Proposal request template: get briefs you can actually price

A one-line email says "need a website, how much?" You reply with five questions, they answer two, and a week goes by. I would rather the client answer the useful ones up front, so the proposal fits the first time.

Who it is for

Agencies, freelancers and consultants who quote on projects and want a client's goals, budget and dates before they start writing.

What each question is for

Goals and scope: a proposal starts from why, not just what.
Budget and dates: they tell you quickly whether the job fits. The budget is a rough number in the client's own currency.
Decision date and who decides: whom to write for, and when.
Other providers: shows how hard you must compete.
Example links: work the client likes, as links.

What a client's AI would ask

"What should this project achieve?" Then "When do you need it finished?" Then "Who makes the final decision?" It lists the answers and sends only after a yes. Read about agent-fillable forms.

Before you use it

Sort the CSV by finish date and budget. Reply properly to the requests that fit, and send a short, kind no to the rest.

Find more in forms for agencies and forms for professional services. A quote request form suits smaller jobs, and a meeting request form sets up the call after you reply.

Questions

How is this different from a contact form?

A contact form leaves everything to one message. This one asks for goals, budget, dates and decision makers, so you can price the work without a first call.

Should I ask for the budget?

Yes, as a rough number. It stops wasted proposals on both sides. Make the field optional if your clients dislike it, and ask on the call instead.

Can I track the proposals I have answered?

The form stores requests only. Download the CSV and add your own status column in a spreadsheet, or send each response to your tools with a signed webhook.

Or paste the JSON

Give this to your AI. It needs the AI Form API MCP server or an API key. It makes the form and sends you the link.

text

Create this form with the AI Form API create_form tool (or POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms with my API key). Then reply with the public_url.

{
  "title": "Request a proposal",
  "description": "Tell us what you need. The clearer you are, the closer our proposal will be to what you want.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "contact_name",
      "label": "Your name",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 120
    },
    {
      "id": "work_email",
      "label": "Work email",
      "type": "email",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "company_name",
      "label": "Company",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 150
    },
    {
      "id": "company_site",
      "label": "Company website",
      "type": "url"
    },
    {
      "id": "project_types",
      "label": "What do you need?",
      "type": "multi_choice",
      "required": true,
      "options": [
        "A website",
        "Brand identity",
        "A marketing campaign",
        "Video",
        "An app",
        "Copywriting",
        "Not sure yet"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "project_goal",
      "label": "What should this project achieve?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 2000
    },
    {
      "id": "scope_notes",
      "label": "What should be included?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 2000
    },
    {
      "id": "success_measure",
      "label": "How will you judge success?",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 300
    },
    {
      "id": "rough_budget",
      "label": "Rough budget",
      "type": "number",
      "help": "A number in your own currency. Leave it blank if you are not sure.",
      "min": 0
    },
    {
      "id": "ideal_start",
      "label": "When would you like to start?",
      "type": "date"
    },
    {
      "id": "needed_by",
      "label": "When do you need it finished?",
      "type": "date",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "decision_date",
      "label": "When will you choose a provider?",
      "type": "date"
    },
    {
      "id": "who_decides",
      "label": "Who makes the final decision?",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "other_providers",
      "label": "Are you asking other providers too?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "Yes",
        "No",
        "Not yet"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "example_links",
      "label": "Links to examples you like or existing materials",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1500
    }
  ]
}

Or call the API

bash

curl -X POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AIFORMAPI_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"title":"Request a proposal","description":"Tell us what you need. The clearer you are, the closer our proposal will be to what you want.","fields":[{"id":"contact_name","label":"Your name","type":"short_text","required":true,"max_length":120},{"id":"work_email","label":"Work email","type":"email","required":true},{"id":"company_name","label":"Company","type":"short_text","required":true,"max_length":150},{"id":"company_site","label":"Company website","type":"url"},{"id":"project_types","label":"What do you need?","type":"multi_choice","required":true,"options":["A website","Brand identity","A marketing campaign","Video","An app","Copywriting","Not sure yet"]},{"id":"project_goal","label":"What should this project achieve?","type":"long_text","required":true,"max_length":2000},{"id":"scope_notes","label":"What should be included?","type":"long_text","max_length":2000},{"id":"success_measure","label":"How will you judge success?","type":"short_text","max_length":300},{"id":"rough_budget","label":"Rough budget","type":"number","help":"A number in your own currency. Leave it blank if you are not sure.","min":0},{"id":"ideal_start","label":"When would you like to start?","type":"date"},{"id":"needed_by","label":"When do you need it finished?","type":"date","required":true},{"id":"decision_date","label":"When will you choose a provider?","type":"date"},{"id":"who_decides","label":"Who makes the final decision?","type":"short_text","max_length":200},{"id":"other_providers","label":"Are you asking other providers too?","type":"single_choice","options":["Yes","No","Not yet"]},{"id":"example_links","label":"Links to examples you like or existing materials","type":"long_text","max_length":1500}]}'

JSON definition

json

{
  "title": "Request a proposal",
  "description": "Tell us what you need. The clearer you are, the closer our proposal will be to what you want.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "contact_name",
      "label": "Your name",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 120
    },
    {
      "id": "work_email",
      "label": "Work email",
      "type": "email",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "company_name",
      "label": "Company",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 150
    },
    {
      "id": "company_site",
      "label": "Company website",
      "type": "url"
    },
    {
      "id": "project_types",
      "label": "What do you need?",
      "type": "multi_choice",
      "required": true,
      "options": [
        "A website",
        "Brand identity",
        "A marketing campaign",
        "Video",
        "An app",
        "Copywriting",
        "Not sure yet"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "project_goal",
      "label": "What should this project achieve?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 2000
    },
    {
      "id": "scope_notes",
      "label": "What should be included?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 2000
    },
    {
      "id": "success_measure",
      "label": "How will you judge success?",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 300
    },
    {
      "id": "rough_budget",
      "label": "Rough budget",
      "type": "number",
      "help": "A number in your own currency. Leave it blank if you are not sure.",
      "min": 0
    },
    {
      "id": "ideal_start",
      "label": "When would you like to start?",
      "type": "date"
    },
    {
      "id": "needed_by",
      "label": "When do you need it finished?",
      "type": "date",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "decision_date",
      "label": "When will you choose a provider?",
      "type": "date"
    },
    {
      "id": "who_decides",
      "label": "Who makes the final decision?",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "other_providers",
      "label": "Are you asking other providers too?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "Yes",
        "No",
        "Not yet"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "example_links",
      "label": "Links to examples you like or existing materials",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1500
    }
  ]
}

Proposal request template that arrives with the details attached