RFP template for suppliers — what professionals include
A professional supplier RFP (Request for Proposal) includes: title, buyer requirements, scope of work, technical specifications, quantity, packaging, quality, certifications, shipping, Incoterms, payment terms, lead time, evaluation criteria, and a supplier response checklist. Instead of copying a static template, generate one tailored to your project in under two minutes — or start with the free download below.
Free download: 2-page sample RFP (PDF)
The filled bottle example, formatted as suppliers receive it. No account needed.
Get the free sample RFQ (PDF)
The filled bottle example as PDF — the exact structure suppliers receive.
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Request for Proposal Template
A request for proposal template (RFP template) gives suppliers the structure they need to propose solutions, not just prices. Use it when you want suppliers to recommend materials, designs, or processes — not just quote on fixed specs. Specify your requirements, evaluation criteria, and timeline in one format every factory understands.
How to create an RFP in 4 steps
The RFP process is similar every time: define what you need, format it so factories can propose comparable solutions, send the same message to every supplier, and compare proposals side by side.
Step 1 — Define scope and requirements
Product or service, technical requirements, quantity, first order plus annual estimate, and evaluation criteria. One paragraph of facts beats ten adjectives.
Step 2 — Format it with the 10 sections below
Packaging, QC, certifications, EXW + FOB shipping, payment, lead time, samples, Mandarin summary, and the supplier response table.
Step 3 — Send the identical message to 5–8 suppliers
Same specs, same format, same deadline. Comparable proposals are the whole point — they turn negotiation into reading one table.
Step 4 — Or generate it instead
Describe your project once and preview the full bilingual RFP free. Unlock the PDF for €9 only when the structure looks right.
The 10 sections of a strong RFP
1. RFP title + buyer intro
Project name, your company type (brand / Amazon seller / distributor), target market, and contact. One paragraph is enough.
2. Scope of work
What you need the supplier to do: manufacture, design, assemble, package, or ship. Include technical requirements and performance standards.
3. Quantity + MOQ
First order + annual estimate, quantity tiers for price breaks (e.g. 1k / 3k / 5k units), and your MOQ flexibility.
4. Packaging & branding
Retail box, polybag, barcodes, inserts, outer carton, pallet requirements, and private-label needs.
5. Quality + inspections
AQL levels, function tests, third-party inspection rights, and defect handling.
6. Certifications
CE, RoHS, REACH, FDA, CPSIA, LFGB — state which apply and ask for existing certificates.
7. Shipping + Incoterms
Request EXW + FOB quotes minimum; add CIF/DDP to your port for landed-cost comparison.
8. Payment + lead time
Target payment terms (e.g. 30/70), sample cost and lead time, tooling fees, and mass-production lead time.
9. Supplier response format
A table: proposed solution, unit price per tier, tooling, samples, lead time, MOQ, validity. Comparable replies save days of follow-up.
10. Mandarin summary
A short 中文 version so Chinese factories can forward to engineering with fewer translation misunderstandings.
Filled example: insulated bottle 750ml
This is what the generator produces from a one-line description. Copy the structure, replace the values with your product, and send it as-is.
RFP — Insulated Stainless Bottle 750ml (OEM)
- Specs
- 304 stainless, 750ml, matte black, laser logo, gift box + polybag
- Quantity
- 2,000 units first order · 10,000/year est. · tiers 1k / 3k / 5k
- Terms
- EXW + FOB Ningbo · 30/70 payment · samples 7 days · mass 35 days
- QC
- AQL critical 0 / major 2.5 / minor 4.0 · pre-shipment inspection right · LFGB for lid
- 中文
- 750ml保温杯，304不锈钢，哑光黑，激光logo，FOB宁波，2000件起订
See it as suppliers do: download this example as a 2-page sample PDF
Copy-paste checklist
Paste this into your draft and fill one line per row. Suppliers reply faster when every RFP they receive uses the same format.
| # | Section | Fill in |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Title + buyer intro | Product, company type, market, contact |
| 2 | Scope of work | Technical requirements, performance standards |
| 3 | Quantity + MOQ | First order, annual est., price-break tiers |
| 4 | Packaging | Retail box, barcodes, carton, pallet |
| 5 | Quality | AQL levels, tests, inspection rights |
| 6 | Certifications | CE / FDA / LFGB — who pays for testing |
| 7 | Shipping | EXW + FOB quotes, port, CIF/DDP optional |
| 8 | Payment + lead time | 30/70, samples, tooling, mass lead time |
| 9 | Response format | Proposed solution, price tiers, tooling, validity |
| 10 | Mandarin summary | Short 中文 version for engineering |
What comparable proposals look like
Section 9 exists so proposals arrive ready to compare. When every supplier answers the same format, picking a winner is one table — here filled with the bottle example:
| Supplier | 2k units (FOB) | 5k units (FOB) | Lead time | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Factory A | €3.45 | €3.10 | 35 days | 60 days |
| Factory B | €3.60 | €3.05 | 40 days | 60 days |
- Compare the 5k tier first — it shows who wants your scaling business.
- Replies missing rows get one follow-up asking for the missing numbers.
- RFQly generates this response table inside every RFP, so suppliers fill it in.
Static template vs. generated RFP
A Word or Excel template gives you blank boxes. RFQly fills them: it drafts the specs, commercial terms, QC wording, and Mandarin summary from your short product description, then formats everything as a clean PDF. Prefer Excel or Word? The same 10-section structure and the checklist below paste straight into a spreadsheet or document — format never matters as much as completeness. You still control every line — but you skip the blank-page work and the sourcing jargon research. Sourcing from China specifically? Read our China supplier RFQ guide for FOB/EXW, OEM/ODM, and AQL specifics. Ready to send it? Copy our RFQ email to vendors scripts for the outreach message and follow-ups. Need the email copy? Use our plantilla de RFQ email.
Template FAQ
Is the template really free to preview?
Yes. Describe your project and preview the tailored RFP free. You pay €9 only to unlock the full bilingual document + PDF.
Can I reuse the RFP for multiple suppliers?
Yes. Send the same PDF to as many suppliers as you want. Comparable replies make negotiation far easier.
Do I need Incoterms if I use a forwarder?
Yes — still ask EXW + FOB. Your forwarder can compare against the factory's FOB and spot overcharges.