Supplement Manufacturer RFQ Template and Requirements Checklist

What an RFQ needs to accomplish

A request for quotation does two jobs. It tells a manufacturer enough about your product to price it accurately, and it pulls the answers you need to judge whether this partner fits. Most first-time RFQs fail at the second job: they ask for a price and nothing else, so every quote comes back with different assumptions and nothing is comparable.

One lesson from running these rounds repeatedly: sending the full template in the first email can work against you. A long questionnaire can overwhelm a busy sales team and stall the conversation. Gauge receptiveness first. Open with a short summary of what you need, then bring in the detailed checklist once the manufacturer is engaged. The template works best as your internal master list, fed into the conversation in stages.

Part 1: What to include about your product

The manufacturer needs enough detail to quote accurately. Include these items in your product brief:

• Product name and dosage form. Capsule, tablet, powder, gummy, or liquid, plus count per unit. If a specific capsule type matters to you (for example delayed-release), say so and say whether an equivalent from another source is acceptable.
• Product specifications. Active ingredients with amounts, whether branded ingredients are required or substitutes are acceptable, and any exclusions such as allergens. A one-page specification sheet keeps this consistent across candidates.
• Testing and label requirements. Any claims or certifications the product carries that the manufacturer must support, and the testing you expect as part of their quality process.
• Packaging requirements. Bottle or pouch format, closure, and who supplies labels. Note whether you need the expiration date stamped on the unit.

Part 2: Information to request from the manufacturer

Ask every candidate for the same items, in writing. Some answers live on their website; the rest come from the quotation and follow-up emails.

Company basics

• Company name, address, and website
• Contact name, email, and phone
• Year established and facility locations
• cGMP posture: dietary supplement manufacturers must follow current good manufacturing practice under 21 CFR Part 111. Ask how they demonstrate it, and check their claims yourself.

Pricing structure

Ask for the pricing as line items, not one bundled number. You want to see:

• Base product price per unit at each quantity tier
• Which lab tests are included in that price and which are billed separately
• Whether bottling and labeling are included or separate lines
• Estimated freight to your destination

A quote that hides these lines inside one number cannot be compared with the next quote. The supplement cost guide explains what usually sits inside each line.

Quantities and terms

• Minimum order quantityMOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)The smallest production run a manufacturer will accept for an order. with the full tier table, and whether tiers unlock better pricing
• Whether staggered ordering is possible: placing a bulk-price order that ships in smaller lots over time instead of all at once
• Whether the quoted price depends on ordering other products at the same time, or stands on its own
• Payment terms: the deposit and balance schedule, and accepted payment methods. Get the schedule in writing before money moves.

Process capabilities

• Expiration-date stamping: what they need from you to stamp a date on the unit, and what testing supports it
• Pilot runPilot RunA small-scale production run to validate a formulation before full manufacturing. capability: can they produce a small trial batch before full production, and on what cost basis
• Label review: do they review your label before printing, and do they accept accountability for errors they approved
• Whether they store excess labels for future runs
• Lead timeLead TimeThe time from order placement to finished product delivery.: the minimum and maximum from purchase order to shipment, and how they communicate delays
• Logistics readiness: can they prepare shipments for marketplace fulfillment, hold finished goods, or ship direct to your warehouse or 3PL

Documentation with every order

• A certificate of analysisCOA (Certificate of Analysis)A document reporting test results for a specific batch of ingredients or finished product. and a finished-product specification sheet for each lot
• Packing lists per destination when an order splits
• Sample photos before first shipments, including one showing the stamped expiration date
• Purchase-order paperwork that holds both sides accountable if something goes wrong. The quality agreements guide covers the longer-term version of this protection.

Part 3: The evaluation checklist

Set your criteria before quotes arrive, not after. Decide which requirements are non-negotiable for your brand and which are judgment calls, and note which ones you can check from public records before you ever send an email. This table is a starting frame; adjust the rows and the strictness to your product and risk tolerance.

If an answer is missing, write that down in your decision record instead of skipping the row. Gaps you noted are gaps you can revisit; gaps you skipped become surprises after the deposit. For the deeper reasoning behind each criterion, see how to evaluate a supplement manufacturer.

Sending it and comparing quotes

1. Pre-qualify before you send. Run the public-record checks in the table above and drop candidates that fail them.
2. Open with a short summary of the product and the quantities you are exploring. Bring in the full checklist as the conversation develops.
3. Move commitments to email. Calls build the relationship; email builds the record.
4. Plan your follow-up before you send. Quotes often land after a nudge, and a polite, scheduled follow-up keeps the process moving without souring the relationship.
5. Build one comparison sheet with the same line items for every candidate: price lines, MOQ tiers, lead-time range, payment terms, documentation. Missing answers get a note, not a blank.

Frequently Asked Questions

Concepts Covered