Why generic requests create unusable quotes
"Please send your best price for pulses" leaves almost every decision unresolved. It does not identify the commodity, whether the buyer needs 25 or 2,500 tonnes, the processing grade, the port, the delivery month or the trade term. An exporter can reply only with a generic sales question or an indicative number. Buyers benefit from sending the same complete request to several suitable suppliers and then evaluating comparable offers in a structured comparison sheet.
Section A: define the commodity
Start with the botanical and commercial identity: dried yellow peas, red lentils, chickpeas or flaxseed; whole or split; food or feed; target crop year if relevant. Attach a quality specification showing agreed tolerances, sampling rules, analysis methods and mandatory safety standards. Where the buyer does not yet know the final specification, say this explicitly and request a technical discussion rather than asserting acceptance of any stock.
Section B: calculate the physical shipment
State an initial purchase quantity in metric tonnes, potential monthly or annual demand and packaging preference. Indicate whether your warehouse unloads bulk vessels, containers or bagged freight. Provide a target loading period and final destination including port and country. For a trial order, state that future volume is not yet committed. Giving a realistic shipment size helps exporters decide whether they can serve the inquiry.
Section C: request coherent commercial terms
Name the preferred Incoterms 2020 rule and place if known, or ask exporters to quote an FCA and delivered-price alternative. Specify the currency, quotation expiry date and expectations for payment discussions. Do not put private banking credentials into a first-stage web form. Freight insurance, inspection expenses, clearance responsibilities and documentary requirements should be itemised or incorporated transparently into the written quote.
Section D: establish buyer credibility
An exporter needs the buyer’s legal company name, country, website, procurement contact and the person authorised to negotiate. State whether the company is a processor, importer, distributor or intermediary. If useful, mention whether you have imported the commodity before and whether internal approval for an initial order is available. A company-domain email is a credibility signal but does not replace counterparty due diligence.
Section E: compare responses and close gaps
When offers arrive, score them for specification fit, clear Incoterm, document availability, shipping feasibility, supplier identity and valid payment terms. Ask the same clarifying questions to each supplier. Record assumptions explicitly: a "possible price" without a named port or confirmed grade should not be recorded as a final quotation. Before moving to a contract, perform sanctions and legal screening and arrange suitable inspection.
Copyable RFQ example
Subject: Bulk Yellow Peas Purchase Inquiry — 100 MT — Destination [Port]. Product: whole yellow peas for food processing. Specification: [attached buyer requirements]. Quantity: 100 metric tonnes initial, recurring volume subject to trial. Packaging: [specified bags or bulk]. Destination: [port and country]. Shipment window: [month]. Preferred term: [Incoterms 2020 rule + named place], or quote an alternative. Buyer company: [legal name and corporate domain]. Purchase decision expected: [date]. Please confirm whether you can evaluate this request and what lot-specific documentation would be available. All bracketed values must be replaced with real procurement information.
Frequently asked questions
Technical and commercial answers below are general sourcing guidance. Actual contracts and current destination rules prevail.
Is a target price mandatory?
No. It can be helpful, but buyers may omit it and request suppliers to quote against a common specification.
What does MT mean?
Metric tonnes; specify units consistently in your RFQ and contract.
Does an RFQ guarantee availability?
No. It is a request for quotation and must be followed by supplier acceptance and a contract.
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