Suppliers and RFQs

Vendors (suppliers) are company-scoped records: identity, qualification, and performance inputs that determine whether a vendor can be invited to an RFQ.

Qualification

Not every vendor should receive every package. Qualification validity and invite rules exist so a pile RFQ does not go to an unqualified fabricator by habit.

RFQ lifecycle

An RFQ can be numbered, created, issued, sent to invited vendors, and closed. Response rate and late responses are measurable. Open RFQ counts are operational signals.

An RFQ should point at a package whose quantities match the approved estimate revision. “We’ll fix the qty in the PO” is how overruns start.

Correspondence

Supplier communications can be linked to projects for traceability. Keep negotiation on the record when the number will later appear in Explain This Number as a quote source.