Supplier RFQ email template

In short: number every line, give the full spec exactly as your customer wrote it, state origin and certification requirements up front, include a need-by date and delivery point, and ask for unit price, lead time and quote validity per line.

The template

Copy it, replace the parts in {braces}, and send.

Supplier RFQ email

Subject: RFQ {RFQ number}: {short description}, need by {date}

Hi {first name},

Please quote your best price and lead time for the items below.

{line 1: quantity, unit, full description, grade or spec, finish}
{line 2: …}

Requirements:
- Material origin: {domestic / import OK}
- Certifications: {MTRs / certificate of conformance / none}
- Need by: {date}, delivered to {city, state} ({FOB point / freight terms})

Please reply with your unit price, lead time and quote validity for each line number. If you can only quote some lines, that's fine.

Thank you,
{your name}
{company} | {phone}

A filled-in example

Three fastener lines with mixed origin and MTR requirements:

Example

Subject: RFQ 11552: B7 all-thread, nuts and washers, need by Nov 7

Hi Dana,

Please quote your best price and lead time for the items below.

1. 400 pcs 1/2-13 × 6 ft B7 all-thread rod, plain finish
2. 800 pcs 1/2-13 2H heavy hex nut, plain finish
3. 400 pcs 1/2 in F436 hardened washer

Requirements:
- Material origin: lines 1–2 domestic; line 3 import OK
- Certifications: MTRs required for lines 1 and 2
- Need by: Nov 7, delivered to Corona, CA (FOB destination)

Please reply with your unit price, lead time and quote validity for each line number. If you can only quote some lines, that's fine.

Thank you,
Sam

What to include, and why

One line per item, numbered: Suppliers reply by line number, which makes their quotes easy to compare side by side.
The full spec, exactly as your customer wrote it: Size, thread, length, grade, finish. Don’t shorten “1/2-13 × 6 ft B7” to “B7 rod”.
Origin and certifications up front: Domestic-only or MTR requirements change the price. Saying so first avoids a second round.
A need-by date and where it ships: Lead time and freight are part of the real cost.
Leave your customer’s name out: The supplier needs the spec, not who it’s for.
Ask for quote validity: So you know how long you can hold the price on your own quote.

Questions

What should a supplier RFQ email include?

Numbered lines with quantity, unit and the full specification; material origin and certification requirements such as MTRs; the need-by date and delivery point; and a request for unit price, lead time and quote validity per line.

Should I tell the supplier who the customer is?

No. The supplier needs the specification and delivery details, not your customer’s name. Leaving it out protects your customer relationship.

How many suppliers should I send an RFQ to?

Two to four suppliers who actually carry the material is usually enough to compare price and lead time without creating extra follow-up work.

Can this be automated?

Yes. MySourceBot’s AI employee, Otto, drafts an RFQ like this from your customer’s email, sends it to the suppliers you choose once you approve, and reads their price replies back in for comparison.

Or say it once and let Otto write them

Tell Otto “send lines 1 and 2 to Gulf Coast and Midwest, need by Friday.” He drafts an RFQ like this for each supplier, waits for your OK, and reads their prices back in. How RFQ automation works.

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