115 Sample RFP Questions to Ask an HOA Management Company

Interviewing potential homeowners’ association (HOA) management companies for your community association is an involved process. During that process, your association typically issues a request for proposal (RFP) that includes detailed information about your association. RFPs also provide the management company with a list of questions that help you determine if they’re the right fit for you.

RFP questions should be thoughtful, as they’re designed to yield insightful information that’ll help guide your decision to move forward with them or not. Here are 115 sample RFP questions to ask an HOA management company, so you get a thorough understanding of the organization’s capabilities, philosophies, services, and depth of experience.

LEARN MORE: “A Complete Guide to RFPs”

Organizational Questions & General Information

These general RFP questions are typically included in most RFPs to provide a behind-the-scenes look at an organization.

1. Describe business name, headquarters address, type of business entity, and number of years in business.

2. Is the business or parent company publicly traded?

3. Provide the full legal name of the parent or holding company, if any.              

4. Describe your firm's corporate vision, mission, values, and guiding principles.

5. Does the management company carry errors & omissions insurance? What is the policy limit?  

6. Is your firm a member of the BBB?         

7. Provide the number of employees.

8. What type of properties do you manage?

9. Are you insured and bonded?    

Quality of Service Questions

Quality of service RFP questions are meant to get a deeper understanding of the firm’s capabilities and relevant experience.

1. Identify the professional industry groups in which your company participates and describe how that participation improves client service.

2. Describe your firm’s approach to professional development, certification, coaching, mentoring, and continuing education for onsite community management staff.

3. Provide your company background and experience in community management, specifically accounting, administrative support, vendor management, and legal compliance.

4. Provide the total number of properties currently managed and the duration that you have managed such properties.

5. Provide a breakdown of the types of properties managed by percentage. Include single-family homes, condos, townhomes, leased, etc.

6. What is the average experience of the assigned community account managers?

7. How many communities, on average, does a community manager support?            

8. What licenses and certifications does the community manager hold?

9. How many other properties is the community manager responsible for?

10. How are performance expectations, coaching, succession planning, and escalation support provided for key onsite positions?

11. What’s your compensation philosophy for attracting and retaining experienced onsite management talent?

12. How often and to what degree will the community manager be involved in board meetings? Describe the scope of support provided by the manager during meetings.

13. How will the community manager ensure our specific needs are met if, and when, the firm’s rules don’t align?

14. What are the onsite manager’s working hours? Explain options for after-hours support and emergency services.        

15. How does the firm support our board with our annual budget and financial audit?               

16. What type of experience does the firm have related to HOA regulations, including governance best practices and legislative developments impacting associations? Does the firm have a legal team?       

17. Please describe the experience, education, and CAI certifications of your property managers. 

18. How many properties does each manager handle, and what are the specific criteria in determining that?

19. Please outline and include all insurance coverage carried by your company (i.e., Professional and Liability)

20. Does your firm provide HOA lifestyle services and event support? Explain your resident engagement philosophy.

21. Provide at least three (3) HOA references similar in size and operational complexity.

Administrative Services Questions

These administrative services RFP questions help an association feel confident that the management company can execute its day-to-day responsibilities.

1. Please describe your process for logging, tracking, and responding to concerns from the board or from the homeowners.

2. What is the account management organization chart?

3. Please describe your residence/homeowner support infrastructure.             

4. Describe your process to arrange, schedule, and attend annual, organizational, and board meetings.

5. Describe your process and timeframes for preparing documentation for board meeting agendas, management reports, and meeting minutes.

6. Describe how you manage onsite amenity reservations, including keys and access codes.

7. Describe your process to maintain files, records, and the minute book for the association.

8. Describe your process for collecting association mail and distributing critical items to board members.

9. Describe your process for posting minutes, announcements, notices, and newsletters to the website.

10. How often and to what degree do you prepare and present administrative reports and business correspondence?

11. What’s your approach to resident communication? Describe your approach to issue resolution, conflict management, responsiveness, and customer service expectations.

12. What’s your approach to vendor oversight? Describe your maintenance methodologies, preventative maintenance programs, and bid management approach.

13. Describe your philosophy regarding community partnership. How do you execute your fiduciary responsibility? What does governance support look like?

14. What’s your process for reviewing and recommending modifications to HOA documents to meet current needs?

15. Describe all technology systems used, including homeowner portals, board portals, accounting systems, work order systems, covenant enforcement tools, and communication tools.

16. Describe your cybersecurity practices.

17. How do you support the creation of newsletters and homeowner notifications? Please describe in detail your capabilities and what can be performed by the HOA vs your team.

18. How do you support backup staffing when the onsite team is on vacation or otherwise unavailable?

19. What training programs, educational sessions, and learning resources do you provide to board members?               

20. When you first begin with a new community, how do you familiarize yourselves with the community’s specific needs/issues?    

21. Please outline the monthly inspection procedure.       

22. What is your procedure for filing liens?

23. How will your firm support the board and committees in maintaining executive-level governance while ensuring strong operational follow-through?

24. Can your firm support and manage staff directly employed by the association? Describe how and whether you process payroll internally or use a third party.

25. Please describe any document management solution(s) you provide and how you effectively manage documents.

26. How does your firm plan to work, monitor performance, monitor risk, communicate progress, and report operational results for routine maintenance, capital improvements, and major initiatives?

Financial Services Questions

Financial services RFP questions confirm that the HOA company is in good financial standing and is able to accurately and successfully manage the association’s finances.

1. What are your accounting practices, controls, budgeting, reporting, reserve planning, and tools for strategic financial decision-making?

2. What are the key performance indicators and financial reporting tools your firm recommends for a community like ours?

3. What financial statements or information can you share to help us evaluate your financial stability?

4. What credentials, licenses, and certifications does your accounting staff hold?

5. Provide insurance coverage and Errors and Omissions policy limits.

6. List the accounting software used in the preparation of HOA financials.

7. Describe your strategy for financial report submission. Describe how reports are delivered, how often, and the types of reports sent.

8. What third-party contracts or affiliate relationships may affect services provided to our community? Disclose bookkeeping, accounting, legal, technology, procurement, vendor management, or other applicable arrangements.

9. Describe your methodology for managing invoices. Are invoices paid on net 30 or longer terms? Is invoice backup provided (e.g., receipts, etc.)? Any invoice threshold for board approval?

10. How do you administer assessment collections? Please address collection of assessments and sums due to the association, including coordination with the association’s attorney to collect outstanding debt as outlined in governing documents.

11. What’s included in the delinquency report, and how often is it administered?         

12. Describe your firm’s accounts payable and receivable administration. What accounts payable and receivable functions do you manage?

13. How does your firm support budget preparation and planning?

14. Do you coordinate the annual audit and reviews? Do you prepare all records for the annual financial audit?   

15. What type of process is instilled for invoice approvals?           

16. How will you manage our finances and protect our association’s funds?     

17. Describe the process for billing residents. Are invoices or statements provided? Or coupons?    

18. How do you coordinate with the finance committee in preparing the annual budget?         

19. Do you prepare the treasurer’s report, including bank statements, and balances of operating, contingency, and reserve accounts, for our board meetings?               

20. How do you approach tax filing coordination?

21. Do you provide third-party firms with the necessary data to prepare the association’s federal income tax return and reserve study, and to conduct annual financial audits?

22. Describe your firm’s GAAP-compliant accounting principles. Do you meet the qualifications as required by the association’s governing documents?

23. Provide a copy of the most recent audited financial statement or an annual report by a certified public accountant.

24. Has your firm or its parent company (if any) ever filed for bankruptcy or any form of reorganization under the bankruptcy code?

Partnership Questions

Partnership RFP questions explore the management company’s culture and experience, helping to ensure it’s the right fit for a community.

1. Describe why your company is right for our community. How will your company add value?

2. What makes your company unique among other property management providers?

3. What are typical operational support pitfalls and trouble spots you have encountered working with HOAs? What proactive, preemptive, and positive remedies have you instilled to mitigate these issues?

4. Anything else you would like to share about your company?

Compliance and Architecture Questions

With compliance and architecture RFP questions, an association can learn about a community management company’s methods for tracking compliance and supporting architectural processes.

1. Describe how your firm identifies, assesses, prioritizes, mitigates, and monitors operational, financial, legal, contractual, regulatory, and reputational risks.

2. Describe how your firm stays current on new legislation and case law that may affect our association, and how you communicate it to the board.

3. Describe your process and coordination of architectural requests, including document management & tracking.               

4. What is the process for repeat deed restriction violations at the same location?    

5. What homeowner-specific documents (architectural requests, approvals, violation Letters, etc.) are accessible to the homeowner or the board?    

6. How are architectural requests processed and coordinated?              

7. Describe your process for reporting violations. What are some of the typical violations that you report? Do you have a standard violation notice, or will you use the association’s?              

8. Please describe the depth of your knowledge relating to local homeowners’ association laws. What process do you take to understand the association’s unique governing documents in order to provide timely advice and feedback?   

Vendor Management Questions

These vendor management RFP questions for community associations ensure the management company has the depth of experience and qualifications needed to manage service vendors and contractors.

1. Do you mark up your recommended suppliers' prices to the community? If so, what is the specific formula?

2. How are service providers screened?

3. Describe your vendor management and invoice processing.

4. Do you provide third-party contract administration?

5. Are we required to use your network of vendors?          

6. Describe your process of negotiating and coordinating contracts.

7. How are vendor invoices processed, and what is the timeframe for payment?         

8. Do you issue 1099s to vendors?

9. Are there any companies affiliated with your firm that provide services to the associations?

10. Please describe in detail how you select and manage vendors.

Contract Agreement Questions

It’s important for a community association to ask RFP questions about contract agreements. They help you understand expectations for service and delivery before signing on the dotted line.

1. Describe your firm’s pricing structure and fee schedule, including any additional costs.

2. What is the minimum length of the management agreement?            

3. How many days’ notice is required for termination of the agreement by either party?

4. What is the normal length of your contract with any HOA?

5. Will there be any additional fees incurred during the contract period?

6. Has your firm or its parent company (if any) ever received any sanctions or is currently under investigation by any regulatory or governmental body?

Transition Plan Questions

Transition plan RFP questions allow you to coordinate a timeline for a change in management partners.

1. Describe your approach to data ownership, system access, cybersecurity, business continuity, records retention, and transfer of association data upon transition or termination.

2. How many people are allocated to the transition team?          

3. Provide a proposed transition timeline, including major milestones before the contract starts, during the first 30 days, and through full stabilization.

4. Provide a finance and accounting transition plan covering bank accounts, assessment billing, accounts payable, accounts receivable, collections, budget setup, reserve accounting, investments, payroll or staff-cost billing, reporting, audit support, tax matters, and internal controls.

5. Do you have a communications plan for residents, staff, board members, committee chairs, vendors, and other stakeholders?

6. Describe your staffing transition plan, governance and compliance transition plan, technology transition plan, and operations transition plan.

7. Disclose known transition risks, mitigation steps, decision points, assumptions, expected association costs, and matters that would require board approval.

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With 48+ years in business, Associa is the world’s leading community management services company. Delivering all-encompassing solutions to thousands of communities, Associa is a firm you can trust to lead your community to success. Request a proposal from Associa today to get started.