already excludes anything better. A spec that says "any staff member can silently signal for help within 2 seconds, from any location on campus, without relying on Wi-Fi or cellular" describes the outcome and lets every architecture compete honestly.​

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2. Specify the failure mode you're solving for

Name the actual mandate or policy driving the purchase (a state law, a district safety plan, an insurance requirement) and let the RFP describe the outcome that satisfies it — not a specific device. A spec that says "wearable badge with app-based activation" already excludes anything better. A spec that says "any staff member can silently signal for help within 2 seconds, from any location on campus, without relying on Wi-Fi or cellular" describes the outcome and lets every architecture compete honestly.​

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3. Require room-level location, not building-level

"Which building" is not useful information during an active incident. Ask vendors to state, precisely, the location resolution their system delivers — GPS (building-level at best, often worse indoors), Wi-Fi access-point zone (whichever room that AP happens to cover, often a whole wing), or dedicated positioning hardware (room-level). Put a number in the RFP: location accurate to the specific room, not the floor.​

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4. Set a real battery-life floor

"Long-lasting battery" is not a specification — it's marketing copy. Require a stated figure in years, not months, and ask what happens as the device nears end of charge: does it keep functioning, can I recharge it or does it silently drop off the network below some threshold? A device that fails quietly on a low battery is worse than one that warns loudly.

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5. Ask for total cost of ownership, not just unit price

A low per-device price with expensive mandatory site surveys, proprietary access-point upgrades, or a recurring per-seat SaaS fee can cost more over five years than a higher sticker price with none of those. Require every vendor to itemize: hardware, installation, any required network/infrastructure changes, software/licensing, and support — for a 5-year term, not a first-year quote.
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6. Require a documented incident record, automatically

Every activation should produce a timestamped, retrievable record — who, when, where — without a staff member having to file a separate report afterward. This is usually what a district's own safety audit or insurance carrier will ask for after the fact; specifying it up front means you're not retrofitting compliance later.
 

7. Check purchasing cooperative eligibility before writing scope

If your state or district can legally buy off an existing cooperative contract (TIPS, Sourcewell, and similar), you may not need to run a competitive RFP at all — that cuts months off procurement. Cora Alert is listed on TIPS Contract #260105 (Technology Solutions, Products & Services), which qualifies as a no-bid path in states that recognize TIPS purchasing. Confirm your own state's and district's cooperative-purchasing rules before defaulting to a full RFP.
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8. Require a pilot period before full contract

Ask vendors to support a paid or unpaid pilot — 30 days is typical — on your own campus, with your own staff, before a district-wide commitment. A system that demos well in a vendor's office should also work in your gym, your portables, and your stairwells. If a vendor won't pilot on-site, that's information too.

 

FAQ's

Do we need to run a competitive RFP to buy a panic button system?
Not always. If your state or district recognizes purchasing cooperative contracts, you can often buy directly off an existing contract without a bid process. Cora Alert is available on TIPS Contract 
#260105 — check with your procurement office on whether your district can purchase this way.
 

What's the difference between a product-based spec and an outcome-based spec?

A product-based spec names a device or feature set, which can unintentionally exclude better solutions. An outcome-based spec states the result you need — for example, room-level location without relying on building Wi-Fi — and lets vendors compete on how they deliver it.
 

What should we ask every vendor about network dependency?

Ask, in writing, what happens to activation and location accuracy during a Wi-Fi or cellular outage. Get the answer from technical documentation, not a sales conversation.