Why Quotes Stall
A supplier can only price what is fully specified. Nine out of ten slow RFQs we receive are missing one of four things: the exact part number, the engine serial, the quantity with units, or the delivery term. Everything below fits in a five-line email and routinely gets priced the same working day.
The Five-Line RFQ
- Part identification: maker + part number from the manual (e.g. "MAN B&W 6L28/32H cylinder head, P/N …"), plus the common name. Photos of the old part's markings help enormously.
- Engine data: engine type and serial number. Running changes mean a 6L28/32H built in 2008 and one built in 2015 may take different heads — serial settles it.
- Quantity and condition accepted: "2x, new or verified reconditioned" beats "quote urgently" every time. State whether class witnessing is required (see class requirements for used parts).
- Delivery term and destination: EXW Bhavnagar, FOB Nhava Sheva, CIF Singapore — plus the vessel's ETA at the delivery port. Freight dwarfs part price on heavy items; CIF without a port is unquotable.
- Deadline: "needed on board by [date]" lets the desk choose air vs sea freight honestly.
What Speeds Things Further
- Attach the manual page or a nameplate photograph — it eliminates the most common error, the almost-right part.
- Consolidate the enquiry: one RFQ with twelve lines gets priority over twelve one-line emails.
- Say what you already checked: "measured journals at …" tells the desk you are serious and technical. Our 7 pre-purchase checks show what good looks like from your side.
Send the five lines through our contact page or browse ready stock first — if it is on the shelf, the quote comes back with photographs and dimensional sheets attached.
