Use the smallest group that creates a real choice
There is no universal shortlist number. The group must be large enough to compare credible alternatives and small enough for your team to read, question and evaluate each response properly. Start with the decision complexity, not a habit inherited from an earlier pitch.
A shortlist is not the same as a discovery list. Build a broader pool from directories, referrals and market research, then qualify it against mandatory requirements before asking for substantial work. This protects both evaluation quality and supplier effort.
Put this into practice
- More than one credible approach can be compared
- Every shortlisted agency meets initial eligibility
- Evaluators can give each response proper attention
- The process is proportionate to the appointment
Qualify before requesting a full proposal
Use a short expression-of-interest or qualification stage when the market is broad. Ask only for information needed to decide who should progress: current capability, relevant team, conflicts, availability, mandatory conditions and a concise response to the problem. Avoid requesting speculative campaign work at this stage.
Apply the same qualification rules to every candidate and record the evidence. Public information can support discovery but may not establish current availability, exact team or commercial fit, so confirm the material points directly.
Put this into practice
- Current identity and contact channel
- Required capability and delivery conditions
- Likely team and availability
- Conflicts and mandatory conditions
- Reason to progress or decline recorded
Match the group to complexity and evaluation capacity
A complex appointment may have several plausible operating models or mandatory governance checks. It can justify a broader early stage, but not necessarily more full proposals. A straightforward, well-defined project may need fewer suppliers to create a meaningful comparison.
Estimate the work required from your evaluators: reading, clarification, presentations, scoring, references, commercials and approvals. A larger shortlist can reduce decision quality when the team lacks time to examine evidence or starts relying on presentation shortcuts.
Put this into practice
- Number of materially different solutions
- Consequence and duration of the appointment
- Technical, legal or procurement checks required
- Evaluator time and specialist availability
- Supplier effort requested at each stage
Use stages when uncertainty is high
A staged process lets you narrow the field as evidence improves. Begin with eligibility and a concise approach, then invite a smaller group to detailed proposal, working session or commercial clarification. Tell participants the stages, criteria and expected effort before they decide to take part.
If substantial original thinking or production is required, consider a paid stage and state how ideas and rights will be handled. A selection process should not depend on suppliers giving away completed work that the eventual appointee may never deliver.
Put this into practice
- Purpose and decision for each stage
- Progression criteria shared in advance
- Information requested only when needed
- Treatment of original ideas and rights
- Prompt communication after each decision
Protect supplier effort and the quality of response
Every additional shortlisted agency adds work for suppliers and your team. Be clear about the appointment's status, budget context, incumbent participation, timetable and decision-makers. Do not ask agencies to invest in a process if approval or scope is too uncertain to support a genuine appointment.
Allow enough time for questions and a considered response. Keep requirements proportionate and avoid late changes that force unnecessary rework. A compact, well-run process is more likely to produce comparable information than a crowded pitch designed to keep every option open.
Put this into practice
- Appointment authority and budget status disclosed
- Incumbent or internal option made visible where relevant
- Reasonable response time and access to questions
- No unnecessary speculative deliverables
- Changes and decisions communicated promptly
Set the final number with a written rationale
After qualification, ask whether every remaining agency adds a credible option or evidence the decision needs. Do not retain a supplier simply to reach a traditional number. Equally, do not reduce the field to one without recording why competition is unnecessary or impractical for your context.
Document the shortlist decision, known gaps and next-stage criteria. The rationale helps stakeholders understand why particular agencies progressed and supports a fair response to suppliers who ask for feedback.
Put this into practice
- Each finalist adds a credible choice
- Mandatory gaps have been resolved
- Evaluation team can assess every finalist properly
- Shortlist rationale and evidence recorded
- Next steps and feedback process confirmed
Common questions
Is there a standard number of agencies to shortlist?
No fixed number suits every appointment. Use the smallest group that creates a genuine comparison between qualified suppliers and can be evaluated properly within your governance, timing and team capacity.
Should an incumbent agency be included?
Include the incumbent when it has a genuine opportunity to retain the work and assess it against the same criteria. Make its participation clear so other suppliers understand the process.
When is a two-stage process useful?
Use stages when many agencies appear eligible, important information is initially missing or a detailed response requires substantial effort. Keep the first stage concise and state how suppliers progress.