Steel Fabrication RFQ Checklist: How to Get Comparable Quotes | Kothari Chemicals Engineering Division
An RFQ is not just a request for a price. It is the document that lets every bidder understand the same fabrication scope. When drawings, revisions, coating, inspection or delivery responsibilities are unclear, quotations become difficult to compare and later changes become more likely.
1. Give the Project Context
State the project name, location, intended application, package quantity, required delivery date and contact for technical clarification. For bridge or industrial work, identify the governing specification and any customer, consultant or inspection-agency requirements.
2. Control the Drawing Package
Attach the latest approved drawings and identify the revision that governs the quote. Where appropriate, include the material schedule, connection details, bill of quantities and any model or reference files available. A fabricator cannot produce a reliable price if different bidders are estimating different revisions.
3. Specify Material and Fabrication Requirements
Identify the required material grade, plate or section sizes, supplied fittings, welding requirements and any critical tolerances. If an item is still being finalised, mark it as an assumption that bidders must state clearly rather than leaving it unmentioned.
4. Make Inspection and Documentation Explicit
State the required quality plan, inspection points, material-certificate expectations, dimensional records and NDT scope. The aim is not to overload a simple enquiry with unnecessary paperwork; it is to make required evidence visible before prices are compared.
5. Define Surface Protection and Delivery
Specify whether blasting, painting, metalizing, packing, loading, transport and delivery to site are included. These are often the source of quote differences. Also include destination, access constraints and any site handling considerations known at RFQ stage.
6. Compare Exceptions, Not Only Totals
When reviewing quotations, compare the stated scope, exclusions, lead time, validity, documentation and delivery boundary alongside the total price. A low figure may be based on a missing activity rather than a more efficient fabrication plan.
A Short RFQ Pack Checklist
- Project brief and technical contact
- Latest drawing revision and quantity schedule
- Material, welding and tolerance requirements
- Inspection, documentation and approval requirements
- Coating and packing requirements
- Delivery location, date and site-access notes
- Bidder assumptions, exclusions and commercial validity
Use Kothari's capability profile as an initial vendor reference, then share the project-specific information needed for a meaningful quote.