Substantive content update: 10 October 2026. The example is synthetic and has no supplier evidence or client outcome behind it. Product-specific specialist review remains a separate requirement.
Download the working templates
Editable generic files, with no account required. Use CSV files in a spreadsheet and Markdown files in a text editor. Replace placeholders, assign reviewers and keep completed confidential versions private. UNKNOWN means unresolved, never zero or approved.
Supplier response sheet (CSV)
Ask each supplier to respond to the same commercial, technical and evidence questions.
Quote comparison worksheet (CSV)
Keep quantities, cost scope, payment milestones and unknowns visible side by side.
Decision and handover log (Markdown)
Record unresolved gates, the buyer's decision, approval evidence and who owns the next action.
Supplier evidence checklist (CSV)
Separate supplier claims, documents reviewed, issuer checks and independent checks.
Completed synthetic RFQ example (Markdown)
An annotated illustration of a scoped packing enquiry; all parties and quantities are fictional.
Already have two proposals? See the bounded quote-comparison pilot and sample deliverable.
1. Confirm every bidder quoted the same requirement
Check the specification revision, product variants, quantity, pack, delivery point, quality requirements and required date shown in each response. If any material assumption differs, clarify it before scoring price.
2. Build a total-cost view
Compare the cash required to reach approved, delivered production, not only the rate printed beside each unit.
| Cost area | Questions to ask | Common omission |
|---|---|---|
| Development | Are samples, revisions and trials included? | Extra rounds charged later |
| Setup and tooling | Who owns and maintains each tool? | Replacement or storage fees |
| Materials | Which inputs are included and at what minimum buy? | Unused stock commitment |
| Production | What yield, scrap and overrun tolerance applies? | Billable waste or minimum batch |
| Quality | Which tests and documents are included per batch? | External laboratory charges |
| Packaging | Who sources components and checks compatibility? | Freight, plates, coding or assembly |
| Delivery | What is the delivery term and destination? | Pallets, storage, customs or local freight |
3. Test technical and quality fit
Ask for evidence that matches the proposed site and process. A certificate name alone does not prove that your product, market or manufacturing step is inside its scope.
- Confirm the legal entity and actual production site.
- Review certification scope, issuing body and expiry.
- Ask how critical parameters, deviations, rejects and rework are controlled.
- Confirm traceability, batch documentation and change notification.
- Identify any step that will be outsourced and who remains accountable.
4. Compare the implementation path
A credible lead time should separate onboarding, development, material ordering, trial, approval and production. Ask which dates are commitments, which are estimates and what buyer decisions are required to keep the plan moving.
5. Record risk and unanswered questions
Use a simple risk log beside the commercial comparison. Note missing evidence, single-source materials, unusually long commitments, unclear intellectual-property terms, capacity constraints and assumptions that could change the final price.
6. Diligence before award
A structured comparison supports a decision; it does not replace references, sample approval, site and quality diligence, insurance review, legal review or a suitable manufacturing agreement.
Worked example: lower unit rate, larger first commitment
Entirely synthetic illustration, prepared 10 October 2026. These are invented quotes, not client results, live suppliers or market prices. Both assume specification FT-EXAMPLE-01 Rev A: the same 100 g dry-powder sachet, buyer-supplied powder, printed film and cartons, ten sachets per carton, and collection from the production site in Australia. The buyer needs 5,000 sachets. Quote B requires an order of 10,000.
- A has A$1,430 less in known supplier charges and A$1,550 less due at order, but also buys 5,000 fewer sachets. Neither difference is a like-for-like saving on an equal quantity.
- Do not apply B's A$0.36 rate to a 5,000-unit order: B has not offered that quantity. Request equal-volume quotations if they are available.
- The full first-order cash requirement remains unknown because buyer-supplied inputs, freight, insurance and applicable tax are missing. Unknown does not mean zero.
- The balances add to the known supplier charges: A$1,800 + A$1,200 = A$3,000; A$3,350 + A$1,080 = A$4,430. Timing and payment conditions are assumptions, not supplier commitments.
- No winner is selected. Confirm fill and seal acceptance criteria, trial scope, wastage, evidence, capacity and the commercial treatment of surplus stock before a buyer decision.
| Comparison field | Illustrative quote A | Illustrative quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Committed quantity / MOQ | 5,000 sachets | 10,000 sachets |
| Packing rate per sachet | A$0.48 | A$0.36 |
| Packing charge at quoted quantity | 5,000 × A$0.48 = A$2,400 | 10,000 × A$0.36 = A$3,600 |
| One-off setup | A$420 | A$650 |
| Same defined trial/check charge | A$180 | A$180 |
| Known supplier charges, excluding GST | A$3,000 | A$4,430 |
| Illustrative order payment | 50% of packing + all setup/checks = A$1,800 | 70% of packing + all setup/checks = A$3,350 |
| Illustrative balance before dispatch | A$1,200 | A$1,080 |
| Units above the buyer's 5,000 requirement | 0 | 5,000; use, storage and shelf life unresolved |
| Product, film and carton costs | Buyer-supplied; value unknown and excluded | Same buyer-supplied scope; value unknown and excluded |
| Freight, insurance and GST | Unknown; excluded from these subtotals | Unknown; excluded from these subtotals |
| Illustrative production timing | 6 weeks after material acceptance and trial approval | 8 weeks after material acceptance and trial approval |
| Technical evidence / current capacity | Not reviewed / not confirmed | Not reviewed / not confirmed |
7. Record evidence without overstating it
Use the evidence checklist and decision log to show exactly what is known, by whom and when. A supplier statement, a document seen, an issuer check and an independent audit are different evidence levels.
- Record the legal entity, actual site, product/process scope, source reference, check date and any expiry date.
- Use UNKNOWN or NOT REVIEWED for missing evidence. Do not turn an unanswered question into a pass or a zero cost.
- Record contradictions, required specialist approval, the responsible reviewer and the next check date.
- Keep technical acceptance, commercial selection and authority to place an order as separate decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers
Why are two manufacturing quotes so different?
They may use different quantities, material assumptions, process routes, quality controls, packaging scope, freight terms or risk margins. Put both responses into the same cost and scope headings before deciding that one is cheaper.
Is the lowest manufacturing quote usually the best choice?
Not necessarily. The best commercial fit depends on total cost, technical and quality fit, timing, responsiveness, capacity and contractual risk. An incomplete low quote can become more expensive during implementation.
What evidence should I check before choosing a manufacturer?
Check the legal entity, production site, relevant certification scope and expiry, insurance, references, quality controls and any licences required for the product or market. The exact checks depend on the job and jurisdiction.