Comparison and Contrast of RFQ and RFP - Essay Example

A request for quotation is suitable for obtaining or sourcing supplies that are standardized as well as produced in a repetitive quality and quantities. It is used when the buyer has a list of pre-determined suppliers who have the technical specifications and commercial requirements for a product or service (Kappauf, Lauterbach & Koch, 2011).  

A request for proposal (RFP) is also a procurement document that a purchasing organization uses when it has a procurement problem, but it does not know how it wants to solve the problem. It is the most formal of a request in a procurement process and has strict rules for timeline, content, and vendor responses. Request for proposal focuses on more than just the cost or pricing of the project or supplies. The purchasing organization tends to seek more information about how the supplier or contractor will perform the contract. Apart from the cost of the project, the procurement department also seeks more concepts such as the ability of the supplier to meet the required quality as well as the technology a supplier uses. The buyer appraises a supplier or contractor’s ability and capability to perform the project based on quality, financial capacity, technology level, and competence. The procurement department uses all these factors to select the best supplier or contractor for the contract. A request for proposal tends to notify suppliers of the buyer’s intention to purchase certain goods or services. The buyer gets a formal submission from the selected suppliers to facilitate the comparison of the proposals. A request for proposal tends to show that a buyer has a formal as well as a fair procurement process without favoring a certain preferred supplier (Stewart & Stewart, 1992).