Why an RFQ response template beats a free-form email?
With dozens of requests a day, a rep who invents the reply structure every time drops elements or writes too long. A template enforces completeness: the customer gets what they need to order, and you don’t forget validity or delivery cost.
A template isn’t a rigid PDF — it’s a skeleton: subject, short intro, item table, terms, CTA. You fill it with quote data; the rest stays constant and builds a consistent company image.
Email template — reply to a request for quotation
Copy the skeleton below and fill in the brackets. It works for short and long RFQs (for long ones attach a PDF with the full table):
- Subject: Offer for request [ref / short description] — valid until [date]
- Hi [name], thanks for your request of [date]. Offer below / PDF attached.
- Summary: [N] items, net value [amount], delivery [method / date], offer valid [X] days.
- Items (short or attachment): [index/name + params] — [qty] [unit] × [net price] = [value]; availability: [in stock / X days].
- Terms: payment [transfer X days], delivery [pickup / address], notes [substitutes, exclusions].
- Please confirm or ask questions — we reply the same day. [name, phone, email].
What must the item table in an RFQ reply contain?
The table (in the email or PDF) is the heart of the reply. Minimal columns that cut follow-ups:
- No. / index / name with parameters (DN/PN, material, standard).
- Quantity and unit of measure.
- Unit net price (after discount) and line value.
- Availability status and lead time (if not from stock).
- Notes — substitute, “on request”, excluded from offer.
How to close terms and CTA so the customer can order right away?
Under the table always state: net/VAT/gross totals, delivery method and cost, payment terms, offer validity and a contact person. End with a clear ask: “please confirm the order” or “reply if I should adjust quantities”.
OferIQ generates such a draft automatically from the request — with matched items, calculated prices and a case number — and you only approve and send. A buyer-side RFQ template is also in the request-for-quotation guide (/en/guides/zapytanie-ofertowe-wzor/), and the full product picture is at /en/product/.