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What to Put in an RFQ so the Quotes Are Comparable

September 21, 2026

Most quote spreads that look like a supplier difference are actually an information difference. Each shop filled the same gap with a different assumption, and the cheapest one assumed the least work.

The package

Files. STEP for geometry, PDF drawing for intent. Native CAD only if the supplier asked for it. One revision, clearly marked and no folder of superseded versions.

On the drawing. Material and temper. Finish type, thickness and masked features. Surface finish with the surfaces named. Datum scheme and form controls. Critical characteristics identified. Marking and part number requirements.

In the RFQ text. Quantity and any repeat schedule. Needed by date. Inspection scope, first article and whether reports are needed per lot. Certificates required. Cleaning and packing level. Delivery destination and Incoterm. Whether an NDA is needed before files are shared.

That last group is where most RFQs are thin, and it is where most of the price variation lives.

The eight omissions that cost the most

  1. No packing requirement. Cleanroom packing is labour and consumables, so a shop that assumes a cardboard box quotes lower and delivers a part you cannot use.
  2. No inspection scope. A first article plus sampling and a full report per piece are different prices.
  3. Blanket surface finish. One tight note applied to every surface, covered in how to specify surface finish.
  4. Finish thickness without masking callouts. Threads and bores come back undersize.
  5. No datum scheme. Each shop picks its own, described in flatness, parallelism and datums.
  6. No certificate list. Material and finish certificates are cheap when planned and impossible to add afterwards.
  7. No quantity or repeat information. Setup spreads differently over 1, 10 and a quarterly repeat.
  8. No destination. Export documentation and packing are real cost and not every shop can issue them.

Make the quote form comparable

Ask every supplier to return the same lines: unit price, setup or tooling, first article cost, finishing cost, inspection cost, packing, lead time in working days and the validity of the quote. When each of those is a separate line you can see where a difference comes from. When they are one number you cannot.

What good suppliers do with a good RFQ

A shop that understands the work will come back with questions before it quotes: about the datum scheme, about which surfaces need the finish, about the packing level. Those questions are a qualification signal. A shop that quotes a complex part in an hour with no questions has priced the shape, not the requirement.

Before you send the package out, it is worth reading what to check before you send a drawing to Vietnam.

To send one package and get it in front of shops that fit the part, send the RFQ with the drawing, the inspection scope and the packing level attached.

Frequently asked questions

Is a STEP file enough on its own?

No. A STEP file carries geometry, not intent. Tolerances, finish, material, datums and inspection requirements live on the drawing. A model without a drawing gets you a price for a shape, not for your part.

Should I tell suppliers my target price?

Sharing a budget helps a serious shop tell you early whether the part fits it and where the design could change to make it fit. It also invites a weak shop to quote your number and discover the problem later. Share it with shops you have already qualified.

How many suppliers should quote one part?

Two or three that actually fit the part beats ten that do not. More quotes mainly generate more clarification emails, and a drawing sent to ten shops is a drawing in ten places.

Need a quote for this part?

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More on choosing a supplier

All guides and the sourcing glossary.