Wholesale RFQ Template

An RFQ exists to make answers comparable. Every field you leave open is a field each supplier fills in differently, and the comparison is lost before it starts.

The structure

1. Who you are. Legal entity, account number if you have one, and whether a resale certificate is on file.

2. The item, exactly. Manufacturer, model or part number, revision, regional variant, packaging, and included accessories. Where a substitute is acceptable, say so and say on what basis; where it is not, say that.

3. Quantity, and the next break. The quantity you want, plus a request for the next volume break. The gap tells you where the supplier’s economics change.

4. Delivery point and freight terms. The address, whether it is commercial, whether a dock or liftgate is available, and who arranges and pays freight. Ambiguity here is a common reason quotes cannot be placed side by side. If any line is imported, ask who is importer of record and which Incoterm applies; CBP’s basic import and export pages are the starting point, not the RFQ itself.

5. Required date. The date you need goods in hand, and whether partial shipment is acceptable.

6. Payment terms sought. State what you are asking for rather than waiting to be offered. See payment terms and credit.

7. Availability. Ask explicitly whether the quantity is in hand, allocated, or to be sourced — the distinction in the availability question.

8. Shortage and damage handling. What happens if the delivery is short or damaged. Agreeing this before the order is worth more than any concession on price.

9. Quotation validity. How long the price holds. Without it, a quote is a conversation.

10. Response format and deadline. Ask for a line-by-line response in the same order as the request.

Copyable outline

Company / account / resale certificate on file
Item: manufacturer, part number, revision, variant, packaging
Quantity: [qty]; please also quote the next break
Delivery: [address], commercial, dock available: yes/no, liftgate required: yes/no
Freight: quoted separately / included — state terms
Required in hand by: [date]; partial shipment acceptable: yes/no
Payment terms sought: [e.g. net 30 on approval, prepay first order]
Availability: in hand / allocated / to be sourced, with lead time
Shortage and damage: state your standard remedy
Quotation valid until: [date]
Please respond line by line by [date]

Prepare the request before sending it

Choose one person to maintain the RFQ and give it a reference number or date. Suppliers should be answering the same revision, especially when the specification changes during the enquiry. Put essential requirements in the body of the request as well as any attachment. An attachment that does not reach the sales representative should not leave the item or quantity ambiguous.

Separate mandatory requirements from preferences. A required connector type, delivery deadline or specific part revision belongs in the mandatory group. A preferred carton color might be negotiable. Suppliers can propose useful alternatives when they understand the difference, and you can evaluate those alternatives without losing sight of the original requirement.

Avoid sending sensitive account documents to every address on an unverified list. State the business identity and account status needed for the quotation; complete account onboarding through the supplier’s established process when appropriate. The account requirements guide explains the paperwork questions that sit alongside an RFQ.

Fill the outline with a specific buying situation

Imagine a hypothetical reseller seeking 120 unbranded charging cables for a first order. Writing only the product category invites different answers about connector combinations, cable length, packaging and supported performance. Instead, state the exact connector arrangement, required length, color, packaging and any documented performance requirement relevant to your intended use. Ask the supplier to identify its offered SKU and evidence for any technical claim.

Next state whether 120 means individual cables or retail packs. Ask for case quantity, the smallest acceptable order and the next price break in separate fields. If the seller offers 144 because of its case size, it should identify that deviation. You can then compare the larger commitment using the MOQ calculation method, rather than discovering the quantity change after approval.

Complete the destination information with the actual receiving arrangement. A commercial address alone does not establish that a truck can access the building or unload there. Identify any appointment, limited access or unloading requirement you already know about and ask for clarification on unpriced services. For parcel-sized goods, ask whether the quote assumes one package or multiple shipments.

The example is a request structure, not a product recommendation or statement that a particular cable specification satisfies a safety standard. Use the actual requirements for your market and ask for product-specific supporting documentation where necessary.

Specify how alternatives should be presented

Give the supplier a place to mark exceptions. A useful response distinguishes the requested item, the offered item, the difference and the effect on price or delivery. Without that separation, a cheaper substitute can appear to win the comparison even though it answers a different question. Ask for alternatives on separate lines, with the original requirement still visible.

For replacement parts, include the identifying information necessary to establish fit, such as the existing part number and equipment model. If a supplier proposes a cross-reference, ask it to explain the basis rather than relying on a similar appearance. For assorted goods, request the allocation by variant or an explicit statement that the assortment is variable.

Do not mark a requirement satisfied simply because a sales response repeats your wording. Where the issue depends on documentation, ask for the corresponding specification sheet, packaging information or other relevant evidence. Keep any unresolved requirement in the comparison as an open question until it has a usable answer.

Ask for separate dates for separate events

An RFQ needs more than a single lead-time field. Ask when the quotation expires, when stock availability was checked, what event starts order processing, when dispatch is expected and when receipt is estimated. These dates answer different questions. A quote valid for a week does not necessarily mean the goods remain reserved for that week.

State whether partial shipments are acceptable and whether the supplier must obtain approval before splitting the order. Ask how additional freight would be handled. If your project needs all items together, explain that requirement so a supplier does not assume that shipping the available lines early solves the problem.

Where the offered date depends on an incoming shipment, request that dependency in the response. Treat an estimate awaiting another delivery differently from stock already allocated to your order. If the answer changes while you are comparing suppliers, obtain an updated quotation rather than combining an old price with a new promise informally.

Evaluate replies without filling gaps yourself

Read each response against the same checklist. Mark answered, unanswered and changed fields. Send a short follow-up identifying only the missing or changed details, with the RFQ reference attached. This is easier for a supplier to answer than another broad request to provide its best price.

Compare the total committed quantity and delivered cost before looking at headline discounts. Ask whether quoted prices depend on account approval, a payment method or a volume condition. A response with an attractive unit price but no delivery charge is incomplete; keep it out of a final cost ranking until the missing assumption is resolved.

Also check whether the supplier’s answer identifies a named contact and a route for order issues. Knowing who provided a clarification helps when another department later processes the order. It does not replace supplier verification, but it preserves accountability within the correspondence.

Carry the agreed answer into the purchase order

Once you select an offer, keep the final quotation, your specification and the subsequent order together. Reference the agreed revision and resolve exceptions explicitly. Asking for a quotation and placing an order are different steps; make the point of commitment clear in your correspondence and internal approval process.

The model text of UCC §2-201 addresses written evidence for certain goods contracts, with exceptions. It is not a rule that a filled RFQ automatically forms or proves a contract. Applicable law and the actual exchange matter. The practical purpose of retaining the documents is to preserve what was requested, offered and agreed.

After receipt, compare the shipment with the RFQ fields that mattered most. Note which questions prevented confusion and which missing fields created extra work. Revise the reusable outline for the next purchase, while keeping the previous order’s version intact. That makes the template more useful without rewriting the evidence for an earlier decision.

The fields buyers omit

Freight terms, availability semantics, and shortage handling — in that order. All three are where a low quote turns out to be a different quote.

After the quotes arrive

Normalize before comparing; the method is in comparing quotes on equal terms. Keep the accepted quotation with the specification attached, because that document is what you have if the delivery disagrees with the conversation.

More in the buying guides index.