The Complete RFQ Guide for Cold Storage & Refrigeration Projects
A Request for Quotation (RFQ) is the single most important document in a cold-chain procurement cycle. A well-structured RFQ shortens quote turnaround from weeks to days and produces comparable, apples-to-apples offers.
Use this guide to build an RFQ that specifies capacity, temperature class, refrigerant, energy targets, delivery terms and contract structure clearly enough that any qualified supplier can quote without follow-up calls.
What an RFQ is (and what it isn't)
An RFQ is a price-focused document sent after you already know the technical scope. It differs from an RFI (information gathering) and an RFP (which invites proposals on how to solve a problem). Confuse them and you waste 4–6 weeks re-quoting.
Core sections every cold-chain RFQ must contain
Every serious refrigeration and cold storage RFQ contains the same anatomy. Missing a section is the single biggest cause of non-comparable bids.
- Project background and buyer identity
- Scope of supply (equipment, installation, commissioning, training)
- Technical specification (capacity, temperature, refrigerant, controls)
- Site conditions (ambient, altitude, power quality, footprint)
- Delivery terms (Incoterms 2020, packaging, lead time)
- Commercial terms (currency, payment milestones, warranty, penalties)
- Evaluation criteria and award timeline
- Submission instructions and required attachments
How to score responses fairly
Weight technical compliance (40–50%), lifetime cost (25–35%), delivery risk (10–15%) and commercial terms (10–15%). Publish the weighting inside the RFQ — it dramatically improves proposal quality.
Timeline: from RFQ issue to signed contract
For turnkey cold storage projects budget 4–8 weeks from RFQ issue to LOI, then 6–10 weeks for detailed engineering and contract. Modular cold rooms and single-piece equipment close in 2–4 weeks.
Copy this checklist into your project workspace
- Project purpose stated in one paragraph
- Storage capacity in m³ and pallet positions
- Temperature ranges (chilled, frozen, blast) with tolerances
- Refrigerant preference (NH₃, CO₂, HFC, HFO) or 'supplier to propose'
- Ambient design conditions (°C max/min, RH%)
- Grid power (kV, phases, kVA available, generator backup?)
- Site drawings or GPS coordinates
- Incoterm and destination port/site
- Currency, payment schedule and financing needs
- Warranty duration and spare parts package
- Evaluation criteria with weights
- Submission deadline, format and contact
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between an RFQ, RFP and RFI?
An RFI gathers market information, an RFP invites suppliers to propose a solution, and an RFQ requests firm pricing on a defined scope. Cold-chain projects usually run RFI → RFP → RFQ, though single-equipment purchases skip straight to RFQ.
How long should a cold-chain RFQ be?
12–25 pages for turnkey projects, 3–8 pages for equipment-only purchases. Longer than 30 pages usually means the scope is not yet frozen and an RFP would serve you better.
How many suppliers should I invite?
Between 4 and 8. Fewer than 4 gives you no leverage; more than 8 dilutes supplier effort and every response becomes generic.
Should I share my budget in the RFQ?
Share a budget range for large turnkey projects — it filters out unrealistic bidders and speeds up value engineering. Never share it for commoditised equipment like compressors, condensers or panels.
Can I automate RFQ creation?
Yes. ColdMatch's free RFQ Builder assembles a supplier-ready brief in 6 minutes and routes it to 120+ vetted cold-chain and refrigeration manufacturers.