How to write a request for quotation that suppliers can answer
Vague requests produce quotations that cannot be compared. A one-page request with six pieces of information gets you prices you can put side by side.
Three suppliers receive the same request: “Please quote for 10 hospital beds.” One quotes for a basic manual bed, one for a two-crank bed with a mattress and side rails, and one for an electric bed. The prices are far apart, the committee cannot compare them, and the process starts again.
The fault is in the request, not the suppliers. A request for quotation works when every supplier is pricing the same thing. These six pieces of information get you there.
1. What the item is for
One sentence of context changes the answer. “Beds for a 10-bed maternity ward” tells a supplier more than a part number does, and lets them warn you if what you have asked for will not suit the use.
2. The specification that matters
List the features the item must have and leave out the ones you do not care about. For equipment, that usually means capacity or size, power supply, key functions and any accessories that must be included. If you will accept an equivalent to a named brand, say “or equivalent” and state what equivalent means to you.
3. Quantity and unit
State the number and the unit: 10 beds, 50 boxes of 100 gloves, 4 reams per carton. Many pricing disputes come down to one side counting boxes and the other counting pieces.
4. Where and when you need it
Give the delivery address and the date you need the goods by. Say whether you want the price to include delivery, offloading and installation. A price delivered to your store in Benin City is different from a price ex-warehouse in Lagos.
5. The documents you expect
If your organisation needs particular documents with the goods, ask for them at the start. Common ones are proof that the supplier is an authorised source, product certificates, a warranty, and a delivery note for your stores officer to sign. Public bodies should also follow the procurement rules that apply to them, including the Public Procurement Act 2007 for federal institutions and the equivalent state laws.
6. How to reply
Tell suppliers the closing date, who to send the quotation to, how long the price must stay valid, and your payment terms. Ask them to state the brand and model they are offering and the delivery time for each line.
A simple layout
A table does most of the work. One row per item, with these columns:
| Item | Specification | Unit | Quantity | Brand and model offered | Unit price | Delivery time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital bed | Two-crank manual, with mattress, side rails and castors | Each | 10 | Supplier fills in | Supplier fills in | Supplier fills in |
You fill in the first four columns and the supplier fills in the rest. When the replies come back, they line up row by row.
If you are not sure of the specification
Say so. A good supplier would rather spend ten minutes helping you define the item than quote for the wrong one. Send us a rough list and we will come back with questions, then a quotation you can compare with anyone else’s.
