Cost of a wrong decision

15 common exclusions in turnkey feed plant quotations

Short answer

Proposals labelled turnkey commonly exclude: civil works and foundations; the building; site preparation and access roads; the electrical supply and transformer; the boiler and fuel system; water supply and treatment; compressed air; backup power; dust-control ducting outside the machine scope; fire detection and suppression; the laboratory; weighbridge; permits and local code compliance; import duties and local transport; and the initial spare-part package. Turnkey is a contract definition, not a standard scope — the exclusions list is the only reliable description of what you are buying.

The word turnkey carries no fixed meaning across suppliers or jurisdictions. Two turnkey proposals can differ by a substantial share of total project cost while both being accurate.

Compare feed mill quotations on one scope

Frequently excluded

Civil works, foundations, pits and drainage
Building envelope and internal finishes
Site preparation, access roads and fencing
Electrical supply, transformer and MV works
Boiler, fuel storage and steam distribution
Water supply, storage and treatment
Compressed air generation and distribution
Backup generator and changeover
Dust-control ducting and explosion venting beyond machine limits
Fire detection, suppression and insurance-driven requirements
Laboratory equipment and consumables
Weighbridge and yard infrastructure
Permits, statutory approvals and third-party inspection
Import duties, customs clearance and inland transport
Commissioning and first-year spare parts

How to close the gap

Issue the exclusions list as an RFQ attachment and ask suppliers to mark each line in or out
Require a price for every line marked out, or a written statement that the buyer must arrange it
Assign a local budget figure to every buyer-side line before comparing totals
Recheck the schedule: buyer-side scope is the most common source of delay

Questions buyers ask

What should be included in a true turnkey feed mill price?

A genuinely complete turnkey price covers process equipment, steel structure, electrical installation and automation, installation labour, commissioning, training, documentation and a plant-level performance guarantee, and states clearly whether civil works, the building, the electrical supply, the boiler and utilities are inside or outside. Anything not named is outside.

Can I ask a supplier to take over an excluded line?

Usually yes, priced as an addition. Doing it during the RFQ stage is far cheaper than doing it as a change order after signature.

Continue the decision

How to compare feed mill quotations Before you request quotes for a feed mill Feed mill RFQ template Lifecycle cost calculator How to size feed mill capacity before quoting Aqua feed extrusion planning guides

Compare feed mill quotations on one scope

Write the requirement once and send the same document to every supplier you are considering, including one you already prefer. FeedMatch sells nothing and takes no part in the contract.

Compare feed mill quotations on one scope

Scope and neutrality

FeedMatch Group is an independent, supplier-neutral procurement platform. It does not manufacture, install or commission feed-processing equipment and is not an EPC contractor.
FeedMatch does not sell feed, ingredients, premixes or additives and does not act as a trader.
FeedMatch is not a bank, lender, credit provider or financial adviser. Financing, where relevant, is arranged by independent third parties.
Calculator outputs and planning ranges on this site are indicative inputs for your own evaluation, not quotations, nutritional advice or performance guarantees.