How to post a buying request that gets good quotes

Give suppliers a clear basis to quote

A Buying Request, or RFQ, tells suppliers what your business needs. The more clearly you define the requirement, the easier it is for suppliers to decide whether they can fulfil it and prepare a meaningful quotation.

On ATP, buyer accounts must be reviewed and approved before full access. Buyers can then post buying requests. Each RFQ has a separate admin approval step before it is sent to suppliers in the matching sector and sub-sector. Suppliers reply with quotations inside the portal.

This process connects a requirement to relevant suppliers. It does not guarantee a particular number of replies, the lowest price or that every recipient can supply the item. Review quality matters more than the volume of quotations.

Define the product before the headline

Start with the actual product and its intended use. Identify the model, material, dimensions, grade or performance characteristics that determine suitability. If a named brand is essential, explain whether alternatives are acceptable.

Distinguish mandatory specifications from preferences. A supplier should know which conditions must be met and where an equivalent option can be proposed. Do not use descriptions such as standard quality or normal size without explaining what they mean.

If you need several different items, identify each line separately. Avoid combining unrelated sectors into one vague requirement. The portal’s controls for multi-item requests and attachments are [TO CONFIRM].

Choose the right category

ATP covers 23 sectors and more than 150 sub-categories. Select the closest match for the main requirement. Approved requests are sent to matching suppliers, so an incorrect category can make a well-written RFQ less useful.

Use the product’s commercial purpose and type to choose the category. If uncertain, review the available categories before submitting. The procedure for recategorising a submitted request is [TO CONFIRM].

State quantity, destination and schedule

Explain quantity and units clearly. Specify whether you mean individual pieces, cartons, tonnes, metres or another unit. Indicate whether the requirement is a trial order, a one-time purchase or a planned recurring need, without promising future volumes you cannot support.

Identify the delivery country and relevant city, port or agreed destination. Describe the date goods are needed and whether that means ready for collection, shipped or received. These are different milestones.

If your schedule is flexible, say so. If the supplier must confirm its own production and transit estimates, request them separately. Do not treat a requested date as an agreed delivery commitment.

Include the conditions that affect cost

Ask suppliers to address the same commercial points:

• Product specifications and any proposed deviations.
• Quantity, unit price, total and currency.
• MOQ and any sample arrangements.
• Lead time and the event that starts it.
• Packaging, inspection and supporting documents.
• Delivery basis, exclusions and proposed payment terms.
• Quote validity and any conditions on availability.

Use a relevant Incoterms rule only when the parties understand its responsibilities. Include the named place and version, and check practical arrangements with a logistics adviser.

Protect confidential information

Provide enough detail to quote without unnecessarily sharing confidential customer data or proprietary designs. Decide internally what information can be disclosed at the enquiry stage and what requires an agreed confidentiality arrangement.

All messages go through the portal. Email addresses and phone numbers are hidden, so use the portal discussion to answer supplier questions and record clarifications. Supported attachment formats and confidentiality controls are [TO CONFIRM].

Review, submit and compare

Before submitting, check that the title, category, specifications and quantity agree. RFQ approval times, publication duration and editing rules are [TO CONFIRM]. If clarification changes the requirement materially, make sure suppliers are comparing the same current version.

Once quotations arrive, review technical fit before comparing totals. Ask about omissions instead of assuming they are included. Deals are tracked as New, Replied, Quotation Sent, Negotiating, Deal Agreed and Closed.

ATP does not buy, sell, stock, deliver or handle payments between users. Buyer and supplier agree price, payment, delivery and returns directly; ATP charges no commission on the trade.

Next step: Prepare and submit your buying request.