According to the National Center for Education Statistics, roughly 96 percent of U.S. public schools require staff to follow a written active-shooter response plan, with most schools running regular lockdown drills. That creates a challenge many administrators do not anticipate: by the time vendors begin presenting solutions, it can be difficult to objectively compare systems based on the facility’s specific operational and safety needs. Schools that skip a structured RFP (Request for Proposal) process risk evaluating systems based more on presentation quality rather than long-term operational fit.
At The Lockout Co., we believe schools should approach the evaluation process with a clear understanding of their operational needs, emergency response goals, and facility requirements. A well-built RFP helps keep decision-makers focused on selecting a solution that best supports the safety of students, staff, and the facility as a whole.
What Is a School Lockdown System RFP?
It’s a formal procurement document that outlines what the school needs, how proposals should be structured, and how each proposal will be evaluated. Beyond pricing, it establishes a consistent set of operational criteria so every proposal gets measured against the same standard. This matters because a system’s structure that works for one facility can be entirely wrong for another. Building layout, staffing levels, existing procedures, and communication infrastructure all affect whether a solution is effective when it’s actually needed.
A Strong RFP Should Connect Alerts, Physical Security, and Procedures
A vendor who presents strong hardware but can’t explain how their system integrates with your existing protocols isn’t giving you what you need to make a decision. The RFP should require vendors to walk through how each component connects: how a lockdown gets initiated, how that signal reaches every occupied space, and what staff are expected to do at each stage. The system is one piece of that. Procedures, training, and education are the rest.
The RFP should also require vendors to address drill performance specifically. A system that causes confusion during practice will cause even more confusion when it matters most. Reviewing practice procedures before you sign is the point of the process.
What to Define Before You Review Any Vendor
Write your requirements before opening any proposals. Committees that read vendor materials first tend to let those materials define what good looks like. That’s backward.
Activation
Who has the authority to initiate a lockdown, from which locations, and through which methods? What happens when the primary activation point isn’t accessible? These need to be answered in your requirements document, not improvised during a vendor Q&A. Complicated authorization chains and limited activation points are consistent failure points when speed is the only thing that matters.
Communication
A lockdown alert that only reaches the main office hasn’t done its job completely. The RFP should require vendors to map out how their system reaches staff and first responders, spaces without stationary hardware, classrooms without displays, areas outside the main building, and how they support staff who aren’t desk-based.
Physical Protection
Most vendors will demonstrate how their solution handles a standard classroom door. Push them further. The RFP should ask about offices, shared spaces, interior hallways, and entry points that don’t follow a typical layout. A coverage gap is still a gap, regardless of how well the rest of the system performs.
Training
Ask vendors to be specific about what the training actually looks like: what’s delivered at installation, what a check-in or evaluation schedule entails, and how new staff is brought up to speed after the initial rollout. Vendors who say training is included but can’t describe what that means are telling you something important.
Maintenance
Staff leaves. Rooms change purpose. Emergency procedures get updated. Ask vendors how the system gets tested and maintained over the years after installation, not just what day-one support looks like. The schools that invest in this question upfront are the ones best positioned for long-term system performance.
If your school is also working through communication gaps beyond physical lockdown, it’s worth evaluating how emergency communication and alert tools fit into the same decision-making process rather than treating them separately.
RFP Sections to Include
Structure the document so vendors can submit proposals that you can actually compare side by side. These sections tend to do the most work:
- Project overview: Describe the facility and what you’re trying to solve. Vendors with real context give more relevant proposals. Those without context tend to default to generic pitches.
- Current safety procedures: Summarize what’s already in place. A vendor who understands your existing protocols can show you how their system fits into them. One who doesn’t will pitch something that may conflict with your current procedures.
- Required system capabilities: Tie every item to a specific use case in your building. You’re asking about real conditions, not abstract features.
- Installation and training expectations: Ask how the vendor handles the site assessment, the installation process, and the handoff, including who owns what after going live.
- Proposal response format: Tell vendors exactly how to structure their submission. Proposals that all look different are harder to evaluate fairly.
- Evaluation criteria: Be transparent about how you’ll score. Vendors who understand your priorities will likely give you better answers to work with.
How to Score Vendors Once Proposals Come In
The evaluation checklist your committee works from should cover the same ground for every vendor. Usability comes first: can staff activate, reset, and operate the system without referencing a manual? If the proposal doesn’t make user-friendliness clear, it’s worth a follow-up before scoring moves forward.
From there, push on alert coverage. Score vendors on how their systems reach staff who won’t catch a single-channel alert: the teacher without line of sight to a display, the staff member with a silenced phone. Ideal-condition performance doesn’t tell you much. Schools evaluating standalone notification tools can review emergency alert options during this stage.
Physical security fit should be scored against your actual floor plan, not just a generic one. A vendor who hasn’t asked about your specific entry points and shared spaces hasn’t thought carefully enough about whether their system actually works in your building.
Implementation support is another area worth pressing on. What does the vendor hand off at the end of installation? Schools that receive thorough documentation, training records, and a named point of contact are far better positioned for successful staff adoption from day one.
Finally, score vendors on long-term value: how the system gets supported as your staff and building change over time. Schools evaluating notification tools alongside a lockdown system should consider scoring a comprehensive lockdown system alongside the notification tools, rather than treating them as separate decisions.
How The Lockout Co. Works With Schools
The Lockout Co. works with schools, workplaces, and public facilities across the U.S. We focus on getting physical protection, communication, training, and facility planning sorted out before anyone commits to a system.
If you’re building an RFP, this guide can help you better understand the operational, safety, and emergency-response considerations to evaluate when comparing options. Our team can also help identify solutions that align with your facility’s specific safety and communication needs. Some of our recommendations involve our emergency alerts, The Boot® door barricade, The SmartBoot System®, or preparedness training, depending on where your facility currently stands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Activation logic, alert delivery across the full building, physical security components, installation process, training scope, maintenance plan, and how the system integrates with your current emergency procedures.
Yes, and it matters more than most committees initially budget for. Staff reverts to what they’ve practiced. A system they haven’t drilled with is one they won’t use effectively when it counts.
The more clearly defined your criteria are, the more useful the responses you get, and the easier it becomes to make a fair, confident comparison across all proposals.
Contact The Lockout Co. today to schedule a free site evaluation and learn how to build a safety infrastructure your entire school community can understand, support, and use effectively.
