> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.chemcloud.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Requests for Quotes (RFQs)

> Send RFQs to your approved suppliers and collect quotes in one place.

# Requests for Quotes (RFQs)

An RFQ is how you request pricing from your suppliers in ChemCloud. Select a product, choose which suppliers to send to, and ChemCloud sends the request on your behalf. Quotes come back into the system — either entered by suppliers directly, forwarded by email to the AI, or added manually.

***

## Creating a Request

Start a request from the home page search bar or from a product page. You'll be asked for:

| Field               | Description                                                                  |
| ------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Product**         | The raw material you need quotes for                                         |
| **Suppliers**       | Which suppliers to send the request to — defaults to your approved suppliers |
| **Volume**          | The quantity you're looking for                                              |
| **Unit of Measure** | KG, litres, etc.                                                             |
| **Price Target**    | Optional — lets suppliers know your budget                                   |
| **Comment**         | Any additional context for suppliers                                         |
| **Request Type**    | Spot purchase or blanket order                                               |

Before submitting, you can review the email that will be sent to each supplier.

***

## Request Types

### Spot Purchase

A one-off order for a specific quantity. You need the material now (or soon) and want competitive pricing.

### Blanket Order

A longer-term agreement covering multiple deliveries over a period. Useful for locking in pricing on materials you order regularly. You can specify the total volume and delivery schedule.

***

## What Happens After You Send

1. **Suppliers receive an email** with your request details
2. **Quotes come back** — suppliers can respond via the ChemCloud portal, or you can forward their email responses to ChemCloud AI (see [AI Sourcing Assistant](/for-buyers/quotes/ai-quote-ingestor))
3. **You compare and select** — review quotes side by side (see [Compare Quotes](/for-buyers/quotes/compare-quotes))
4. **Proceed to purchase** — select a winning quote and go through the purchase steps

***

## Managing Requests

From the Requests page you can see all your active and completed requests:

* **Open requests** — waiting for quotes to come back
* **Quoted** — quotes received, ready for review
* **Ordered** — a quote has been selected and purchased
* **Closed** — request completed or cancelled

***

## Adding Quotes to a Request

Quotes can be added in three ways:

1. **AI Sourcing Assistant** — forward supplier quote emails to your ChemCloud AI email address and the agent extracts and files them automatically
2. **Manual entry** — add a quote directly in ChemCloud with pricing, lead time, and terms
3. **Supplier portal** — suppliers on the ChemCloud network can respond directly

See the [How Tos](/for-buyers/quotes/how-to-request-quotes-for-a-material) for step-by-step guides.