A purchasing manager at a fabrication company told us he receives an average of 4 quotes for every RFQ he sends out. Three of them are a price per pound or per piece in an email with no context. One of them includes the price plus delivery timeline, stock availability confirmation, material certifications that will be provided, and a brief note about the supplier's capability with that specific product. He awards 70% of his business to the fourth supplier, even when they are not the lowest price.
What Buyers Actually Evaluate
Price matters, but it is rarely the only factor. Experienced steel buyers evaluate RFQ responses on price competitiveness (within 3% to 5% of the lowest bid, not necessarily the absolute lowest), delivery reliability (can you actually deliver when you say you will), material availability (do you have it in stock or are you planning to source it after winning the order), quality documentation (will MTRs, certs, and test reports accompany the shipment without being chased), and responsiveness (how quickly and completely did you respond to the RFQ).
A quote that arrives 3 days after the RFQ was sent has already lost to the supplier who responded in 4 hours. Speed signals that you have the inventory, the systems, and the team to execute. Delays signal that you are scrambling.
Structure Your Response
A winning RFQ response is more than a number. Structure it in five sections. Line-item pricing: match the format of the customer's RFQ exactly. If they listed items 1 through 15, your response should be items 1 through 15 in the same order with the same descriptions. Making the buyer cross-reference between your format and theirs creates friction and invites errors.
Availability statement: for each line item, state whether the material is in stock, available to ship in a specific timeframe, or needs to be ordered from the mill with an estimated lead time. "In stock, available for shipment within 48 hours" is infinitely more useful than a price with no delivery information.
Delivery terms: specify your delivery capability including freight costs (or state that freight is included), delivery schedule, and any minimum delivery quantities. If you are quoting FOB your warehouse, say so clearly. If you are quoting delivered, specify the delivery point.
Quality and documentation: state what certifications and documentation will accompany the shipment. "All material supplied with domestic MTRs traceable to the melt source" addresses a concern the buyer may not have stated in the RFQ but is definitely thinking about.
Validity and terms: state how long your pricing is valid (7 to 14 days is standard in a volatile market) and your payment terms. Do not make the buyer ask for this information separately.
Common Mistakes That Lose RFQs
Quoting partial lists. If the RFQ has 20 line items and you can only supply 15 of them, quote all 20. Mark the 5 you cannot supply as "not available" rather than simply omitting them. An incomplete response forces the buyer to manage two suppliers instead of one, which they will avoid if possible.
Quoting substitutions without explanation. If the RFQ asks for A36 plate and you are quoting A572 Grade 50 (which meets or exceeds A36 requirements), explain why. "A572 Grade 50 meets all A36 mechanical requirements and is available from stock. A36 in this thickness requires a mill order with 6-week lead time." Now the substitution is a value-add instead of a red flag.
Ignoring the timeline. If the RFQ says "quotes due by Thursday at noon," submit by Wednesday afternoon. Late quotes get rejected regardless of price. Early quotes get extra consideration because they demonstrate organizational capability.
Follow Up, But Do Not Pester
After submitting your quote, follow up once within 48 hours. A short email or call: "Wanted to confirm you received our quote and see if you have any questions about the specifications or delivery." One follow-up shows professionalism. Three follow-ups show desperation. If you do not win the order, ask why. The feedback is more valuable than the order you lost. "Your price was fine but your lead time was two weeks longer than the winner" tells you exactly what to fix for the next RFQ from that customer.