Top RFQ Mistakes When Sending Product Data to Your Supplier

Sending an RFQ (Request for Quotation) to your supplier seems straightforward—provide product details and get a quote. But in reality, even small mistakes in your RFQ can lead to delays, incorrect pricing, or sourcing the wrong materials. Miscommunication at this stage can result in costly production errors, supply chain disruptions, or missed deadlines.

Many manufacturers make the same critical mistakes when sharing product data with suppliers, often without realizing the impact. Missing information, outdated BOMs, unclear specifications—these issues can turn a simple RFQ into a frustrating back-and-forth process.

In this blog, we’ll highlight the most common RFQ mistakes and how to avoid them. By ensuring your RFQ is accurate, complete, and well-structured, you can improve supplier collaboration, speed up quoting, and reduce costly errors in production.

Sending Incomplete or Inaccurate BOM Data

Your Bill of Materials (BOM) is the backbone of your RFQ. If it’s missing key details, your supplier is left guessing, which leads to incorrect quotes, delays, or even sourcing the wrong components. Incomplete data can result in suppliers quoting the wrong materials, miscalculating costs, or rejecting the RFQ altogether.

Another common issue is sending outdated BOMs. If your engineering team has updated designs but the supplier receives an old BOM, they might order parts that no longer match your requirements. This can cause expensive rework, wasted materials, and production setbacks.

How to Avoid This Mistake

• Ensure all necessary fields are complete – Every BOM should include part numbers, descriptions, quantities, materials, and any relevant sourcing details.
• Keep your BOM version-controlled – Always send the latest revision to avoid confusion.
• Use a digital BOM system – Tools like OpenBOM help maintain real-time, accurate BOMs and prevent outdated information from being shared with suppliers.

By providing a complete and up-to-date BOM, you set your supplier up for success, ensuring they can deliver accurate quotes and avoid costly misunderstandings.

Not Providing Clear Technical Specifications

When suppliers receive an RFQ, they rely on precise technical specifications to provide accurate quotes. If key details—such as material type, finish, tolerances, or performance requirements—are missing or unclear, they may make assumptions that lead to incorrect pricing, delays, or even sourcing the wrong materials.

For example, if you specify a metal part without defining the exact alloy or finish, your supplier might default to a cheaper or more readily available option that doesn’t meet your performance or durability needs. Similarly, failing to include tolerance requirements can result in parts that don’t fit or function as intended, leading to costly rework and production issues.

How to Avoid This Mistake

• Provide complete material and finish details – Specify exact materials, coatings, treatments, and any critical performance criteria.
• Include 2D drawings and 3D models – Visual documentation eliminates guesswork and ensures the supplier fully understands the design.
• List critical tolerances and testing requirements – Define the acceptable range for dimensions, strength, or electrical properties to avoid costly errors.

By supplying clear and detailed technical specifications, you ensure your supplier can deliver exactly what you need—on time and without unnecessary revisions.

Failing to Include Revision Control

One of the most common and costly RFQ mistakes is sending outdated product data to suppliers. If your RFQ doesn’t specify the correct revision of the design, your supplier may quote or manufacture based on an older version, leading to incorrect parts, delays, and expensive rework.

For example, if engineering updates a design to improve performance or reduce costs but the supplier receives a previous revision, they may order outdated components that no longer fit or meet the updated requirements. This not only wastes time but can also lead to production stoppages and supply chain disruptions.

How to Avoid This Mistake

• Always include the latest revision number – Clearly indicate the correct version of the BOM, CAD files, and technical drawings.
• Use a digital system for version control – A cloud-based BOM management system like OpenBOM ensures that suppliers always have access to the most up-to-date information.
• Communicate changes proactively – If a design update occurs after sending an RFQ, notify your supplier immediately to prevent them from quoting or producing based on outdated data.

Ensuring strong revision control prevents miscommunication, reduces errors, and helps maintain a smooth and efficient RFQ process.

Not Defining Quantities and Annual Forecasts

Suppliers need clear visibility into your order volumes to provide accurate pricing and lead times. If your RFQ lacks defined quantities or an annual forecast, you might receive inflated pricing, unexpected delays, or even an inability to secure necessary components.

For example, a supplier quoting a one-time purchase of 100 units versus a forecasted annual demand of 10,000 units will likely offer different pricing structures and sourcing strategies. Without this information, they may assume smaller, more expensive production runs or struggle to plan material procurement efficiently.

How to Avoid This Mistake

• Specify exact order quantities – Ensure your RFQ includes batch sizes and expected purchase frequency.
• Provide an annual usage forecast – If possible, share estimated yearly demand to help suppliers optimize pricing and availability.
• Clarify flexibility in orders – Let suppliers know if order quantities may fluctuate so they can plan accordingly.

By defining quantities and providing forecasts, you enable suppliers to offer more competitive pricing, reduce lead times, and ensure a steady supply of materials when you need them.

Not Standardizing the RFQ Process

An inconsistent RFQ process leads to confusion, delays, and errors. When different team members send RFQs in different formats—or when key details are missing—suppliers struggle to interpret the data, compare requests, and respond efficiently. This often results in misquotes, extended lead times, and wasted back-and-forth communication.

For example, one RFQ might include a well-structured BOM with clear specifications, while another might be an email with scattered attachments and missing details. Suppliers receiving multiple RFQs from the same company in different formats may prioritize the clearer ones or even decline to quote due to the complexity of sorting through inconsistent data.

How to Avoid This Mistake

• Use a standardized RFQ template – Ensure every RFQ includes essential details like BOM data, technical specifications, quantities, and required certifications.
• Digitize and automate the process – Using a digital tool like OpenBOM helps streamline RFQs, ensuring consistency and reducing manual errors.
• Train your team on best practices – Make sure everyone follows a structured approach to submitting RFQs to suppliers.

By standardizing your RFQ process, you improve efficiency, enhance supplier communication, and receive faster, more accurate quotes—helping you make better purchasing decisions.

Conclusion

A well-structured RFQ is critical to getting accurate quotes, avoiding costly mistakes, and building strong supplier relationships. Yet, many manufacturers fall into the same pitfalls—sending incomplete BOM data, lacking clear specifications, failing to define quantities, or not keeping revision control in check. These missteps lead to delays, incorrect orders, and unnecessary back-and-forth communication.

By standardizing your RFQ process, ensuring accuracy, and leveraging digital tools like OpenBOM, you can streamline supplier interactions and get the right parts at the right price—without the headaches. Taking the time to refine your RFQ approach will save you time, money, and frustration while improving your overall supply chain efficiency.

Now’s the time to evaluate your RFQ process—are you making any of these mistakes? If so, implementing these best practices will help you secure more reliable quotes and keep your production on track.

By: Jared Haw