Record quote currency and validity in an RFQ

Price without a currency or validity date is difficult to approve. Cross-border buyers may be comparing offers with different exchange-rate exposure or changing input costs. The RFQ can request a clean commercial basis without predicting future rates.

Define the requirement

Ask for the currency, quotation date, validity period and the conditions that would trigger a revision. If the buyer will pay in a different currency, keep that conversion separate from the supplier's original quote. State the intended order quantity and delivery basis with the price.

Questions to send with the RFQ

Ask whether the quoted currency applies to tooling, samples, freight and taxes as well as the product. Request a clear expiration or review date instead of a vague “subject to change” line. If a supplier cannot lock one cost, ask it to identify the variable component.

Review the answer

Compare offers at a stated review point using the original currencies and any transparent conversion you choose for internal analysis. Do not imply that a conversion rate is fixed. A quote that expires before your approval meeting needs fresh confirmation before commitment.

An example to adapt

A hypothetical buyer comparing a US-dollar product price with a euro tooling fee should keep both lines intact. Combining them into a single estimated number without recording the conversion date can hide why a later invoice differs.

Decision before sending

Put the review date on the comparison sheet. If one supplier's offer expires sooner than the internal approval cycle, mark it for reconfirmation rather than relying on the old number. Keep the supplier's currency unchanged in the source column, even when management wants a single reporting currency. This prevents accidental disputes about whether a converted figure was offered or only estimated. Tooling, product and freight may have different validity periods; list them separately when they do.

Source context

The FAR commercial-offer instructions explicitly address price, discount terms and the period for which an offer is held firm. A private RFQ can request the same clarity without adopting the U.S. rule's default period: ask for the offered currency and the supplier's own validity date.