How do I count RFQs reviewed in a period?

Count packages reaching estimator review, including screens and no-bids. The qualified share selects the ones receiving full costing. Include screening spend in support cost if you want it included in the total.

What belongs in fixed quoting support cost?

Costs that do not move with RFQ volume: quoting software, customer portal fees, benchmark studies, outside estimating help and one-time bid package costs. Spread them over the period you are measuring.

Why show cost per award as well as cost per RFQ?

Because a low average response cost can still be expensive per win. If only part of the reviewed work converts, the awards carry the whole period's cost, and that figure is what a won order must cover.

What if no awards were won in the period?

The modeled response cost still stands, and the per award figure is blank because there is nothing to divide by. Use the qualified RFQ figure to judge whether quoting effort is sized for the opportunity.

Contract Manufacturing, Job Shop Quoting & Make-to-Order calculator

RFQ Response Cost Calculator

Estimate full costing and support spend for the RFQs your team reviews. Enter the RFQ count, cost per fully costed RFQ, share quoted in full, support cost and awards won.

What this calculator does

Full costing and support spend for RFQs in a period, with the cost carried by each qualified RFQ and each award.

Formula used

Variable response cost = RFQs reviewed × cost per fully costed RFQ × qualified share
Total response cost = variable response cost + fixed quoting support cost
Cost per RFQ after support = total response cost ÷ RFQs reviewed
Cost per qualified RFQ = total response cost ÷ (RFQs reviewed × qualified share)
Response cost per award = total response cost ÷ awards won

Inputs explained

RFQs Reviewed in the Period: New packages, revisions and screens that reached estimator review.
Cost per Fully Costed RFQ: Average estimator, engineering and follow-up cost for one fully costed RFQ.
Qualified RFQ Share Included: Share of reviewed RFQs that receive full costing work.
Fixed Quoting Support Cost: Quoting software, portal fees and outside help for the period.
Awards Won: Orders released from the quotes sent in the same period.

How to use the result

Best suited to costing a quoting team's period, deciding whether to charge for complex quoting, tracking response cost per won order.
Screening cost for unqualified RFQs is excluded unless entered in support cost; one average hides differences among qualified quotes. The response cost excludes the value of the work lost when a quote is not awarded.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The U.S. prime lending rate is 7.00% (Federal Reserve via FRED, 2026-10-02). Payback and financing math should start from today's rate, not a remembered one.

Common questions

How do I count RFQs reviewed in a period? Count packages reaching estimator review, including screens and no-bids. The qualified share selects the ones receiving full costing. Include screening spend in support cost if you want it included in the total.
What belongs in fixed quoting support cost? Costs that do not move with RFQ volume: quoting software, customer portal fees, benchmark studies, outside estimating help and one-time bid package costs. Spread them over the period you are measuring.
Why show cost per award as well as cost per RFQ? Because a low average response cost can still be expensive per win. If only part of the reviewed work converts, the awards carry the whole period's cost, and that figure is what a won order must cover.
What if no awards were won in the period? The modeled response cost still stands, and the per award figure is blank because there is nothing to divide by. Use the qualified RFQ figure to judge whether quoting effort is sized for the opportunity.

Related guides

Last reviewed 2026-10-01.