RFQ Best Practices for Cold Chain Projects — Buyer Playbook
How to write an RFQ that gets comparable, apples-to-apples quotes from cold chain EPCs: scope, temperature, throughput, guarantees, penalties and Incoterms.
The 10 non-negotiable RFQ inputs
1) Site: coordinates, ambient design temps, grid capacity. 2) Product mix + throughput t/day + peak factor. 3) Temperature zones + tolerance. 4) Envelope spec or performance target. 5) Refrigeration architecture (mandate NH₃/CO₂/CO₂-TC or leave open). 6) Redundancy level (N, N+1, 2N). 7) Monitoring & compliance (HACCP, GDP, BRCGS). 8) Guaranteed kWh/m³·yr. 9) Incoterms + delivery. 10) Timeline + LDs.
Structure the reply, not just the ask
Force bidders into a fixed BoQ template: line-by-line pricing, unit rates, exclusions column. Reject narrative-only responses. Include a mandatory clarifications sheet with a 5-day cut-off before bid deadline.
Guarantees that actually bite
Performance guarantee 10% of contract for 24 months. Energy performance clause with penalty €/kWh above guaranteed baseline. Availability guarantee 98% for refrigeration, 99.5% for GDP. Include spare-parts stock-holding SLA.
Score matrix
Weight: 35% technical compliance, 25% price, 15% energy performance, 10% delivery timeline, 10% references (comparable size + climate), 5% local service network. Publish the matrix to bidders — better bids come from bidders who know how they're scored.
Frequently asked
Should I send an RFQ to 3 or 10 suppliers?
5–7 is optimal. Below 5, you lose price tension. Above 7, quality bidders drop out because win-rate is too low; you end up with rushed proposals and higher variance.
Open architecture or mandated refrigerant?
For loads >300 kW where you have engineering capacity: leave open and let bidders propose (invites innovation). Below that, mandate to avoid comparing apples to oranges.
Get free supplier quotes
Send one RFQ, receive shortlisted quotes from vetted refrigeration EPCs.
Opens the RFQ builder with fields prefilled from this guide — editable before submission.