Split the reply in two: within four hours, send the buyer one list of everything that is missing; within 24 hours, send a firm or budgetary quote with written assumptions. In a 2021 survey, 67% of US part buyers expected a quote within 24 hours. Here is a reply template, a completeness checklist and what European buyers check.
You can answer almost any RFQ within 24 hours if you split the reply into two moves. Within the first four hours, send the buyer one completeness check that lists what is missing or ambiguous: drawing revision, tolerances, material, quantities, target date, inspection, certificates and Incoterm. Within 24 hours, send a firm quote, or a budgetary quote whose assumptions and validity are written down. Buyers expect that pace: in a 2021 survey of more than 400 US part buyers by the quoting-software vendor Paperless Parts, 67% expected a quote in less than 24 hours [16].
Key facts
- 67% of more than 400 US part buyers surveyed expected a quote in under 24 hours; only 6% would wait longer than three days [16].
- Incoterms 2020 is a set of eleven trade terms and entered into force on 1 January 2020 [12].
- An EN 10204 type 3.1 certificate is validated by the manufacturer's authorised inspection representative, independent of production [8].
- In the EU, payment terms between companies may not exceed 60 calendar days unless expressly agreed and not grossly unfair to the supplier [14].
What is an RFQ, and how is it different from an RFP or an RFI?
The three documents ask for different things, and answering the wrong one wastes the day. The UN Procurement Manual draws the line clearly [15].
- RFI (request for information): a market survey of what you make and to which standards. No price, no award.
- RFP (request for proposal): the need can be met in several ways, so your approach is scored with the price.
- RFQ (request for quotation): the requirement is specific, usually a drawing and a quantity, and offers are compared mainly on price, lead time and terms.
An RFQ is the easiest to answer quickly and the one where speed matters most: several suppliers quote the same drawing, and a late answer is often not compared. In Portuguese, the RFQ is a «pedido de cotação» and the reply an «orçamento». Search that phrase and the top results on 27 September 2026 were software help pages, such as Microsoft's Dynamics 365 documentation [20], and Brazilian portals, not guides for suppliers.
What should you check before you price anything?
Most RFQs stall because something basic is missing. Check the package against this list in the first hour and send all your questions in one message.
| Item | What a complete RFQ gives you | If it is missing |
|---|---|---|
| Drawings | 2D PDF with revision letter, plus a 3D STEP model | Ask for the STEP file; quote "to drawing rev. X" |
| Tolerances | Toleranced features plus a general note such as ISO 2768-mK [1] [3] | Assume ISO 2768-m and say so in the quote |
| Material | EN designation and condition, e.g. EN AW-6082-T6 or 1.4301 [5] [6] | Propose an equivalent and ask for approval |
| Finish | Roughness (Ra), coating, anodising, heat treatment | Quote the finish as a separate line |
| Quantities | Batch sizes and estimated annual usage (EAU) | Quote three price breaks |
| Target date | Delivery date, or first-article date and series date | Give lead time "from order and drawing approval" |
| Inspection | Dimensional report, first article report or a PPAP level [9] [11] | Quote your standard report; list FAI or PPAP as extras |
| Certificates | EN 10204 3.1 material certificate [7], ISO 9001 [17], RoHS [18] or REACH [19] declarations | State exactly what you will supply |
| Incoterm | Rule plus named place, e.g. FCA Porto [12] | Quote FCA your plant and offer DAP as an option |
| Validity and payment | How long the price must hold, payment terms | State 30 days' validity and your payment terms [14] |
If three or more rows are empty, send the questions and a budgetary range, not a firm price.
What do European buyers expect to see in the reply?
A German or French buyer checks whether your quote speaks the same technical language as their drawing; every mismatch becomes a phone call or a nonconformity later.
Tolerances. European drawings usually carry a general tolerance note. ISO 2768-1 covers linear and angular dimensions in classes f, m, c and v [1] [3]. ISO 2768-2, for geometric tolerances in classes H, K and L, was withdrawn and replaced by ISO 22081:2021 [2], yet notes such as "ISO 2768-mK" remain the most common callout on machining drawings [3]. Repeat the note in your quote. If there is none, write which class you assumed.
Material names. Steels carry an EN 10027 name and a number that complements it [4], for example X5CrNi18-10, which is 1.4301 and roughly AISI 304 [5]. Aluminium follows EN 573 designations such as EN AW-6082 [6]. Show both if you buy to an American grade.
Certificates. Say which EN 10204 inspection document comes with the material [7]. Type 3.1 is the usual request for machined parts, because it carries specific test results validated by an inspector independent of production [8]. Give your ISO 9001 certificate number and expiry date.
Automotive and aerospace. PPAP has five submission levels; level 3 is the part submission warrant with product samples and complete supporting data [9]. Prestolite's supplier handbook, for example, makes level 3 the default [10]. Aerospace buyers ask for a first article inspection report to AS9102 [11], published in Europe as EN 9102. Quote both as separate lines.
Delivery terms. Name one Incoterms 2020 rule and a place [12]. "FCA Porto" and "DAP Stuttgart" are different prices, and a quote without a rule is not comparable.
VAT and payment. Quote prices excluding VAT. When you sell goods to a business in another EU country, you do not charge VAT if the customer has a valid EU VAT number [13]. Payment terms between companies should not exceed 60 days unless both sides expressly agree [14].
What does a 24-hour checklist look like for a Portuguese machine shop or mould maker?
This is GETMILK's checklist for a Portuguese plant answering a buyer in Germany, France or Scandinavia. Each line is a yes or no.
Hour 0 to 2: log and acknowledge
- RFQ logged with a number, one owner and the buyer's deadline.
- Acknowledged in the buyer's language: "You will have our quote by [day, time CET]." Portugal is one hour behind Frankfurt; write their time.
- Files opened: the PDF revision matches the STEP model and the part list.
Hour 2 to 4: one message with every question
- Machined parts: general tolerance class, material designation and condition, finish, batch sizes and annual volume, inspection level, certificate type, Incoterm.
- Moulds: number of cavities, part material and its shrinkage, cavity and core steel, hot or cold runner, target mould life in shots, texture or polish, number of trial rounds and T1 sample quantity, who owns the mould, and where it will run.
- Cannot make it? Say so today, with the reason; buyers remember a fast no.
- Assumptions stated: "If we have no answer by [time], we will quote ISO 2768-m, FCA our plant, 3.1 certificates."
Hour 4 to 20: cost and write
- Material price checked today, not from last quarter's list.
- Outside processes (heat treatment, coating, anodising, EDM) confirmed with the subcontractor or marked as estimates.
- Lead time written as "[n] weeks from purchase order and approval of drawings", or for moulds "T1 samples [n] weeks from order and design approval".
- Validity written as "valid 30 days; material surcharge reviewed after that date".
Hour 20 to 24: check and send
- A second person checks quantities, units, currency, Incoterm, validity and the drawing revision.
- Attached: quote PDF, ISO 9001 certificate, a sample 3.1 certificate or dimensional report, marked-up drawing with any deviations, and for moulds a first mould concept or DFM notes.
The costing method is in how to price a machined part; for tooling, what an injection mould costs in Europe shows the lines buyers compare.
What should the reply itself say?
This is GETMILK's RFQ reply template. Replace the brackets and keep the numbered sections; buyers compare quotes section by section.
Subject: Quote [Q-2026-0147] for RFQ [buyer ref], part [number] rev [X]
Dear [name],
Thank you for RFQ [ref], received on [date]. Our quote follows.
1. Scope
Part: [number], drawing rev [X], 3D model [file]
Material: [EN AW-6082-T6 / 1.4301], certificate EN 10204 3.1
Finish: [e.g. clear anodised, Ra 1.6]
General tolerances: ISO 2768-mK unless toleranced
2. Prices (EUR, excluding VAT)
Qty 50: [unit price], [n] weeks from PO and drawing approval
Qty 200: [unit price], [lead time] weeks
Qty 1,000: [unit price], [lead time] weeks
One-off: fixtures [ ], programming [ ], first article report [ ]
3. Terms
Incoterms 2020: [FCA, our plant, city]
Payment: [e.g. 30] days from invoice
Validity: 30 days from today; material surcharge reviewed after
4. Assumptions and exclusions
- [assumption 1]
- Not included: [PPAP / coating / special packaging]
5. Open questions
- [question 1]
Quality: ISO 9001 certificate [number], valid until [date]
Inspection: [dimensional report / FAI to AS9102 / PPAP level 3]
Attached: ISO 9001 certificate, sample 3.1 certificate, marked-up drawing
Best regards,
[name], [role], [direct phone]
Where does the time actually go?
In small plants the 24 hours go on waiting, not calculating: for the one person who can read the drawing, for a missing STEP file, for last year's price for a similar part. That waiting is what RFQ and quoting automation removes: every RFQ in one queue, the checklist above run when the email arrives, and a draft quote from your own rules for the estimator to approve. To choose between buying software and building an agent, see quoting software or an AI quoting agent.
What to do next
- Copy the checklist and template into your RFQ log and time the next five RFQs from arrival to sent quote.
- Write down the certificates and documents you can attach on the same day; the certifications European buyers ask for lists the usual ones. If you already answer inside 24 hours with few questions back, you do not need outside help.
- If RFQs still wait for one person, GETMILK sets up RFQ and quoting automation from €4,900 plus €290 a month per plant. If buyers keep asking what you can make, a verified capability profile through technical data packages starts at €490. Prices exclude VAT; the 30-minute call to check whether either fits is free.
References
- ISO. ISO 2768-1:1989 General tolerances, Part 1: Tolerances for linear and angular dimensions without individual tolerance indications (1989, last confirmed 2022, under revision)
- ISO. ISO 2768-2:1989 General tolerances, Part 2 (withdrawn, replaced by ISO 22081:2021) (accessed 27 September 2026)
- RpProto (secondary). ISO 2768 general tolerance: complete guide to classes, tables and applications (13 April 2026)
- Swedish Institute for Standards (SIS). SS-EN 10027-2:2015 Designation systems for steels, Part 2: Numerical system (5 March 2015)
- SteelNumber (secondary). X5CrNi18-10 (1.4301): chemical composition and equivalents (accessed 27 September 2026)
- SteelNumber (secondary). EN AW-6082 (EN AW-AlSi1MgMn): aluminium alloy designation to EN 573-3 (accessed 27 September 2026)
- BSI. BS EN 10204:2004 Metallic products. Types of inspection documents (25 October 2004)
- Penflex (secondary). BS EN 10204:2004: types of inspection documents 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2 (accessed 27 September 2026)
- InspectionXpert (secondary). What are the PPAP submission levels? (11 October 2019)
- Prestolite Electric. Supplier PPAP Handbook, Revision C (28 August 2017)
- SAE International. AS9102C Aerospace series: first article inspection requirements (28 June 2023)
- International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). Incoterms rules (accessed 27 September 2026)
- Your Europe, European Commission. Cross-border VAT (13 July 2026)
- Official Journal of the European Union. Directive 2011/7/EU on combating late payment in commercial transactions, Article 3(5) (16 February 2011)
- United Nations. United Nations Procurement Manual (30 June 2024)
- Paperless Parts (vendor survey). Paperless Parts launches search function to make quoting manufacturing jobs faster and more accurate (27 January 2021)
- ISO. ISO 9001:2026 Quality management systems, Requirements (16 September 2026)
- Official Journal of the European Union. Directive 2011/65/EU on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS) (8 June 2011)
- Official Journal of the European Union. Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) (18 December 2006)
- Microsoft Learn. Responder a perguntas de fornecedores sobre pedidos de cotações (Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management) (23 May 2025)
Questions people ask
- How do you respond to an RFQ?
- Acknowledge it the same day and name one owner. Within four hours, send the buyer one message listing everything missing or ambiguous (drawing revision, tolerances, material, quantities, date, inspection, certificates, Incoterm). Within 24 hours, send a firm quote, or a budgetary quote with written assumptions, validity, lead time and an Incoterms 2020 rule.
- How quickly should you respond to an RFQ?
- Within 24 hours if you can. In a 2021 survey of more than 400 US part buyers by Paperless Parts, 67% expected a quote in less than 24 hours and only 6% were willing to wait longer than three days. If you cannot price it in a day, send a budgetary quote and your questions.
- What is the difference between an RFQ, an RFP and an RFI?
- An RFI is a market survey: what can you make, to which standards. An RFP is used when a requirement can be met in several ways, so your approach is scored with the price. An RFQ is used when the requirement is clear and specific, usually a drawing and a quantity, and offers are compared mainly on price, lead time and terms.
- What does ISO 2768-mK mean on a drawing?
- It sets the general tolerances for any dimension without its own tolerance: class m (medium) from ISO 2768-1 for linear and angular dimensions, and class K from ISO 2768-2 for geometric tolerances. ISO 2768-2 has been withdrawn and replaced by ISO 22081:2021, but the callout is still common.
- What is an EN 10204 3.1 certificate?
- An inspection document for metallic products that carries the results of specific tests on the delivered material, validated by the manufacturer's authorised inspection representative, who is independent of the manufacturing department. It is the usual certificate European buyers ask for with machined parts.