An RFI in procurement is a request for information used to understand suppliers’ capabilities, experience and solutions before requesting quotations. Preparing specific questions helps buyers define their requirements and shortlist suppliers using comparable information.
When a company needs to expand its supplier base or purchase something unfamiliar, requesting prices may be premature. First, it needs to establish who can meet its needs, what resources they have and what limitations apply.
This article explains how to prepare an RFI and provides a sample questionnaire for an industrial purchase.
What Is an RFI and What Is It Used for in Procurement?
RFI stands for Request for Information. It consists of a structured set of questions that a buyer sends to potential suppliers to assess their suitability for a particular requirement.
The outcome may be an initial supplier shortlist, a clearer definition of requirements or the identification of technical alternatives worth exploring.
CIPS describes the RFI as a tool within supplier market analysis, helping buyers understand suppliers’ capabilities, size, strengths and weaknesses.
For example, a company looking for a component manufacturer may need to understand its production processes, material expertise and available capacity before requesting a quotation.
Responding to an RFI does not mean that a supplier has been qualified or awarded business. The information received must be reviewed against the requirements and checks established by the buying organisation.
When Should You Send an RFI?
A request for information is useful when consulting the market can resolve a specific uncertainty:
- You are buying from a new category: the team needs to understand the available solutions and suppliers.
- You are looking for alternative sources of supply: you want to identify candidates that could complement existing suppliers.
- You lack information about capabilities: you need to assess experience, technical resources or geographical coverage.
- Several solutions could meet the need: supplier responses can help refine the specifications.
- Existing information needs updating: you want to review changes in facilities, resources or services.
An RFI should have a clear purpose. If you already understand the market, have suitable suppliers and can define the purchase adequately, proceeding directly to a request for quotation may be more useful.
Our guide to the differences between an RFI and an RFQ explores this decision in more detail.
How to Prepare an RFI Step by Step
1. Define the Decision You Need to Make
Before writing questions, clarify what you want to establish from the responses.
For example, you may want to identify manufacturers capable of supplying a family of parts, find companies that can provide a service across several sites or explore alternatives to an existing material.
A question is worth including when its answer could influence that decision.
2. Describe the Requirement and Its Scope
Suppliers need context to respond accurately. Include:
- The product, service or problem you want to explore.
- Relevant applications and operating conditions.
- Estimated volumes, where available.
- Delivery locations or service areas.
- An indicative schedule.
- Known requirements and areas that remain open.
Distinguish confirmed information from estimates. If the final volume is still unknown, make this clear so that suppliers can explain the assumptions behind their responses.
3. Separate Mandatory Requirements from Assessment Criteria
Some requirements determine whether a supplier can progress. Others help compare candidates that meet the minimum conditions.
For example, a strong rating for experience or proximity should not compensate for a supplier’s inability to meet an essential technical requirement.
This distinction connects with supplier selection, qualification and evaluation: gathering information is one stage of the process; verifying it and deciding whether it is acceptable requires defined criteria.
4. Design Questions That Produce Comparable Responses
Avoid broad questions such as “Do you have sufficient capacity?” It is more useful to ask what volume the supplier could accommodate, over what period and subject to which constraints.
Combine different response formats:
- Yes or no with an explanation, to check a specific condition.
- Numerical data with units and time periods, for capacity or lead times.
- Short written answers, to describe processes or limitations.
- Supporting documents, where evidence is needed.
- Open questions, to gather justified alternatives.
Explain when “not applicable” is an acceptable response and ask suppliers to give a reason. This helps distinguish an irrelevant question from an unanswered one.
5. Set Instructions and a Response Deadline
Specify who should respond, the submission deadline, how questions should be raised and which documents are expected.
Allow enough time for suppliers to consult their technical teams. A questionnaire requiring production and quality information needs more preparation than a contact details update.
If a clarification changes the scope of a question, share it with the affected participants so that responses remain comparable.
Sample RFI Questionnaire for an Industrial Purchase
The following example is fictional and illustrative. A company is looking for manufacturers of machined parts for a recurring supply requirement. Before requesting quotations, it wants to identify technically suitable candidates.
The questionnaire should be adapted to the drawings, materials, volumes and risks associated with the purchase.
| Area | Suggested question | Expected response or evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Experience | What experience do you have with parts of similar material and complexity? | A description of comparable work, without disclosing third-party confidential information. |
| Technical resources | Which processes do you perform in-house and which do you subcontract? | A list of processes, relevant equipment and outsourced operations. |
| Materials | Which materials and stock forms do you regularly work with? | A list of materials and technical limitations. |
| Capacity | For the indicative volume provided, what capacity could you allocate and from when? | Units per month, availability date and underlying assumptions. |
| Quality | How do you verify the critical characteristics of the parts? | Inspection methods and an anonymised sample record. |
| Certifications | Which current certifications are relevant to this supply requirement? | Certificates showing scope, covered site and validity dates. |
| Traceability | How do you link each delivered batch to its materials and inspection records? | A description of the system and sample documentation. |
| Samples | What would you need to manufacture and validate the initial samples? | Required information, stages and estimated lead time. |
| Deliveries | What are your usual lead times and which factors could affect them? | Manufacturing and transport lead times, including relevant conditions. |
| Continuity | How would you manage a disruption affecting critical equipment or a critical process? | Contingency measures and known limitations. |
| Alternatives | What changes could improve manufacturability while maintaining the functional requirements? | A technical proposal explaining benefits, constraints and required validation. |
A capacity question should distinguish between a plant’s total output and the capacity it could allocate to the project. Similarly, when reviewing a certificate, check whether its scope covers the activity and site that would fulfil the requirement.
How to Analyse Supplier Responses
Check That the Information Is Complete
Review whether each candidate has answered the necessary questions and provided the requested documents.
If relevant information is missing, request clarification before drawing conclusions. A blank response alone does not establish that a supplier fails to meet the requirement.
Assess Responses Against the Requirements
You can organise the review using three statuses:
- Compliance supported by evidence: sufficient information is available to assess the requirement.
- Clarification pending: information is missing or contradictory.
- Non-compliance identified: the response shows that the requirement is not met.
The depth of verification will depend on the importance of the supply. Documentation may be sufficient in some cases; others will require samples, site visits or additional validation.
Compare Responses on a Consistent Basis
Before assessing candidates, check that responses use the same units, time periods and assumptions.
Annual production capacity is not equivalent to monthly available capacity. Likewise, a lead time that includes transport cannot be compared directly with one that ends when the goods leave the factory.
If you use scores, define each rating and the evidence required to support it in advance. Mandatory requirements should be assessed separately.
Record Who Progresses and Why
The RFI outcome should identify which candidates will progress, which issues remain unresolved and what information will be used to prepare the next stage.
The review may also show that the scope needs revising or that other alternatives should be explored. Identifying this before requesting quotations helps avoid comparing proposals based on different requirements.
When Should You Move from an RFI to an RFQ?
Moving to an RFQ makes sense when you can describe the purchase precisely enough and have candidates capable of responding.
Before sending it, check that you have defined:
- The specifications and scope.
- The quantities or volume scenarios.
- Delivery dates and locations.
- Quality and acceptance requirements.
- The format for submitting prices and commercial terms.
The RFI will have helped reduce uncertainty. The RFQ will allow you to request quotations on a common basis. Our guide to what an RFQ is and how it works explains this next stage.
If significantly different technical alternatives remain under consideration, you may need to investigate them further before requesting comparable prices.
Common Mistakes When Preparing an RFI
Sending an Overly Long, Generic Questionnaire
Requesting information that does not influence the decision increases suppliers’ workload and makes analysis harder. Select questions according to the purpose of the purchase.
Accepting Only Sales Presentations
A presentation may provide useful context, but it rarely addresses every requirement. Ask specific questions and request evidence where necessary.
Treating a Statement as Verification
A supplier’s statement about capacity or quality controls does not, by itself, demonstrate that your requirements are met. Define how relevant information will be verified.
Comparing Indicative Prices as Final Quotations
An initial estimate can help assess whether a solution is viable. However, its scope and assumptions must be clear before it is used in a comparison.
Failing to Assign Responsibility for Reviewing Responses
Assign reviewers from Procurement, Quality or the technical team according to the questionnaire’s content. Information only becomes useful when someone assesses it and resolves outstanding questions.
How to Manage an RFI with APTSE
APTSE’s RFI software allows buyers to create customised questionnaires with mandatory or optional questions and analyse supplier responses in one place.
It also supports file sharing, individual or group communications and invitation tracking. Administrators can check whether suppliers have viewed, accepted and responded to a request.
These functions help bring the process information together. Defining requirements, reviewing evidence and deciding which candidates progress remain the buying team’s responsibility.
Frequently Asked Questions About RFIs in Procurement
Should an RFI Include Prices?
You can request indicative price ranges if they help assess the viability of a solution. Ask suppliers to explain the assumptions and scope of their estimates. Comparing firm quotations belongs at a stage when the requirements are sufficiently defined.
Do You Need an RFI Before Every RFQ?
No. If you understand the market, have suitable suppliers and know what you need, you can request quotations directly.
How Many Suppliers Should Participate?
There is no single correct number. Invite enough suitable candidates to explore relevant alternatives while keeping the review manageable for your team.
Can an RFI Be Used for Supplier Qualification?
It can provide information for the qualification process, but completing the questionnaire does not mean that a supplier is approved. The company must complete its required checks and approvals.
Prepare Your Requests for Information with APTSE
A well-prepared RFI helps you understand suppliers and define the purchase before requesting quotations. Its value depends on asking relevant questions, verifying responses and using the findings to make a decision.
To organise your questionnaires, documents and communications in one platform, contact the APTSE team and request a demonstration.
