A quotation can look complete while leaving the most expensive assumptions unresolved. This pharma RFQ checklist helps pharmaceutical buyers put the same information in front of every supplier, so price comparisons reflect the same product and scope. RFQ means request for quotation: a structured enquiry that describes what you want priced.
What a pharma RFQ checklist should establish
Begin with the commercial decision you need to make. Are you checking the feasibility of a new brand, comparing an existing specification or planning a repeat order? Label the enquiry accordingly. A budget estimate based on incomplete information should be distinguished from an order-ready offer.
Assign a reference number and version to the brief. If the pack changes halfway through the discussion, suppliers should be able to identify which version they priced. Keep one owner responsible for circulating revisions to purchasing, packaging and quality teams.
Describe the formulation without ambiguity
State the composition, strength, dosage form and intended market. Include any approved specification references your team can share. A product name alone may not identify the exact presentation required. For tablets, specify relevant release characteristics; for oral liquids, make the strength basis and bottle volume explicit.
- Identify whether the quote is for an existing product or a development enquiry.
- State the proposed brand and the entity making the enquiry.
- List required documentation for review by your quality or regulatory team.
- Ask the supplier to flag missing information before issuing a final quotation.
Define the saleable pack and order quantity
Separate individual dosage units from finished packs. As an illustrative example, 2,000 cartons containing three strips of ten tablets represent 60,000 tablets. That arithmetic does not establish an appropriate batch size; it simply prevents two suppliers quoting different quantities.
Record the pack configuration in a small table, including the immediate container, outer carton and shipping carton where relevant. Ask whether printed packaging minimums differ from production minimums. If unused printed material will remain after the order, request a storage and reconciliation arrangement.
Ask for an itemised commercial response
A useful offer makes its inclusions visible. Ask for the unit basis, currency, quotation validity, payment milestones and delivery basis. Request separate identification of development, artwork, tooling, documentation and freight charges where they apply.
| RFQ field | Response to request |
|---|---|
| Quantity | Manufacturing minimum and finished pack quantity |
| Packaging | Included components and printed-material minimums |
| Testing | Included tests and batch documents |
| Schedule | Milestones and approval dependencies |
| Exceptions | Anything priced differently from the brief |
Separate pricing from quality responsibilities
A quotation should not be expected to resolve the entire quality relationship. WHO's GMP guidance on outsourced activities addresses written contracts and defined responsibilities. Route technical questions to the responsible specialists before treating the quotation as approval to manufacture.
For a broader review, use our third-party manufacturing buyer checklist. Keep open quality or regulatory items visible beside the commercial comparison.
Compare exceptions before selecting a supplier
Build a comparison using one row for each requested item. Mark responses as confirmed, excluded or pending. If a supplier substitutes a pack or proposes a different order quantity, record the difference rather than comparing its headline price directly with a fully matched offer.
For example, a cheaper quote may exclude printed cartons, while another includes them. The next action is to clarify the scope and revise the comparison. Negotiation becomes more useful when both sides are discussing the same deliverable.
Send a brief that can become an order
Close the RFQ with a deadline for questions, a requested response date and a list of approvals still required. Keep the final accepted version with the purchase order. Browse Flemming Pharma's tablet catalogue or services, then send your formulation, pack and quantity requirements for a product-specific discussion.
