RFQ & Quote Tools
First Supplier Enquiry Checklist
A useful China supplier RFQ develops in three stages: first enquiry, comparable quotation request and pre-production confirmation. Start with enough information for a relevant response, then tighten the fields as the product and order become defined.
What this page helps you decide
Use this page to decide what must be fixed now, what can remain a target, what is genuinely open and where a supplier proposal is useful. The aim is not to request every possible document in the first message; it is to move from a clear enquiry to comparable quotations and then to a controlled production version.
Use one of four statuses for every field
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Must confirm | Required before the stage can be completed. |
| Target | The buyer has a preferred value but may review a supported alternative. |
| Open | The point is not decided yet and must remain visible. |
| Supplier proposal permitted | The supplier may propose an option and explain its effect on price, MOQ, timing or performance. |
A. First enquiry
Goal: Confirm whether the supplier can discuss the intended product, market, quantity range and level of customisation.
Fields for this stage
- Product identity and intended use
- Target country or market
- Reference image, model or link, clearly labelled as a reference
- Required materials, dimensions or performance where already known
- Expected quantity range and number of SKUs, colours or sizes
- Stock, private-label, ODM or OEM scope
- Packaging and branding direction
- Sample requirement and delivery country
- Open points the supplier may propose
Do not require too early: Do not demand a final production specification, final compliance file or fixed delivery date before the product version and project scope are understood.
B. Comparable quotation request
Goal: Give every supplier the same quotation basis so differences in product, quantity, packaging, costs and terms remain visible.
Fields for this stage
- Specification or requirement version
- Materials, dimensions and performance fields
- Quantity tiers and permitted variant mix
- MOQ basis: total order, SKU, colour, size and packaging component
- Unit price and included or excluded items
- Packaging and labelling scope
- Known compliance or document requirements
- Sample cost and sample lead time
- Tooling, setup, testing and packaging charges
- Incoterm and named place
- Production lead-time starting event
- Payment terms and quotation validity
Do not require too early: Do not ask for one unexplained “best price,” combine different Incoterms in one comparison, or leave suppliers to choose different product assumptions without marking them.
C. Pre-production confirmation
Goal: Freeze the version that will be produced and connect approvals, documents, commercial terms and change control to that version.
Fields for this stage
- Final product identity and approved specification revision
- Approved sample or reference sample identifier
- Materials, dimensions, performance and tolerances
- Approved artwork, packaging, labels and manuals
- Final quantities and variant breakdown
- Compliance responsibilities and order-relevant documents
- Production site and responsible legal entities
- Final price, charges, Incoterm and payment milestones
- Production lead-time starting event and shipment-ready definition
- Inspection, change approval and discrepancy process
Do not require too early: Do not treat an earlier quotation, chat approval or unnumbered attachment as the final production instruction. Do not allow an open critical field to become accepted by silence.
Control attachments and precedence
Give each file a stable identity so the supplier can state which version was quoted and which version controls production.
| File name | Version | Revision date | Purpose | Reference sample | Precedence if records differ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product-specification | V1.0 | YYYY-MM-DD | Quotation basis | Sample ID, if any | State whether the approved drawing, specification or reference sample controls each field |
Ask every supplier to use the same reply structure
| Field | Supplier response | Included in price? | MOQ basis | Lead-time effect | Evidence or attachment | Open point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quoted product and version | ||||||
| Materials, dimensions and performance | ||||||
| Packaging, compliance, sample and commercial terms |
A supplier may answer “cannot confirm,” “need to check” or propose an alternative. That is more useful than an assumed answer because it keeps the comparison basis visible.
Electrical-product example: Air Fryer
Voltage, frequency, plug type and rated power are relevant to electrical products, not universal RFQ fields. For an air fryer enquiry, add those fields together with capacity basis, basket format, control type and required destination-market version. Use the Air Fryer RFQ Checklist for the product-specific structure.
Common mistakes and pause conditions
- Do not leave MOQ as one number: confirm whether it applies to the total order, each SKU, colour, size or packaging component.
- Do not compare quotations until the quoted product version, quantity basis, Incoterm and main exclusions are visible.
- Pause pre-production approval if the controlling specification, approved sample, packaging revision or critical compliance responsibility is still open.
Related next steps
- What to Check Before Accepting a Supplier MOQ
- How to Ask About Lead Time from Chinese Suppliers
- How to Identify the Legal Entity Behind a Chinese Supplier Website
- Quote Comparison Template
- Supplier Reply and Open-Question Tracker
- Start Here for Buyers
If a specific supplier, quotation or document set cannot be resolved with the checklist alone, Research Services can scope a source-grounded review around the decision.