{"id":43359,"date":"2026-06-11T11:57:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T11:57:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/?p=43359"},"modified":"2026-07-08T12:01:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T12:01:20","slug":"episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/","title":{"rendered":"Episode 2: How to Run a Competitive RFQ Process Without Endless Emails"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"43359\" class=\"elementor elementor-43359\" data-elementor-settings=\"[]\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-section-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b54d2ac elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b54d2ac\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated elementor-element elementor-element-d1c1706\" data-id=\"d1c1706\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f3d49b2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f3d49b2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_61 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" >Inhaltsverzeichnis<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseprofile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/#The_What_What_is_an_RFQ_Process\" title=\"The What: What is an RFQ Process? \">The What: What is an RFQ Process? <\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/#The_Why_Why_RFQ_Processes_Often_Fail\" title=\"The Why: Why RFQ Processes Often Fail\">The Why: Why RFQ Processes Often Fail<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/#The_Where_Where_RFQ_Savings_and_Efficiency_Gains_Come_From\" title=\"The Where: Where RFQ Savings and Efficiency Gains Come From \">The Where: Where RFQ Savings and Efficiency Gains Come From <\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/#The_How_A_Five-Step_Process_to_Run_a_Competitive_RFQ_Without_Endless_Emails\" title=\"The How: A Five-Step Process to Run a Competitive RFQ Without Endless Emails \">The How: A Five-Step Process to Run a Competitive RFQ Without Endless Emails <\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_What_What_is_an_RFQ_Process\"><\/span>The What: What is an RFQ Process? <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-18923bb elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"18923bb\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated elementor-element elementor-element-71410ba\" data-id=\"71410ba\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-51f2907 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"51f2907\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">An RFQ (Request for Quotation) is a structured sourcing process used to obtain pricing, commercial terms, and delivery commitments from multiple suppliers for a defined requirement.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In theory, RFQs create competition and help buyers\u00a0identify\u00a0the best supplier. In practice, many procurement teams still run RFQs through email, spreadsheets, and manual follow-ups. As supplier counts increase, email-based sourcing quickly becomes difficult to manage, creating version-control issues, inconsistent communication, and limited visibility into supplier responses.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A competitive RFQ process is designed to ensure all suppliers receive the same information, respond within the same\u00a0timeframe, and\u00a0are evaluated\u00a0against consistent criteria.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e955aae elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e955aae\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated elementor-element elementor-element-9544294\" data-id=\"9544294\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d7c9395 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d7c9395\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Why_Why_RFQ_Processes_Often_Fail\"><\/span>The Why: Why RFQ Processes Often Fail<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4c0464a elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"4c0464a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated elementor-element elementor-element-08ca21e\" data-id=\"08ca21e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-073be08 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"073be08\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">If\u00a0you&#8217;ve\u00a0ever managed an RFQ through email,\u00a0you&#8217;ve\u00a0probably experienced\u00a0some version of the following:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><ul><li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Different suppliers working from different versions of the specification<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ul><li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Clarification questions arriving across multiple email threads<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ul><li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Difficulty knowing which suppliers have responded and which still need chasing<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ul><li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Hours spent manually comparing quotes in spreadsheets<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ul><li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Decisions based primarily on price because other information is difficult to compare<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ul><li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"6\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Limited documentation explaining why a supplier was selected<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">None of these issues are caused by the suppliers themselves. They are usually symptoms of an unstructured process.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The more time procurement spends managing administration, the less time it has available for supplier evaluation, negotiation, and strategic decision-making.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e43cf38 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e43cf38\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated elementor-element elementor-element-fdc9543\" data-id=\"fdc9543\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-11fb6e1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"11fb6e1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Where_Where_RFQ_Savings_and_Efficiency_Gains_Come_From\"><\/span>The Where: Where RFQ Savings and Efficiency Gains Come From <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-eeba9e6 elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"eeba9e6\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated elementor-element elementor-element-c7b73c1\" data-id=\"c7b73c1\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d973a9e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d973a9e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Many\u00a0organisations\u00a0assume RFQ savings come solely from negotiating lower prices.\u00a0In reality, some\u00a0of the biggest improvements come from creating a more competitive and\u00a0organised\u00a0sourcing process.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When suppliers receive clear requirements, compete on equal terms, and\u00a0submit\u00a0responses in a structured format, procurement teams gain better visibility into the market and make more informed decisions.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Typical RFQ Improvement Areas<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><table data-tablestyle=\"MsoTableGrid\" data-tablelook=\"1696\" aria-rowcount=\"7\"><tbody><tr aria-rowindex=\"1\"><td data-celllook=\"0\"><p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Lever<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/td><td data-celllook=\"0\"><p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Typical Impact<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr aria-rowindex=\"2\"><td data-celllook=\"0\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Increased supplier competition<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/td><td data-celllook=\"0\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">5\u201315% cost\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.traceconsultants.com.au\/thinking\/strategic-procurement-for-cost-reduction-and-efficiency-gains\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">reduction<\/span><\/a><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr aria-rowindex=\"3\"><td data-celllook=\"0\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Standardised\u00a0supplier communication<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/td><td data-celllook=\"0\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Faster sourcing cycles<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr aria-rowindex=\"4\"><td data-celllook=\"0\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Automated bid collection<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/td><td data-celllook=\"0\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Reduced administrative effort<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr aria-rowindex=\"5\"><td data-celllook=\"0\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Broader supplier participation<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/td><td data-celllook=\"0\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Greater pricing leverage<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr aria-rowindex=\"6\"><td data-celllook=\"0\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Total cost-based evaluation<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/td><td data-celllook=\"0\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Better long-term savings<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr aria-rowindex=\"7\"><td data-celllook=\"0\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Improved sourcing visibility<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/td><td data-celllook=\"0\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Stronger compliance and governance<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><p><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Indicative ranges based on industry sourcing benchmarks. Actual results vary by category, market conditions, and supplier maturity<\/span><\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-aa11443 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"aa11443\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated elementor-element elementor-element-6769c87\" data-id=\"6769c87\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a10e7ad elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a10e7ad\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_How_A_Five-Step_Process_to_Run_a_Competitive_RFQ_Without_Endless_Emails\"><\/span>The How: A Five-Step Process to Run a Competitive RFQ Without Endless Emails <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-380291d elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"380291d\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated elementor-element elementor-element-7f26ca2\" data-id=\"7f26ca2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-325500d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"325500d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ol><li><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Define Requirements Before Contacting Suppliers<\/span><\/b><\/li><\/ol><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">One of the most common causes of RFQ delays is incomplete information.\u00a0Before inviting suppliers to quote, ensure that specifications, drawings, forecast volumes, quality requirements, delivery expectations, and commercial terms are clearly documented.\u00a0The clearer the requirements, the more\u00a0accurate\u00a0and comparable the supplier responses will be.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:720}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Think of this step as setting the foundation. If suppliers are\u00a0quoting against\u00a0different assumptions, it becomes almost impossible to make a fair comparison later.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:720}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><ol start=\"2\"><li><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Invite Multiple Qualified Suppliers<\/span><\/b><\/li><\/ol><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A competitive RFQ requires genuine competition. Rather than relying solely on incumbent suppliers, consider whether there are\u00a0additional\u00a0suppliers in the market that could meet your requirements. For most sourcing events, inviting three to five qualified suppliers provides enough competition to generate meaningful comparisons without creating unnecessary complexity.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:720}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The\u00a0objective\u00a0is not simply to collect more quotes. It is to understand what the market can offer and ensure you are making decisions based on current market conditions rather than historical relationships.<\/span><\/p><ol start=\"3\"><li><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Centralise Supplier Communication<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ol><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Few things slow down an RFQ faster than scattered communication. When questions, updates, and revised documents are shared through multiple email chains, suppliers can\u00a0easily end up working from different information. Instead,\u00a0establish\u00a0a single source\u00a0of truth for all RFQ-related communication. Ensure that every supplier receives the same updates and clarification responses at the same time. This creates a fair process, reduces confusion, and saves procurement teams from repeatedly answering the same questions.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:720}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><ol start=\"4\"><li><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Evaluate More Than Unit Price<\/span><\/b><\/li><\/ol><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It is tempting to focus on the lowest quoted price, but price alone rarely tells the full story.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:720}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When reviewing supplier responses, consider factors such as:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:720}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><ul><li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Unit pricing<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ul><li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Tooling or setup costs<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ul><li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Freight and\u00a0logistics\u00a0expenses<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ul><li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Payment terms<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ul><li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Lead times<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ul><li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"6\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Quality performance<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ul><li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"7\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Supply risk<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ul><li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"8\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Production capacity<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A supplier with a slightly higher unit price may\u00a0ultimately deliver\u00a0lower total costs through better quality, shorter lead times, or reduced operational risk.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:720}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The best sourcing decisions balance cost, service, quality, and supply continuity.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:720}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><ol start=\"5\"><li><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Compare Responses and Award Transparently<\/span><\/b><\/li><\/ol><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Once supplier responses have been received, evaluate them using a consistent framework. Compare suppliers against the criteria\u00a0established\u00a0at the beginning of the process and involve relevant stakeholders where\u00a0appropriate. Document the reasons behind the final decision and communicate outcomes professionally to both successful and unsuccessful suppliers.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:720}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A transparent award process builds credibility internally and helps\u00a0maintain\u00a0positive supplier relationships for future sourcing opportunities.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:720}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The What: What is an RFQ Process? An RFQ (Request for Quotation) is a structured sourcing process used to obtain pricing, commercial terms, and delivery commitments from multiple suppliers for a defined requirement. In theory, RFQs create competition and help buyers\u00a0identify\u00a0the best supplier. In practice, many procurement teams still run RFQs through email, spreadsheets, and&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Episode 2: How to Run a Competitive RFQ Process Without Endless Emails<\/span> weiterlesen<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":123459,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-merlin","entry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.4 (Yoast SEO v21.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Episode 2: How to Run a Competitive RFQ Process Without Endless Emails<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In theory, RFQs create competition and help buyers identify the best supplier.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"de_DE\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Episode 2: How to Run a Competitive RFQ Process Without Endless Emails\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In theory, RFQs create competition and help buyers identify the best supplier.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MeRLIN\u202f\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MeRLINstrategicsourcing\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-11T11:57:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-08T12:01:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/merlin.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"964\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Raj Samyuktha Velrajan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@MeRLINsourcing\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@MeRLINsourcing\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Verfasst von\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Raj Samyuktha Velrajan\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Gesch\u00e4tzte Lesezeit\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Raj Samyuktha Velrajan\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#\/schema\/person\/68e9ce8561b1286b675dc865c2eb5cc1\"},\"headline\":\"Episode 2: How to Run a Competitive RFQ Process Without Endless Emails\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-11T11:57:20+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-08T12:01:20+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/\"},\"wordCount\":766,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Merlin\"],\"inLanguage\":\"de-DE\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/\",\"name\":\"Episode 2: How to Run a Competitive RFQ Process Without Endless Emails\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-11T11:57:20+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-08T12:01:20+00:00\",\"description\":\"In theory, RFQs create competition and help buyers identify the best supplier.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"de-DE\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Episode 2: How to Run a Competitive RFQ Process Without Endless Emails\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/\",\"name\":\"MeRLIN\u202f\",\"description\":\"Strategic Sourcing Simplified\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"de-DE\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#organization\",\"name\":\"MeRLIN\u202f\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"de-DE\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"\",\"contentUrl\":\"\",\"caption\":\"MeRLIN\u202f\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MeRLINstrategicsourcing\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MeRLINsourcing\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#\/schema\/person\/68e9ce8561b1286b675dc865c2eb5cc1\",\"name\":\"Raj Samyuktha Velrajan\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"de-DE\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6c8accf8bdfe1102f210198a3c7776d3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6c8accf8bdfe1102f210198a3c7776d3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Raj Samyuktha Velrajan\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/author\/rajsamyuktha-velrajanrheincs-com\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Episode 2: How to Run a Competitive RFQ Process Without Endless Emails","description":"In theory, RFQs create competition and help buyers identify the best supplier.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/","og_locale":"de_DE","og_type":"article","og_title":"Episode 2: How to Run a Competitive RFQ Process Without Endless Emails","og_description":"In theory, RFQs create competition and help buyers identify the best supplier.","og_url":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/","og_site_name":"MeRLIN\u202f","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MeRLINstrategicsourcing","article_published_time":"2026-06-11T11:57:20+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-07-08T12:01:20+00:00","og_image":[{"width":964,"height":600,"url":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/merlin.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Raj Samyuktha Velrajan","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@MeRLINsourcing","twitter_site":"@MeRLINsourcing","twitter_misc":{"Verfasst von":"Raj Samyuktha Velrajan","Gesch\u00e4tzte Lesezeit":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/"},"author":{"name":"Raj Samyuktha Velrajan","@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#\/schema\/person\/68e9ce8561b1286b675dc865c2eb5cc1"},"headline":"Episode 2: How to Run a Competitive RFQ Process Without Endless Emails","datePublished":"2026-06-11T11:57:20+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-08T12:01:20+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/"},"wordCount":766,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Merlin"],"inLanguage":"de-DE","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/","url":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/","name":"Episode 2: How to Run a Competitive RFQ Process Without Endless Emails","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#website"},"datePublished":"2026-06-11T11:57:20+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-08T12:01:20+00:00","description":"In theory, RFQs create competition and help buyers identify the best supplier.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"de-DE","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/episode-2-how-to-run-a-competitive-rfq-process-without-endless-emails\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Episode 2: How to Run a Competitive RFQ Process Without Endless Emails"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#website","url":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/","name":"MeRLIN\u202f","description":"Strategic Sourcing Simplified","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"de-DE"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#organization","name":"MeRLIN\u202f","url":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"de-DE","@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"","contentUrl":"","caption":"MeRLIN\u202f"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MeRLINstrategicsourcing","https:\/\/twitter.com\/MeRLINsourcing"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#\/schema\/person\/68e9ce8561b1286b675dc865c2eb5cc1","name":"Raj Samyuktha Velrajan","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"de-DE","@id":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6c8accf8bdfe1102f210198a3c7776d3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6c8accf8bdfe1102f210198a3c7776d3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Raj Samyuktha Velrajan"},"url":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/blog\/author\/rajsamyuktha-velrajanrheincs-com\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43359"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/123459"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43359"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43359\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43370,"href":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43359\/revisions\/43370"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merlinsourcing.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}