QuotedPartAnswers · Updated 2026-10-30
Should I quote every RFQ?
Price one of your own parts: Drop a STEP model or PDF drawing — about 90 seconds, no account.
Your part priced in about 90 seconds, no account.
No. Quote the RFQs that fit your machines, customers, schedule and risk, and decline the rest promptly. A simple scorecard prevents an exciting drawing from consuming three hours when the shop cannot meet its tolerance or payment terms. Worked example: score five factors from 0 to 2—capability, scope clarity, capacity, commercial fit and strategic value. A 9/10 request earns a full estimate; a 4/10 request gets questions or a no-quote. These scores are your decision rule, not an industry benchmark.
See how QuotedPart connects to your workflow with its API, MCP server, autonomous quoting and shop-specific learning.
Filter before opening the calculator
Check the hard stops first: a material or envelope your machines cannot handle, a required certification you do not hold, a delivery date already impossible, export-controlled data without an approved path, or terms that your business cannot accept. A fast no-quote protects the buyer’s schedule and keeps your estimator available for work you can win.
For requests that pass the hard stop, score the soft factors. Capability asks whether your proven process covers the part. Scope clarity asks whether revision, quantity, material, finish and inspection are known. Capacity asks whether the calendar has room. Commercial fit asks about payment, freight and minimums. Strategic value asks whether the job opens a customer or repeat family without relying on wishful thinking.
| Factor | Score 0 | Score 1 | Score 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capability | Outside process or machine missing | Possible with unproven route | Proven cell and material |
| Scope clarity | Key print data absent | Questions needed | Complete package |
| Capacity | Date impossible | Date crowds committed work | Slot available |
| Commercial fit | Unacceptable terms | Needs negotiation | Terms fit |
| Strategic value | No fit | Unknown | Repeat family or customer |
Turn the score into an estimating decision
In the example, a clear 6061 bracket for 25 pieces on an open 3-axis cell scores 2+2+2+2+1 = 9. Spend the estimating time. A five-axis titanium housing with an 11-day delivery while the cell is booked scores 1+1+0+2+1 = 5; ask whether the date can move before modeling it. A CUI drawing arriving in an unapproved inbox scores 0 on handling until the transfer path is corrected, regardless of how profitable it looks.
Keep the score with the RFQ and record why the outcome changed. A low score can become a quote after the buyer supplies a missing revision or changes quantity. A high score can become no-quote after a supplier says the required finish is six weeks. The filter is a queue tool, not a permanent judgment about the customer.
Protect the shop from attractive bad work
Do not use “strategic” to excuse a loss you have not approved. Write the expected benefit and the maximum concession: for example, one first article at cost only if the customer releases 100 production pieces, or a rush surcharge that covers overtime and freight. Review the result after the job.
If you decline, name the reason in one sentence and invite a future request that fits. A prompt no-quote is better sales practice than a late quote that cannot meet the buyer’s requirement.
What to do next
Add the hard-stop questions and five-factor score to your intake form. Have the estimator make a decision before deep costing, then review the scores monthly against wins, losses and hours spent. The goal is not to reject uncertainty; it is to spend careful estimating time where the shop can deliver and learn.
Illustrative bid-score assumptions
- • Five factors scored 0–2; hard stops override the total.
- • Example A: clear 6061 bracket, 25 pieces, open 3-axis cell.
- • Example B: five-axis titanium housing, booked cell, 11-day date.
| RFQ | Score | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 6061 bracket | 9/10 | Full estimate |
| Titanium housing | 5/10 | Ask date or decline |
| CUI file in unapproved inbox | 0 on handling | Stop and resolve transfer |
Price one of your own parts
Drop a PDF drawing or a STEP file. QuotedPart reads the print, measures the model and prices it in seconds, on default shop rates you can change.
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