Scorecard

21 CFR Part 11 RFP scorecard

Score eQMS vendors on Part 11 controls using artifacts — not marketing answers.

Built from our Part 11 playbook for eQMS RFPs. For each control area you get the exact question to put in your RFP, the artifact to demand, the failure mode that should disqualify a response, and side-by-side scoring columns for three vendors.

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See Part 11 controls
21 CFR Part 11 RFP scorecard — the Excel workbook you download, showing its columns and structure

What the scorecard covers

Sixteen control areas spanning §11.10(a)–(k) (validation, record copies, retention, access control, audit trail, sequencing, authority checks, device checks, training, signature policies, documentation control), §11.50 signature manifestation, §11.70 signature binding, and the §11.100–§11.300 signature and credential controls.

Each row carries four working columns — the RFP question, the artifact to demand, the disqualifying failure mode — plus Pass / Partial / Fail dropdowns for three vendors and a notes column. An Instructions tab explains the scoring discipline, and a worked example row shows what a completed entry looks like.

  • §11.10(a)–(k) system controls, from validation to documentation control
  • §11.50 signature manifestation and §11.70 signature binding
  • §11.100–§11.300 signature and credential controls
  • RFP question, artifact to demand, and disqualifying failure mode per row
  • Pass / Partial / Fail scoring columns for three vendors

Why score against artifacts, not answers

Every vendor answers “yes” to “are you Part 11 compliant?” — a question that doesn't even make sense, since no software is compliant by itself. The artifact discipline fixes that: an audit-trail sample either shows create / modify / delete events or it doesn't; a signed-record export either displays name, date, and meaning of signature or it doesn't. Scoring what the vendor produces removes the marketing layer from the evaluation.

Using the scorecard in a real evaluation

Send the question column to every shortlisted vendor in the same RFP, demand the artifacts in the same format, and score in one sitting so the comparison stays calibrated. Complere's own answers to every row are demonstrated live in a validation-focused demo and bring the scorecard.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I need a Part 11-specific scorecard for vendor selection?

Because 'we are Part 11 certified' is not a thing — no such certification exists, and a vendor claiming it is itself a red flag the scorecard treats as disqualifying. Compliance is demonstrated per control: validation artifacts, audit-trail samples, export demos.

What artifacts should a vendor produce for each Part 11 control?

The scorecard names one per control area — for the audit trail, a computer-generated time-stamped sample for a real record lifecycle; for validation, the artifact list (VMP, URS, RA, TM, IQ/OQ/PQ); for record copies, a live human-readable and electronic export demo.

How do the vendor columns work?

Score up to three vendors Pass / Partial / Fail per control as you review their artifacts, with a notes column for what you actually saw. The worked example row shows a completed entry so evaluators score consistently.

See Complere answer every Part 11 row, live

Book a validation-focused demo and we'll walk the scorecard with you — showing the audit-trail sample, the signed-record export, and the access controls behind each answer instead of a marketing slide.