A metal fabrication RFQ should give every supplier the same definition of the finished part. If one shop prices a bare bracket and another includes coating, inspection records, hardware, and protective packaging, their totals cannot tell you which proposal offers better value.
For engineers and procurement teams, the goal is to remove assumptions before they become purchase-order changes. This checklist explains what to include in a sheet metal fabrication quote request, what can remain open for discussion, and how to compare responses without losing sight of fit, function, and delivery.
Define the Deliverable Before Asking for a Price
Start with what you expect to receive: individual components, a welded assembly, a finished enclosure, or a kit ready for your production line. That boundary determines which operations belong in the quote.
Specify the Work Included in the RFQ
List the required operations and who owns each one. A part might need laser cutting, bending, installed hardware, welding, coating, and inspection. State whether the supplier buys material and hardware or works with customer-supplied items.
For assemblies, include a bill of materials with part numbers, quantities per assembly, and responsibility for purchased components. Identify any items you will supply separately and when they will be available. A quote that assumes all hardware arrives with the job will differ from one that includes sourcing it.
If the scope is still developing, label the request as a budgetary estimate and identify the unresolved items. A preliminary price can support planning, but it should not be treated as a firm production commitment for an unfinished design.
Provide a Consistent Drawing and CAD Package
The supplier needs a usable definition of the part and a clear way to identify the correct revision. A clean file package makes questions easier to resolve and helps prevent an obsolete model from reaching production.
Keep Revisions, Units, and Requirements Aligned
Include a readable drawing and the available CAD files. A STEP model can help communicate three-dimensional geometry; a DXF may be useful for a flat profile. Ask the shop which formats it needs rather than assuming one export is sufficient for every operation.
Match the part number and revision across the drawing, model, bill of materials, and RFQ list. State the units. If a drawing and model disagree, identify which governs or resolve the conflict before requesting a firm quote.
Where the design uses geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, identify the applicable drawing standard and edition. ASME Y14.5 addresses this design language; it does not replace the part-specific tolerances and datum references your supplier needs.
For formed parts, communicate the finished geometry and flag any supplied flat pattern that is provisional. The shop may need to develop the blank around its tooling and process. Eagle’s metal forming information provides context for the operations to discuss during that review.
State Material and Functional Tolerances
Material selection and dimensional requirements influence the process plan. Describing a part only as steel or aluminum leaves important sourcing and manufacturing decisions unresolved.
Identify the Material Beyond Its General Name
Specify alloy or grade, thickness, and temper or condition where applicable. Include any required material specification and certificate requirements. State whether substitutions are permitted and who can approve them; an available alternative is not automatically equivalent for your application.
For customer-supplied material, provide its size, condition, available quantity, and delivery timing. Ask the supplier to identify any allowance needed for setup or process loss. Clarify responsibility if the supplied stock is unusable or insufficient.
Separate Critical Features From General Dimensions
Identify the dimensions that control assembly, alignment, sealing, or access. A blanket tight tolerance may increase processing and inspection effort without improving the product. Conversely, a mounting pattern or mating feature may need a specific requirement beyond the drawing’s general tolerance.
State whether dimensions apply before or after finishing. Where a feature needs CNC machining after cutting or forming, make that requirement clear. Ask the supplier to flag difficult features and propose alternatives for engineering review rather than silently relaxing the drawing.
Define Welding, Finishing, and Assembly Requirements
Secondary operations often account for differences between apparently similar quotes. Their requirements belong in the RFQ package, even when the final part looks simple.
Make Weld Requirements Readable
For welded parts, identify joint locations, required weld sizes or lengths, relevant acceptance criteria, and any finishing of visible welds. Avoid leaving the shop to infer structural intent from a photograph or an instruction to weld everything.
The American Welding Society’s welding symbol guidance explains how drawing symbols communicate requirements. Select the governing conventions for your design and resolve ambiguity before asking suppliers to commit to the same scope.
Specify the Finish as a System
Include the coating or treatment, color reference, gloss or texture, coverage, masking, and cosmetic acceptance criteria. If a specific product or specification is required, provide it. The word black does not establish whether the finish must be smooth, textured, matte, or suitable for a particular exposure.
ASTM coating standards offer references for specifying and evaluating coating properties. Identify the required method, applicable edition, and acceptance criteria when testing is part of the purchase; do not assume every finishing quote includes testing.
Explain whether hardware is installed before or after coating and which threads, contact surfaces, or grounding points must remain clear. Eagle’s finishing services cover powder coating and wet painting, making those requirements useful topics for a combined fabrication and finishing quote.
For fabrication and assembly, provide instructions for hardware orientation, joining, labeling, and any functional checks. If torque values, adhesives, or customer-specific work instructions govern the build, include them in the controlled package.
Include Inspection, Quantity, and Delivery Details
A supplier needs to understand both the acceptance requirements and the order pattern. A prototype lot and a recurring production release can have different setup, purchasing, and documentation needs.
Describe What Must Accompany the Parts
Specify required inspection reports, material certificates, traceability, first-article approval, or other records. Define when approval is needed and whether production may proceed before it. Ask who will perform any specialized testing rather than assuming it is available in-house.
Discuss quality control alongside the drawing requirements. ISO’s explanation of quality assurance distinguishes planned quality processes from simply checking the final shipment. For your RFQ, translate that principle into concrete deliverables the supplier can price.
Show the Actual Order Pattern
Provide the initial quantity, requested price breaks, and anticipated repeat volume. Mark forecasts as forecasts. State whether the supplier should quote one shipment or staged releases, and identify any inventory commitment you are asking it to make.
Give a required delivery date and distinguish delivery at your facility from shipment out of the supplier’s facility. Include the destination, packaging requirements, and whether freight is included. Explain any dependence on drawing approval, customer-supplied components, or first-article acceptance.
Compare Assumptions Alongside the Quoted Total
The strongest comparison puts each proposal against the same scope. Before selecting a supplier, reconcile exclusions and assumptions that could change cost or timing.
Use a Short Commercial Review Checklist
- Confirm the quoted part numbers, revisions, quantities, and finish.
- Separate recurring unit cost from setup, tooling, and other one-time charges.
- Check what starts the lead-time clock and which approvals can pause it.
- Identify material substitutions, outsourced operations, and excluded documentation.
- Confirm packaging, freight, quote validity, and responsibility for future drawing changes.
For a wider domestic supplier search, NIST MEP Supplier Scouting connects buyers with manufacturers that have relevant capabilities. Regardless of how you find a shop, use a consistent RFQ package to compare its proposed work.
For an Eagle Metalcraft quote, send the controlled drawing package, quantities, material requirements, finishing notes, and required delivery information through the request a quote page. Identify unresolved design decisions so they can be addressed before production pricing is finalized.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fabrication RFQs
These answers address common questions when preparing a quote request for metal parts.
What is a metal fabrication RFQ?
It is a request for quotation that defines the metal parts or assemblies a supplier should price. It typically includes drawings, material, quantities, required operations, acceptance requirements, and delivery details.
Can I request a quote before the design is finished?
Yes, but identify the request as a budgetary estimate and list the unresolved requirements. A firm production quote needs an agreed scope and controlled design package.
Should I send both a drawing and a CAD model?
Send both when available and ask which file formats the supplier needs. Keep their revisions aligned and resolve any conflicting requirements.
Why can two fabrication quotes differ so much?
They may include different material assumptions, operations, inspection records, setup charges, packaging, or delivery terms. Compare the included scope and exclusions before comparing the totals.
Does a fabrication quote automatically include finishing?
No. State the required coating, masking, cosmetic criteria, and any testing or documentation so the supplier can include the intended finish in its proposal.
