Steel RFQ Checklist for Contractors and Procurement Teams

A low price is useful only when the quotation is technically comparable

A steel quotation request often starts with a short email: 'Please quote best price for attached BOQ.' The problem is that the steel BOQ may leave grade, finish, tolerance, cutting, certification or delivery assumptions open. Each supplier fills those gaps differently, so the procurement team ends up comparing several different scopes under one product description.

A controlled steel procurement checklist solves that problem by giving every bidder the same information and asking deviations to be stated clearly. The goal is not to create paperwork for its own sake. It is to make technical compliance visible before commercial ranking.

SRK Steel supplies products across mild steel, stainless steel, galvanized steel and aluminium. The RFQ details differ by product, but the procurement logic is the same.

1. Name the exact product form

Start with a specific product: MS plate, GI coil, C purlin, stainless sheet, aluminium coil, strut channel or another defined item. Avoid family-only descriptions such as 'steel material' or 'GI item'.

Product form matters because dimensions and processing are described differently. Coil needs thickness, width and coil quantity; plate needs thickness, width and length; purlins need section geometry and punching; wire needs diameter and coil/spool format.

If you are unsure which product form matches the drawing, separate the technical clarification from the commercial RFQ rather than asking bidders to make different assumptions.

2. State material grade and the controlling standard

Where the project specifies a material grade, include the exact designation and standard. Do not shorten a detailed requirement to 'MS', 'SS' or 'GI' if the drawing or specification is more precise.

If equivalent grades are permitted, define who has authority to approve them and whether equivalence needs a technical submittal. If alternatives are not allowed, mark the grade as mandatory.

This discipline is especially important when comparing stainless, structural steel or coated products, where superficially similar materials can have different mechanical, chemical or corrosion properties.

3. Dimensions need thickness, size and tolerance where relevant

A dimensionally complete RFQ should state thickness, width, length, diameter, section size or other controlling dimensions for the specific product. For fabricated or cut items, include the finished dimensions and a drawing if geometry is not standard.

Where tolerances matter to manufacturing or installation, cite them explicitly. A supplier's normal commercial tolerance may be acceptable for one application and unsuitable for another.

Use consistent units across the BOQ. Mixing millimetres, inches, kilograms and tonnes without clear conversion rules increases the chance of estimating or order-entry errors.

4. Finish and coating must be measurable, not descriptive

Terms such as 'corrosion resistant', 'outdoor finish' or 'good galvanized coating' are not controlled specifications. If the project defines zinc coating, paint system, surface finish, protective film or another treatment, put the actual requirement into the RFQ.

For stainless steel, grade and surface finish should be separate lines of information. For galvanized products, identify the coating requirement or standard where specified. For painted/coated products, include colour and coating system if controlled by the project.

This is how you prevent a lower-priced quotation from winning because it has silently priced a lighter or different finish.

5. Attach the latest drawing, BOQ and revision

Drawings are valuable when product geometry, hole patterns, cuts, laps, openings or interfaces cannot be defined reliably in text. The drawing should have a visible revision and date so every bidder knows which document controls.

If a 3D model, DXF/DWG or fabrication file is required for processing, identify which file is for quotation and which becomes production-controlled after approval. Procurement should not assume a preliminary model is automatically fabrication authority.

For profile-driven products such as GI decking sheets and C/Z purlins, the drawing is often the quickest way to remove ambiguity around profile and connection details.

6. Quantity should be broken down in a way the supplier can price and pack

If a mill certificate, material test report, compliance document, sample, mock-up or consultant submittal is required, tell suppliers before they quote. Documentation can affect sourcing, lead time and the material that is eligible for the project.

For phased projects, show release quantities or forecast batches if they affect procurement. Suppliers can then review availability and delivery sequence rather than treating the entire project as one immediate shipment.

If quantity is preliminary, label it as budgetary. A budget enquiry and a purchase-ready RFQ should not be presented as the same level of commitment.

7. Certificates, inspections and submittals belong in the price request

If material certificates, test reports, compliance documents, samples, mock-ups or consultant submittals are required, tell suppliers before they quote. Documentation can affect sourcing, lead time and the material that is eligible for the project.

Use the exact document name or project specification where possible. 'All certificates required' can be too vague for a supplier to price responsibly.

Also define any inspection hold point or approval that must occur before cutting, coating or dispatch. This prevents commercial pressure from overtaking the technical approval sequence.

8. Processing and fabrication scope must be explicit

Steel supply may include cutting, slitting, punching, drilling, bending or other processing. Put each operation into the line item and identify who provides the final cutting list or fabrication drawing.

Do not compare raw stock from one supplier with processed material from another as though the unit rates are directly comparable. Make inclusions visible.

For MEP supports, for example, our Strut Channel Buying Guide shows why channel, accessories and support details should be scoped together rather than buying only a length of steel.

9. Packing and delivery can change the real project cost

State delivery city, site access restrictions, unloading responsibility, preferred bundle or coil limits where relevant, labelling needs and required delivery date. For exports or cross-border supply, packing and documentation requirements should be confirmed separately.

On a multi-floor or multi-zone site, ask whether bundles need identification by area. Correct sequencing can reduce crane time and internal rehandling.

A lower ex-works price may not be the lowest delivered project cost if the quotation excludes transport, special packing or multiple planned deliveries.

10. Separate mandatory requirements from preferences

A clear RFQ distinguishes 'must comply' requirements from items where alternatives are acceptable. This gives suppliers room to offer commercially useful options without weakening the technical basis of the main quotation.

Ask every bidder to list deviations, exclusions and assumptions. A simple compliance table with 'Comply / Deviation / Not stated' can reveal differences before price comparison begins.

If an alternative could save time or cost, route it through the project's approval process rather than changing the purchase basis informally.

A practical example: why identical tonnage does not mean identical quotation

Imagine two suppliers both quote ten tonnes of galvanized secondary steel. Supplier A prices the specified thickness, coating, punching and labelled delivery by roof zone. Supplier B prices unpunched standard lengths with a different coating and one bulk delivery. The tonnage is the same; the scope is not.

A disciplined RFQ makes those differences obvious before commercial evaluation. It also reduces late claims because cutting, coating, certificates and delivery responsibilities are recorded before the purchase order.

That is the procurement value of detail: fewer assumptions, cleaner comparisons and a clearer handover to the site team.

Use a bid-comparison matrix before commercial ranking

Once quotations arrive, create a simple matrix with the RFQ line items on the left and each supplier across the top. Check product, grade, dimensions, coating, processing, certificates, quantity, delivery, exclusions and validity before comparing totals.

Mark each technical line as compliant, deviation or not stated. Resolve 'not stated' items before treating the quotation as equivalent. This prevents a low number from receiving commercial preference simply because a technical requirement was omitted from the offer.

Keep approved alternatives in a separate column so the team can see both the specified-base price and any value-engineering option without mixing the two scopes.

Final RFQ review before you send

Check that the product name, grade, dimensions, thickness, finish/coating, quantity, drawing revision, processing, certificates, packing, delivery location and required date are present. Confirm whether installation is included or material supply only.

Then give every shortlisted supplier the same controlled package. If a clarification changes the scope, issue it to all bidders rather than updating only one conversation.

When the requirement is ready, use the SRK Steel RFQ page and attach the relevant drawings or BOQ so the sales team can review the project on the same basis you intend to purchase it.

Frequently Asked Questions