A better RFQ: make supplier quotes comparable before comparing prices

Start with one version

Three low prices are not three comparable offers if each supplier has assumed a different material, package, or delivery scope. Before requesting quotations, prepare a short RFQ—request for quotation—with a version number and a clear reply deadline. Send the same file to every shortlisted supplier. The checklist below is Yifeng's editorial workflow, not a government requirement.

State the product's intended use, drawings or reference images, material, dimensions and tolerances, finish, colour, quantity, and packaging. Identify which requirements are fixed and where alternatives are welcome. Name the destination market so product-specific compliance questions can be investigated; do not assume a supplier's generic certificate covers your model or intended use.

Request a quote you can compare

Ask suppliers to separate unit price, tooling, samples, packaging, and delivery-related charges. Request minimum order quantity, sample and production lead times, quote validity, payment milestones, and the delivery basis. Ask them to list exclusions and deviations explicitly. Put unanswered items in an open-questions column instead of treating silence as acceptance.

Check the contracting identity

Request the supplier's exact registered Chinese name and business identifier. SAMR's public guidance describes searches using the company name, unified social credit code, or registration number. Use that as a starting point for identity checks.

Our suggested next step is to compare that identity with the quotation, intended contract, and proposed payment recipient, then resolve differences in writing. A registry result alone does not establish manufacturing capacity, product quality, or suitability for your order. Ask who will manufacture the goods, where production will occur, and what evidence can support the proposed schedule.

Close with a decision gate

Approve the sample and specification version before authorising production. Agree how changes, inspection findings, and rejected goods will be handled. Keep the sample reference, approved specification, commercial terms, and correspondence together. A useful RFQ ends with fewer unresolved assumptions—not simply a lower number. This guide provides general procurement information, not a supplier guarantee or legal advice.