Contract Manufacturing, Job Shop Quoting & Make-to-Order calculator
RFQ Response Cost Calculator
Use this calculator to quantify estimating, engineering, purchasing, programming, supplier quote collection, and sales time consumed by RFQ responses.
What this calculator does
- Estimate the internal cost to review and respond to customer RFQs.
- deciding whether to pursue an RFQ, require more customer information, or charge for complex quoting work
- The result estimates total internal dollars spent producing RFQ responses.
Formula used
- Variable RFQ response cost = RFQs reviewed in the period × average response cost per RFQ × qualified RFQ share included
- Total RFQ response cost = variable RFQ response cost + fixed quoting support cost
Inputs explained
- RFQs reviewed in the period: Count new RFQs, drawing packages, revision requests, and customer bid packages that require estimator or engineering review.
- average response cost per RFQ: Include estimator time, engineering review, supplier quote chasing, programming checks, sales review, and quoting software overhead.
- qualified RFQ share included: Use the percentage of RFQs that receive full costing work rather than quick no-bids or budgetary screens.
- fixed quoting support cost: Include quoting templates, customer portal fees, benchmark studies, outside estimating help, or one-time bid package costs.
How to use the result
- Use it to prioritize quotes, set no-bid rules, recover estimating cost, and size the estimating team.
- Treat the result as an estimate until the RFQ package, customer drawing revision, material quote, routing, setup standard, shop rate, outside service quote, scrap history, open capacity, due date, and quoted commercial terms are confirmed for the same job, lot size, and customer order.
Common questions
- What is the rfq response cost calculator for? Use this calculator to quantify estimating, engineering, purchasing, programming, supplier quote collection, and sales time consumed by RFQ responses.
- What information should I enter? Enter rfqs reviewed in the period, average response cost per rfq, qualified rfq share included, and fixed quoting support cost using the same quote revision, customer order, lot size, routing, and cost basis.
- What does the result tell me? The result estimates total internal dollars spent producing RFQ responses.
- When is the result only an estimate? Treat the result as an estimate until the RFQ package, customer drawing revision, material quote, routing, setup standard, shop rate, outside service quote, scrap history, open capacity, due date, and quoted commercial terms are confirmed for the same job, lot size, and customer order.
Last reviewed 2026-05-12.