Feed RFQ Best Practices: How to Get Firm, Comparable Quotes from Suppliers

The direct answer

A feed RFQ produces firm, comparable quotes when it states five things precisely: the written specification (nutrients, physical quality, additives), volume with a tolerance band and phase schedule, one fixed Incoterm to a named port, a delivery window, and a response deadline. Quotes received on that basis can be compared line by line; quotes received against 'best price for 1,000 tonnes of fish feed' cannot.

Write the specification before the price question

Suppliers quote what is written. State crude protein and fat bands, energy where relevant, pellet or crumble sizes, water stability for aquatic feeds, fines limits, moisture maximum, and required additives or exclusions. Reference a recognized analysis basis where possible. A specification that fits on one page but is complete beats a ten-page document full of ambiguity.

State volume as a schedule, not a single number

One annual tonnage figure hides the information suppliers need to price production and freight. Break volume into phases or months with a tolerance band — for example 150–175 tonnes per cycle — and indicate whether you want a single delivery or a call-off schedule. Suppliers can then price logistics honestly instead of padding for uncertainty.

Fix the Incoterm and the named port

Nothing makes quotes less comparable than mixed delivery terms. Choose one Incoterm — CIF or DAP to a named port is the practical standard for most feed trade — and apply it to every supplier in the RFQ. If you also want ex-works pricing for reference, request it as a separate line, clearly labeled.

Set a real deadline and a validity period

Give suppliers a clear response deadline — one to two weeks is normal for feed — and ask for quote validity in writing, typically 15–30 days given raw-material volatility. Quotes without a stated validity are not comparable, because a price that expires in three days and one that holds for a month are different products.

Compare quotes on a single scorecard

Build a comparison table with the same rows for every supplier: landed cost per tonne at the fixed Incoterm, specification compliance point by point, lead time, payment terms, packaging, minimum order quantity, certifications and quote validity. Score non-price rows first; suppliers who fail the specification or certification rows should not reach the price comparison at all.

The mistakes that make quotes incomparable

Four recurring errors: asking for a price without a specification, so every supplier quotes a different product; mixing Incoterms, so freight is hidden in some quotes and visible in others; accepting verbal or expiring prices with no validity date; and negotiating with one quote, which removes the only real leverage a buyer has — credible alternatives.

How FeedMatch runs the process

FeedMatch Group structures feed RFQs so suppliers quote on one specification and one basis, then compares offers before any introduction is made. Every feed project request is reviewed manually by David / FeedMatch Group, and supplier introductions are made only after internal approval — FeedMatch Group is an independent procurement intermediary, not a feed manufacturer or a feed seller.