Annual freight RFPs were designed for a slower and more predictable transportation market.
Contents
That world no longer exists. Rates shift faster, capacity moves in shorter cycles, and disruption has become a constant rather than an exception. Yet many procurement teams still rely on once-a-year bid events to set strategy for the next twelve months.
This white paper from Loadsmart ShipperGuide explains why the traditional annual RFP model is increasingly misaligned with how freight markets actually behave. It shows how fixed bid cycles force shippers to operate on outdated assumptions, leading to higher costs, weaker routing guide performance, and growing operational risk.
Rather than treating this as a process problem, the report argues that freight sourcing itself must become continuous.
You will learn how:
- Annual RFP cycles are failing to keep pace with modern freight markets
- Loadsmart ShipperGuide explains the shift to continuous freight sourcing
- Slow bid cycles and outdated data increase cost and operational risk
- Real-time rate visibility changes how procurement decisions are made
- Marketplace access expands carrier options and improves routing guide performance
- Instant booking workflows remove manual friction and delays
- Continuous sourcing improves agility, resilience, and cost control
- Procurement teams move from reacting to volatility to staying ahead of it
The white paper begins by explaining why annual RFPs once made sense. They were built for a steadier market where rates held, capacity was predictable, and a yearly reset felt reasonable.
Today, market conditions change far too quickly for that model to work. By the time a bid event is launched, evaluated, and awarded, the assumptions behind it are already outdated. This gap shows up in budget drift, spot market dependence, and growing execution complexity.
A central theme of the report is visibility.
Annual RFPs lock teams into static pricing and static assumptions. Between bid events, rates shift, capacity tightens or loosens, and carrier performance changes, but procurement teams have limited real-time insight into any of it.
This lack of visibility increases both financial and operational risk. Teams spend more time managing exceptions and covering gaps than improving performance and planning strategically.
The paper introduces continuous freight sourcing as a modern alternative.
Instead of relying on a once-a-year event, sourcing becomes an always-on process powered by live data and digital execution. Teams work from current market rates, active capacity, and faster booking workflows rather than outdated bid sheets.
Three capabilities define this approach:
- Real-time rate visibility that reflects current market conditions
- Marketplace access that expands carrier options and improves competitiveness
- Instant booking workflows that remove email chains, manual calls, and delays
Together, these shift procurement from slow, batch-driven cycles to continuous decision-making.
The business impact is practical and measurable.
Continuous sourcing delivers:
- Greater agility when the market shifts
- Fewer cost surprises and better budget control
- Faster execution and stronger operational resilience
Instead of reacting to volatility, teams stay ahead of it.
The report also explains what it takes to implement this model successfully.
Technology must be integrated with existing TMS and ERP systems. Processes must shift from annual cycles to ongoing optimization. Performance must be tracked using metrics such as routing guide compliance, time to book, and variance between planned and executed spend.
The conclusion is clear.
Annual RFPs were built for a market that no longer exists. Continuous freight sourcing closes the gap between procurement strategy and real market behavior.
Download the white paper from Loadsmart ShipperGuide to understand why the future of freight procurement is continuous and how shippers can build a more agile, resilient, and cost-controlled sourcing model
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