Request for Quotation Template
Invites a supplier to price a specified list of goods against stated delivery terms and a response deadline.
Free downloads · No account required · PDF, Excel & Word
| Item # | Description | HS Code | Qty | Unit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Please quote your best price and lead time for the items listed above, on terms to . Responses are required by .
About this document
A request for quotation asks suppliers to price a defined requirement. The whole value of it is comparability: three quotes you cannot line up side by side are worse than one, because you will end up choosing on the number rather than on what the number includes. Most of the work is in specifying tightly enough that the replies can be compared at all.
Specify enough that the replies are comparable
State the Incoterm and named place, the destination, the quantity, the packaging you expect and the date you need the goods. Suppliers who are not told the delivery basis will each assume a different one. The cheapest-looking quote is then usually the one that excludes the most. Where a specification matters, such as a grade, a tolerance or a certification, put it on the RFQ rather than leaving it to be discovered on inspection.
Ask for quantity breaks rather than a single price
Suppliers price in bands, and the band boundary is often close to your order size. Asking for prices at several quantities costs the supplier nothing and frequently reveals that ordering slightly more is cheaper in total. It also tells you how much of the price is tooling or setup, which is what you need to know before committing to a second order.
Set a deadline, and say what happens after it
An RFQ without a reply-by date drifts, and quotes that arrive weeks apart cannot be compared because the underlying costs have moved. State the date, state how you want the reply, and say whether you intend to negotiate afterwards or award on the quotes as submitted. Suppliers price differently depending on which it is.
Prefer to fill it in on screen? Use the request for quotation generator →
Not sure what goes in a box? How to fill out a request for quotation, field by field →
Keep building your document set
- Commercial InvoiceGoods, values and payment details.
- Packing List — DetailedPackages, weights and dimensions.
- Certificate of OriginThe declared origin of your goods.
- Bill of LadingShipper, consignee and cargo details.
- Shipper's Letter of InstructionInstructions for your freight forwarder.
- Verified Gross Mass DeclarationThe verified weight of a packed container.
Questions
+What is the difference between an RFQ and an RFP?
A request for quotation asks for a price against a specification. You have already written it. A request for proposal asks suppliers to propose how to meet a need, and price is only part of the answer. Use an RFQ when you know exactly what you want and are choosing on commercial terms.
+How many suppliers should I send it to?
Enough to be confident in the market price, few enough that you will genuinely evaluate every reply. Three is the usual working number. Sending to a dozen and answering none of them damages your standing with suppliers you may need later.
+Should I tell suppliers my target price?
It depends on what you want. Disclosing a target anchors the replies and speeds things up, at the cost of never learning that someone would have gone lower. Withholding it gives you a truer read of the market but invites quotes that miss your budget entirely.
+Does an RFQ commit me to buying?
No. It is a request for prices, not an order and not a promise to place one. The commitment begins when you issue a purchase order against a quotation you have accepted.
+Should the RFQ specify packaging?
Yes, if it matters. Export packing, pallet dimensions and carton weights affect freight cost and whether the goods survive the journey, and a supplier quoting domestic packing will be cheaper and wrong. It also lets you compare shipping costs, which are otherwise invisible until the goods are ready.
Make a document
Fill in your shipment details and download the document.
Create a request for quotation