Separate production time from shipping time in an RFQ

A single lead-time figure can hide when work begins and what part of the route it covers. Buyers need a sequence: approval, material procurement, production, inspection, dispatch and transit. This sequence makes a proposed arrival date easier to test.

Define the requirement

Provide the required arrival date and the approvals you control, such as drawing, sample or artwork sign-off. Ask for the date on which each stage could start. Avoid stating that production can begin immediately when an internal approval is still outstanding.

Questions to send with the RFQ

Ask suppliers to distinguish production time from transport time and to show the assumptions for both. Request a revised schedule if a sample fails or artwork changes. If the proposed delivery date is only indicative, ask what event would make it firm.

Review the answer

Compare schedules from the same starting condition. One quote may count lead time from deposit; another may count from final sample approval. The apparently shorter number can still arrive later when its starting event is delayed.

An example to adapt

For a hypothetical custom printed sleeve, the supplier might need final artwork approval before printing. A buyer who sees “three-week lead time” should confirm whether that clock begins today or after the artwork proof is signed.

Decision before sending

Create a simple timeline with dates and owners for the buyer-controlled steps. A supplier can provide an honest production schedule and still be delayed by late artwork or a missing sample decision. If the required arrival date cannot accommodate those steps, change the scope, route or date before a commitment is made. Keep transport uncertainty separate from production uncertainty; they call for different questions and different mitigations.

Source context

The U.S. Commercial Service document guide separates a quoted transaction date from documents prepared for shipment. Ask for production completion, dispatch and estimated arrival as separate milestones so the buyer can see which assumption controls the critical path.