How to Write an RFQ for Tricycles & Tuk-Tuks

A good RFQ for three-wheelers answers five questions before the supplier replies: what vehicle, how many, packed how, delivered where, and paid how. Suppliers price what they can measure, so an RFQ that states those five items in writing gets a firm price on the first reply, while a one-line “please send your best price for a tuk tuk” gets a round number that cannot be compared with anything. This guide gives you the fields to include, the wording to use, and a template you can copy for your next inquiry.

Why does a structured RFQ get a better price?

Three effects are at work. First, a complete RFQ removes the guessing the sales engineer would otherwise have to do, so they quote the vehicle you actually need instead of a generic model. Second, when the specification and the Incoterm are fixed, freight, packing and documentation can be computed rather than estimated. Third, a written RFQ creates a record you can hold several suppliers to, which is what makes a genuine comparison possible instead of a price lottery. UNECE’s vehicle regulations resolutions describe how three-wheeled vehicles are categorised in the L group, useful vocabulary when you need to tell a supplier which regulatory class your market expects before they can advise on the right configuration.

What information must appear in every tricycle RFQ?

Use the same field list for every supplier and keep the blanks visible. Anything unknown should be marked “to advise” rather than left out, because the reply will then tell you what the supplier recommends.

How do you describe the vehicle if you have no model number?

Describe the job, not the machine. Write the route and the load: “18 km daily route on tarmac and gravel, three passengers plus luggage, steep sections in the rainy season”. Then add your hard limits, minimum ground clearance, whether a cabin is required, whether a tipper or flatbed is needed, and the maximum unit price you can finance. A supplier can convert that narrative into a configuration. If you are still choosing between body types, the vehicle selection guide and the passenger tuk tuk guide help you put the requirement into words before you write the RFQ.

Which quantity and packing details change the unit price?

Volume moves price on three fronts: the factory’s material purchasing, the amount of packing material and labour per unit, and the number of units that fit in one container, which spreads freight and inland costs across the order. Say plainly that the first order is a trial and that the annual volume depends on results, most suppliers will price the trial honestly and quote the recurring price at a stated quantity. Also state whether the vehicles must ship in one container or can be split, because a part-loaded container raises the freight share per unit. Our container loading guide explains how the three packing formats change units per container.

What commercial terms should the RFQ state?

Name the Incoterm with its port, the currency, the payment structure and the price validity you expect. FOB plus a named Chinese port is the most useful single term for comparison, because you can then quote freight separately through your own forwarder. If you plan to pay by letter of credit, say so in the RFQ: the terms of the credit, the documents required against payment and the confirming bank all affect whether the factory can accept it, and the payment terms guide sets out the usual structures. Add a sentence about price validity, for example: “Please state the validity period and the basis on which the price can be reconfirmed at order stage.”

Which compliance documents should you request with the quote?

List the documents your customs authority and registration office will require and ask which the supplier can provide, at what cost, and in how many days. Typical lines are the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, and any conformity or inspection certificate demanded by the destination market. Ask also whether the supplier can supply an inspection certificate from a third-party inspection company at your cost. If quality systems matter to your buyer or to your bank. You you ask whether the factory operates a certified quality management system such as ISO 9001, and ask for the certificate number so you can verify it with the issuing body rather than trusting a scanned copy.

How do you specify quality and inspection requirements?

Put the acceptance criteria in the RFQ, not in a later email. State the inspection stage, during production, before packing, or both, and the sampling basis. If you need a statistical sampling plan, ISO’s ISO 2859-1 defines acceptance sampling schemes indexed by acceptance quality limit (AQL) and is the standard referenced in most inspection contracts. A practical version for a first container: request the inspection before the container is sealed, ask for photo and video evidence of the units loaded, and agree in advance what happens if defects are found, repair, replacement, or a credit against the balance payment.

What does a good RFQ email look like?

Keep it short, numbered and complete. A workable structure:

Attach or paste any photo of a vehicle that already works in your market, a picture removes more ambiguity than a paragraph of description.

What should a supplier reply include?

A usable reply quotes a specification, not a body type. Check that it names the engine or motor and battery, the frame and axle, brake type, tyre size, body dimensions, packing format and units per container. It should state the unit price, the packing cost, the spare parts lines, the Incoterm with the named port, the lead time from deposit, the validity period, the payment terms and the document list. If a reply has a single total without those lines, send the RFQ back with the fields highlighted, you cannot compare what has not been itemised.

What are the warning signs in a reply?

Treat these as reasons to ask more questions rather than to walk away immediately: a price far below every other reply with no specification attached; a supplier who will not put the specification in writing; a quotation with no validity period; a request to pay a deposit to a personal account or to a company name different from the contracting party; and a promise of certification documents that the country of destination does not in fact require. Our supplier verification guide lists the checks to run before money moves, including company registration and reference checks.

Frequently asked questions

How detailed does an RFQ need to be for a first inquiry?

Detailed enough to be priced: vehicle type, quantity, packing, destination port, Incoterm and payment method. Everything else can be marked “please advise”, and the supplier’s answer becomes a useful first filter between candidates.

Can I send the same RFQ to several suppliers?

Yes. That that the point of a written RFQ. Keep the wording identical for every supplier, ask each to reply in the same line-item format, and compare the replies side by side rather than as totals.

Should I ask for a sample unit before ordering a container?

For a new supplier, a sample or a small trial order is a reasonable way to verify build quality, packing and documentation. Ask in the RFQ whether the sample price is refundable against the container order.

Does the RFQ fix the price?

No. An RFQ invites an offer; the price becomes binding when you accept a quotation or sign a contract that repeats the specification, quantity, Incoterm and delivery window.

How long does a three-wheeler RFQ take to answer?

A complete RFQ with a defined specification and destination usually returns a usable quotation within one to two business days, since the supplier can price the vehicle, packing and freight without further questions.

Next step

Copy the field list above into your own format, fill in what you know, and send it through the request a quote page. WeldSen replies with a line-item quotation covering the recommended configuration, packing, spare parts and documents for your destination port, and the sales team will confirm the compliance documents your market requires before you commit.