Ever wondered what the difference is between an RFI vs. RFP vs. RFQ? While they’re all meant to help construction firms gather certain types of information from vendors, they each have their own distinct use and purpose. The differentiating factor ultimately depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.

Individually and as a collective, these three requests are useful for picking the right vendor, which saves your construction firm money and reduces risk. Here, we go over the definition of each request, and how to know when to use one.

RFX refers collectively to “request for …” and is commonly used to refer more generally to RFIs, RFPs, and RFQs, which are requests from a buyer to a vendor for information, proposals, and quotations. Here’s how we define each RFX and the difference in writing them.

A request for information is used to inform and allows a buyer to navigate through the various solutions that vendors will offer.

The process involves asking vendors about their services and products. During the planning stage, you’ll typically use an RFI to gather market details and more general information, using it to define your project’s requirements.

An RFI introduces a buyer to a vendor and gives an overview of what they have to offer, asking questions in the early stages of a potential purchase.

When writing an RFI, inform the vendor about your project and its goals, as well as its budget. At this point, there’s not yet a commitment or decision to purchase and you’re simply looking for more information on the vendor. Your segment should ideally be concise, but give enough detail so that the vendor knows how to help you.

Vendors should then respond to your inquiry by offering their perspectives on project goals. This and any follow-up information will offer valuable insight and inform you with more generalized statements.

When it comes to contrasting an RFI vs. RFP, an RFI is typically used as a precursor.

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