Teyfik GökdemirStrategic Sourcing · International Trade
The RFQ Process: How to Get Comparable Supplier Quotes
An RFQ is not a message asking “best price?”. It is a controlled information package that forces suppliers to quote the same commercial scenario.
Published: · 6 min
Required RFQ fields
Include specification, quality standard, annual and order volume, destination, Incoterms, packaging, samples, payment and quote validity.
Use a standard quote template
Free-format quotations make comparison difficult. Require unit price, tooling, sample, freight, lead time, MOQ and payment in one table.
Do not rank by price alone
Use weighted scoring across technical fit, total cost, quality evidence, capacity, delivery, commercial terms and risk.
The RFQ starts negotiation
The first quote is not the final result. Clarify deviations, shortlist suppliers, complete technical review and samples, then reopen the commercial round.