Waiting on supplier prices? How to send RFQs the day the tender lands

Short answer: Don't wait for the full takeoff. On the day the tender lands, pull the equipment schedules and the big-ticket items, group them by supplier, and send each supplier one RFQ with the drawing references, a reply-by date well before the closing date, and a contact for questions. Log every RFQ so you know who still owes you a price.

Why do supplier prices hold up M&E tenders?

On most M&E tenders, a large part of the price depends on equipment and materials you don't make: switchboards, cables, FCUs and condensing units, fans, light fittings, inverters and modules. You need supplier quotations for them, and suppliers need time.

The usual delay looks like this. The tender pack arrives from the main contractor. The estimator starts the takeoff. A week later, with the quantities done, RFQs go out. Suppliers take their time to reply. By the time the last price arrives, the closing date is close and the final pricing is rushed. Some lines end up priced from old quotes or guesses.

The fix is to separate what suppliers need from what your estimator needs. Suppliers rarely need your full takeoff to start pricing. They need to know what equipment is in the job.

What do you need before you can send an RFQ?

Less than you might think. For most equipment, the information is already in the tender documents before any counting starts:

Equipment schedules: FCUs, condensing units, fans, DBs, light fittings, inverters.
The single-line diagram or schematic, for switchboards and main cables.
The specification sections for each item, including approved brands if listed.
The drawing list with revisions, so suppliers know what they are pricing from.

Items measured by length, such as cable, trunking, pipe and duct, can go out a little later with approximate quantities, or as a request for unit rates.

How do you send RFQs the day the tender lands?

Sort the pack. Register the sheets and revisions, and find the schedules and the single-line diagram.
Pull the equipment lists. Copy each schedule into an RFQ list with references, types, capacities and quantities as scheduled.
Group by supplier. Put switchgear in one list, ACMV equipment in another, lighting in another, and so on. One supplier gets one clear RFQ, not a pile of drawings.
Attach only what they need. The relevant schedules, specification pages and drawing references. Leave out the rest of the pack.
Set a reply-by date. Pick a date that leaves your estimator time to price before the closing date, and say it clearly.
Log each RFQ. Record the supplier, the items, the date sent and the reply-by date.

Which items should go out for RFQ first?

Send the items that carry the most value, or take suppliers the longest to price, first.

Item	Where the information comes from	Why send early
Main switchboards and DBs	Single-line diagram, DB schedules	Often custom-built, so pricing takes longer
ACMV equipment	Equipment schedule	High value, and brand or model choice affects price
Light fittings	Lighting schedule, legend	Many types, each needing its own price
Solar modules and inverters	Equipment list, single-line diagram	Prices and availability can move
Cable, trunking, pipe, duct	Takeoff, or unit rates first	Can be priced on rates while quantities are measured

What should a supplier RFQ include?

A clear RFQ gets a faster and more useful reply. Include:

The project name and the main contractor, if you can share them.
The item list with references, descriptions and quantities, in a table they can price straight into.
The specification clauses and any approved brands.
Drawing numbers and revisions the list was taken from.
The reply-by date, and what you need in the reply: unit price, lead time, validity and exclusions.
The name and number of the person to contact with questions.

Asking for validity and lead time up front saves a second round of messages later.

How do you chase suppliers who haven't replied?

Follow up on a set day, not when you happen to remember. A day or two before the reply-by date, check your RFQ log and send a short reminder to anyone who hasn't replied. If a key supplier still hasn't answered, send the same list to a second supplier while there is still time.

This only works if the log is kept up to date. Whether it lives in a spreadsheet or a tender tracker, the question it must answer at a glance is: which quotes are we still waiting for, and on which tenders?

What changes when an addendum arrives?

Check whether the addendum affects any item already sent for RFQ. If a schedule changed, send the affected supplier the revised list with the new revision clearly marked, and ask them to confirm their price against it. Keep both versions of the quote, so it is clear which revision each price relates to.

Can AI help with supplier RFQs?

Yes, mainly in the first step: reading the schedules and drawings and turning them into clean item lists with references. UkurBQ sets up AI inside your own Claude or ChatGPT business account to draft the BQ from tender drawings, with each quantity traced to its sheet and revision, so the equipment lists for RFQs come out early rather than at the end. UkurBQ's tender tracker can also show, in one view, which supplier quotes are still awaiting reply across your open tenders.

FAQ

Should we send RFQs before the takeoff is finished?

For scheduled equipment, yes. The schedules give suppliers enough to start, and you can confirm quantities once the takeoff is checked.

What reply-by date should we give suppliers?

One that leaves your estimator enough time to price and review before the closing date, with room for a second supplier if the first doesn't reply.

How many suppliers should we send each RFQ to?

That depends on the item and your relationships. For high-value equipment, asking more than one supplier gives you a fallback if one is late.

How do we keep track of which quotes match which revision?

Put the drawing revision on every RFQ and every quote you log. When an addendum arrives, you can see which prices need to be reconfirmed.

Try it on a tender you've already priced

Send one past tender. We return a draft BQ with every quantity traced to its sheet, so you can compare it with your own. Free, under NDA.

Book a free BQ test