RFQ email templates you can send to suppliers today.
Five request for quotation emails to copy and send as they are: a first RFQ, a short one for regular suppliers, a follow up, a clarification request and a formal letter. Each starts with its subject line, with placeholders in square brackets.
How do you request a quotation from a supplier by email?
An RFQ email, or request for quotation email, is the message a buyer sends a supplier asking for a price on a defined scope. A good one states what is needed, how many, where and when it must be delivered, the commercial terms to quote on, and the date replies are due. It is written so a supplier can price it without asking a question, and the same scope goes to every supplier so the offers can be compared line by line.
Many templates stop at the first email. Two more usually decide the result: the follow up to suppliers who went quiet, and the clarification that makes a mixed set of offers comparable. All five are below. When the shortlist is long, PROCAI sends the RFQ from your own Gmail or Outlook address, one email per supplier, and matches every reply to the RFQ.
What to put in an RFQ email.
Seven parts, in the order a supplier reads them.
| Element | What to write | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Subject line | RFQ number, item or package, project or site, reply date | The email gets opened, and every reply can be found and matched later |
| Scope and specification | Item description, grade or standard, brand or equivalent, drawing references | Suppliers price what you need, not their closest product |
| Quantities and units | A quantity and a unit on every line, matching your item list | Unit prices line up across suppliers without conversion |
| Delivery terms and location | Delivered to site or ex works, full address, required date | Freight and lead time can decide which offer is really cheapest |
| Commercial terms | Currency, VAT shown separately, payment terms, quotation validity | Offers on different terms cannot be compared like for like |
| Deadline and reply format | Date and time, PDF or Excel, the RFQ number in the reply | Late or loose replies hold up the whole comparison |
| Attachments and contact | Item list or bill of quantities, drawings, your name, email and phone | Questions reach you before the deadline, not after it |
What separates a good RFQ email.
Whether suppliers reply, whether the replies compare, and where the time goes.
What makes suppliers reply
- A named contact and a real company, not a bare list of items
- A scope they can price without having to ask questions first
- A firm reply date that still leaves time to price properly
- An email from a person's own address, which reads as a real enquiry
What makes quotes comparable
- The same scope, quantities and units sent to every supplier
- One currency asked for, with VAT shown separately
- The same delivery basis, payment terms and validity for everyone
- A request to price every line and to mark items not offered
Mistakes that cost time
- One email with every supplier in CC, which shows your shortlist to all of them
- No RFQ number, so replies arrive under a dozen different subject lines
- No deadline, so the last quotation lands after the decision
- No follow up, so a good supplier is lost to a missed email
How to send an RFQ email to several suppliers in four steps.
One request, sent the same day, to everyone on the shortlist.
- 1
Prepare one RFQ
Write the request once from template 1 or 2: scope, quantities, delivery, terms and reply date. Give it an RFQ number and attach the item list, so every supplier prices the same thing.
- 2
Build the shortlist
List the suppliers you will invite, with a named contact and an email address for each. Many purchasing policies ask for at least three quotations, so invite more than three.
- 3
Send the same request to each supplier
Send each supplier its own email, addressed by name. Pasting one email to everyone in BCC loses the tracking: replies, bounces and silences end up mixed in one inbox. PROCAI sends one personalised email per supplier from your own Gmail or Outlook address.
- 4
Track and chase the replies
Keep a list of who replied, who bounced and who is silent. A few working days before the deadline, send template 3 to everyone who has not answered. PROCAI matches each reply to the RFQ, flags bounces and reminds every silent supplier in one click.
Five RFQ email templates, ready to copy.
Every subject line follows one formula: RFQ number, what you are buying, the project or site, and the reply date. Replace the text in square brackets, attach your item list, and send.
First RFQ to a new supplier
Subject: RFQ [RFQ number]: [item or package] for [project or site], quotation due [date] Dear [supplier contact name], I am [your name], [your role] at [company name], [one line on what your company does, for example: a contractor delivering residential projects in Riyadh]. We are requesting quotations for the supply of [item or package] for [project name] in [city]. The specification and quantities are in the attached [item list or bill of quantities] and summarised here: 1. [Item description, grade or standard]: [quantity] [unit] 2. [Item description, grade or standard]: [quantity] [unit] 3. [Item description, grade or standard]: [quantity] [unit] Delivery: [delivered to site at full address, or ex works], required by [date]. Please quote on these terms: Currency: [currency], with VAT shown separately at [VAT rate]. Payment terms: [for example, 30 days from invoice]. Validity: the quotation should remain valid for at least [number] days. Lead time: please confirm the delivery time from purchase order. Please price every item in the unit shown above. If you cannot supply an item, or you offer an alternative, say so on that line. Please send your quotation by [time] on [date] as a PDF or Excel file, and keep the reference [RFQ number] in the subject of your reply. If you have any questions, you can reach me at [email address] or [phone number]. Kind regards, [Your name] [Role] [Company name] [Address] [Phone number]
RFQ to a regular supplier
Subject: RFQ [RFQ number]: [item] for [project or site], quotation due [date] Hi [supplier contact name], Please quote the items below for delivery to [site or warehouse] by [date]. 1. [Item description]: [quantity] [unit] 2. [Item description]: [quantity] [unit] Same terms as our last order unless you tell us otherwise: prices in [currency] excluding VAT, [payment terms], valid for [number] days. Please include your lead time. We need your quotation by [date]. Please reply to this email and keep the reference [RFQ number]. Thanks, [Your name] [Company name] [Phone number]
Follow up when a supplier has not replied
Subject: Reminder: RFQ [RFQ number], [item or package], quotation due [date] Dear [supplier contact name], I am following up on our request for quotation [RFQ number] for [item or package], sent on [date sent]. The closing date for quotations is [closing date]. We have not received your quotation yet and would like to include you in the comparison. Could you confirm whether you will be quoting? If you need more time or have a question on the scope, please let me know by [date] and I will see what we can do. If you are not able to quote this time, a short reply saying so is helpful, and we will keep you on our list for future requests. The original request and its attachments are below for reference. Kind regards, [Your name] [Company name] [Phone number]
Clarification or revised quotation, so offers are comparable
Subject: RFQ [RFQ number]: clarification needed on your quotation [their quotation number] Dear [supplier contact name], Thank you for your quotation [their quotation number] dated [date] for [item or package]. Before we can compare it with the other offers, we need the following points clarified: 1. Missing items: the quotation does not include [item numbers or descriptions]. Please price them, or confirm that you cannot supply them. 2. Units: [item] is quoted per [their unit], while our request is per [our unit]. Please restate the price per [our unit]. 3. Terms: please confirm whether your prices include [delivery to site, VAT, unloading], and state your payment terms and quotation validity. Please send a revised quotation, or confirm these points in writing, by [date]. Only the points above need an answer; the rest of your quotation stands as submitted. Kind regards, [Your name] [Company name] [Phone number]
Formal quotation request letter
Subject: Request for quotation [RFQ number]: [item or package], [project name] [Company letterhead] Date: [date] Our reference: [RFQ number] To: [Supplier company name] Attention: [contact name and title] [Supplier address] Re: Request for quotation for the supply of [item or package], [project name] Dear [Mr or Ms surname], [Company name] invites you to submit a quotation for the supply of [item or package] for [project name], in accordance with the attached [specification, drawings and bill of quantities]. Scope: [short description of the goods or services and their quantities, or: as per the attached schedule]. Delivery: [delivery terms and location], required by [date]. Prices: in [currency], with VAT shown separately. Payment terms: [payment terms]. Validity: the quotation shall remain valid for [number] days from the closing date. Closing date: quotations must reach us by [time] on [date], by email to [email address]. Please quote the reference [RFQ number] on all correspondence. This request does not commit [company name] to place an order. Yours sincerely, [Name] [Title] [Company name] [Phone number] | [Email address] [Signature and company stamp]
What a template does not do.
A good email gets better replies. It does not run the rest of the process for you.
- It cannot write your specification. If the scope is vague, suppliers will price different things whatever the email says. The free RFQ templates by material carry the technical asks.
- It is not a tender. Purchases that need sealed bids, weighted evaluation or a tender committee need a formal tender process, not an email.
- Your mailbox has limits. When PROCAI sends from your address, your provider's daily sending limits apply, about 500 emails a day on free Gmail, and large sends continue once the mailbox allows it.
- PROCAI does not pick the supplier. It sends, tracks and lays the quotations side by side; the award, on price, lead time and supplier history, stays with you.
Free RFQ template, ready to download
A blank Excel RFQ form with an items table, the commercial terms and a price column for the supplier to fill in. Attach it to any of the emails above so every quotation comes back in the same layout.
RFQ emails, answered.
What should I write in the subject line of an RFQ email?
Write the RFQ number, what you are buying, the project or site, and the reply date, for example: RFQ 2611, steel rebar for Tower B, quotation due 12 November. The number lets you and the supplier find the thread later. The item and the date tell the supplier, before opening, what is being asked and how urgent it is. Keep it short enough to read in an inbox list.
Should I send one email to all suppliers or a separate email to each?
Send a separate email to each supplier. One email with everyone in CC shows your shortlist to competitors, and BCC makes it look like a mass mailing while mixing every reply, bounce and silence in one inbox. Separate emails addressed by name read as real enquiries and can be tracked one by one. PROCAI does this from your own mailbox, one email per supplier, with every reply matched to the RFQ.
How long should I wait before following up on an RFQ?
Follow up about halfway to the deadline, which is usually two or three working days after sending when suppliers have a week to reply. Ask whether the supplier intends to quote and offer to answer questions. Send a last reminder a day or two before the closing date. A supplier who says they will not quote is still a useful answer, because you can invite someone else in time.
What should I attach to an RFQ email?
Attach everything a supplier needs to price without asking: the item list or bill of quantities, drawings and specifications, and your standard commercial terms if you have them. An Excel item list with a price column is the easiest for suppliers to fill in and for you to compare. Put the RFQ number in each file name, and mention every attachment in the email so none is missed.
How do I reply to a quotation I am not accepting?
Thank the supplier, say the order has gone elsewhere, and keep the door open. Two sentences are enough: Thank you for your quotation for RFQ [number]. On this occasion we have placed the order with another supplier, and we will invite you to future requests. If you can, say whether price or lead time decided it. A short, polite answer keeps the relationship ready for the next request.
Can PROCAI send these RFQ emails for me, and from which address?
Yes, from your own address. PROCAI sends the RFQ from your connected Gmail, Microsoft 365 or custom SMTP mailbox, so suppliers see your address and reply to you. Each supplier gets a separate email, and replies are matched to the RFQ even when the subject line changes. Bounces are flagged and silent suppliers are visible. Sending RFQs never costs credits, and the Free plan includes 30 RFQs a month to 20 suppliers each.
Write the RFQ once, send it to every supplier today.
Connect the Gmail or Outlook mailbox you already use. Sending RFQs is free on every plan, and the Free plan needs no credit card.