OCIO RFP Evaluation
A structured, independent process to evaluate OCIO firms for pensions, endowments, and foundations.
| Length | 174 words |
| FAQs | 6 |
| Reading time | 1 min |
Why OCIO Evaluations Are Different
OCIO searches can get complicated quickly. There are dozens of firms, different service models, and wide variation in how fees and responsibilities are structured.
OCIO RFPs are not one-size-fits-all. The right shortlist depends on your portfolio type, your governance structure, and whether the scope includes implementation only, discretionary management, administrative support, or a combination.
Services may also span traditional and alternative asset classes. The evaluation criteria often needs to reflect that complexity.
What We Do
Culpepper RFP helps investment teams and committees run an organized OCIO RFP evaluation process, so you can make a decision with clear documentation and less internal lift.
Our role is to manage a structured, documented evaluation process: identifying appropriate firms, organizing criteria, managing communication, summarizing results, and coordinating finalist presentations.
OCIO Specialization
OCIO manager evaluations for pensions, endowments, and foundations can be highly specialized. Culpepper RFP brings direct experience from inside a large OCIO platform. That helps us understand how firms are structured, how services are packaged, and which questions matter most during evaluation.
“Your knowledge of this industry and best practices is impressive. Thanks for providing such good guidance. I certainly hope we can work together again.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this meant for someone like me in HR or Finance, or is it really for advisors and attorneys?
If you are the person carrying the responsibility for benefits decisions inside the organization, this will feel familiar. Culpepper RFP supports HR and finance leaders, ERISA counsel, and committees, because the pressure and the risk often land on your desk either way.
What would you actually take off my plate?
Culpepper RFP manages the RFP process itself, so you are not piecing together vendor comparisons, chasing information, and trying to document everything between your day-to-day responsibilities. You are still involved in direction and fiduciary decisions, but the heavy lift of gathering, organizing, and evaluating is handled through our documented process.
How much time is this going to take from me and my team?
Our services are designed to reduce the time executives and internal teams spend managing details. Expect some upfront coordination and a few check-ins along the way. The goal is that you are not carrying weeks of follow-up, tracking, and evaluation work on top of everything else.
RFPs can get political. Does this make it harder?
That is a real concern. Our services are positioned as an independent third-party evaluation process, which can lower the temperature and keep the focus on documented criteria instead of internal pressure or preference. It will not erase politics, but it gives you a clear, neutral structure to point back to.
Do I need to already understand fees and benchmarking to get value from this?
No. Our evaluation processes support people who are accountable for the outcome, even if the technical details are not your daily focus. We can also help you evaluate whether going to an RFP is even necessary.
How do I know whether I need a full RFP, an RFI, or just a benchmarking audit?
You are not alone in asking. Before you sign up we review your objectives and discuss the most cost-effective and time-effective solution. Our services include fee and service benchmarking, RFI evaluation, and full RFP evaluations, so the approach can match the situation instead of defaulting to the most intensive option.
Schedule a Call
- Phone
- (203) 952-3776
- Hours
- Monday–Friday, 8 am–6 pm
- Schedule
- calendly.com/jgepfert