A good request for quotation (RFQ) for structural detailing tells suppliers six things: what is in scope, what information they will receive, what they must deliver, which standards and conventions apply, when you need it, and how reviews and changes will work. With that, you get quotes you can actually compare. Without it, each supplier prices a different assumption, and the cheapest quote is often just the one that assumed least. If you are preparing an outsourced package for the first time, this structure also becomes your statement of work.
What should an RFQ for structural detailing contain?
1. Project summary
Project name or code (anonymised if needed), location, facility type (for example gas processing, refinery, offshore topsides) and the structures involved.
2. Scope of work
- Structures and areas included, and those explicitly excluded
- Disciplines: structural steel, RCC/rebar, or both
- Activities: modelling, detailing, drafting, MTO, as-built updates
- Whether connection design is excluded, or is to be done by a named party (see connection design responsibility)
3. Inputs provided
List the documents with their revisions: design drawings, design model, specifications, connection standards, vendor data, piping loads, survey data. Say which are final and which are pending. Our detailing input checklist covers the full list.
4. Deliverables
| Deliverable | Required? | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Detailing model | Yes/No | Native (version), IFC |
| Assembly drawings | Yes/No | PDF, DWG |
| Single-part drawings | Yes/No | PDF, DWG |
| Erection drawings | Yes/No | PDF, DWG |
| Anchor bolt / embed plans | Yes/No | PDF, DWG |
| Bolt list / MTO | Yes/No | XLSX |
| NC files | Yes/No | DSTV / DXF |
| Rebar placing drawings and BBS | Yes/No | PDF, XLSX |
| Drawing register and transmittals | Yes | XLSX/PDF |
5. Standards and conventions
The governing design and execution standards named in the specification, the client drawing standard, the marking convention, the title block and the language.
6. Software and data
Required software and version, coordinate system and units, file transfer method, and confidentiality or NDA requirements.
7. Schedule
Start date, priority areas, milestone dates (anchor plans first, if applicable), and the expected review turnaround from your side.
8. Review, revisions and changes
The number of review cycles included in the price, the comment format, and how design changes after the first issue will be instructed and valued (for example by an hourly rate or a per-drawing rate).
9. Commercial terms
Pricing basis requested (lump sum, per drawing, per tonne or hourly), payment milestones, validity and currency.
What information helps suppliers price a detailing package?
Suppliers estimate effort from complexity, not just size. Useful information includes:
- approximate steel tonnage, or the number of structures or bays;
- an estimated drawing count, or typical assembly counts if known;
- the proportion of repetitive versus unique structures;
- connection types and complexity;
- the number of interfaces (piping, equipment, existing structures).
If you have only partial information, say so. A supplier can then state assumptions instead of guessing.
How do you make detailing quotes comparable?
Quotes become comparable when every supplier prices the same deliverables against the same inputs and states what it assumed. Ask each supplier to return the items below in a fixed format, then compare assumptions and exclusions before comparing prices.
Ask every supplier to return:
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Deliverables list matching your table | Confirms like-for-like scope |
| Assumptions and exclusions | Reveals hidden scope gaps |
| Questions or RFIs on the package | Shows they read it |
| Proposed schedule by milestone | Tests feasibility |
| Rate for changes | Prices the inevitable revisions |
| Team, checking process and point of contact | Indicates delivery control |
| Software version confirmation | Avoids incompatibility |
Common RFQ mistakes
- Sending drawings without a scope statement.
- Asking for "shop drawings" without defining which drawing types.
- Omitting the connection design responsibility.
- Not stating the Tekla or CAD version.
- Leaving the number of review cycles undefined.
- Asking for a price before vendor data status is known, without flagging it.
RFQ checklist
- Project summary
- Scope with inclusions and exclusions
- Input list with revisions and status
- Deliverables table with formats
- Standards and drawing conventions
- Software, version, coordinates, file transfer
- Schedule and priorities
- Review cycles and change mechanism
- Pricing basis and commercial terms
- Confidentiality requirements
Ready to send yours? Submit your project requirements and we will reply with questions and a scoped proposal.
Frequently asked questions
Can we request a quote with incomplete drawings?
Yes. State what is available and what is pending. A competent supplier will return assumptions and questions, and may propose a staged price.
Is per-tonne pricing reliable for detailing?
It can be for repetitive structures. Complex industrial steel with many interfaces is often better priced per drawing or by estimated hours with clear assumptions.
How quickly should we expect a quotation?
That depends on the package size and the completeness of the information. Ask suppliers to confirm a date for their response.
Next step
When you are ready, submit your project requirements with your scope, available drawings or models, specifications, location, output formats, approximate drawing count or tonnage, and target dates. PetroHill will review the inputs, raise questions and return a proposal with a defined deliverables list, assumptions and exclusions.
Related services
References
Technical sources consulted. Standards are paid documents; confirm clauses against the licensed edition named in your project specification.
- PetroHill FAQs · PetroHill (opens in a new tab)
- Tekla data exchange formats · Trimble (opens in a new tab)
