ChatGPT RFQ vs RFP vs RFI: Differences and Uses
Summary
Key takeaways
- An RFI asks suppliers for information, an RFP asks for a complete solution, and an RFQ asks for pricing against a clearly defined scope.
- Use an RFI when the market or available solutions are still unclear and the main goal is supplier research rather than selection.
- Use an RFP when the requirement is complex and factors such as technical fit, integrations, delivery approach, experience, security, and total cost matter alongside price.
- Use an RFQ when the specification, quantities, tasks, and commercial requirements are already sufficiently fixed for price to become the main differentiator.
- RFI, RFP, and RFQ do not need to follow a rigid sequence; buyers should use only the documents required to answer the unresolved questions in a particular purchase.
- Complex ecommerce replatforming commonly starts with an RFI to narrow the market and moves to an RFP for final vendor and solution selection.
- A strong ecommerce RFP should define requirements, commercial assumptions, response format, evaluation criteria, deadlines, and evidence expectations before vendors respond.
- RFP responses should be evaluated through a weighted scorecard rather than allowing persuasive sales presentations or the lowest bid to determine the outcome.
- In B2B ecommerce, RFQ has a second meaning: a storefront quote workflow where a buyer requests commercial terms from a seller and the accepted quote becomes an order.
- Procurement teams should clearly distinguish an RFQ procurement document from an RFQ storefront workflow to prevent scope, terminology, and implementation confusion.
When this applies
This applies when a company is selecting an ecommerce platform, implementation partner, integration provider, hosting service, or another technology supplier and needs a structured procurement process. It is particularly relevant for B2B replatforming and portal projects where ERP integration, account-specific pricing, quotations, approvals, eProcurement, security, delivery capability, and long-term cost all influence the decision. The RFI–RFP–RFQ framework is also useful when procurement teams need to decide how much information they already have before asking vendors to respond.
When this does not apply
This does not apply when the purchase is very small, low-risk, and already fully understood, making a lightweight quote or direct purchase more efficient than a formal procurement process. An RFP is also premature when the organization cannot yet define the business problem or requirements; an RFI or discovery phase should come first. Conversely, an RFI adds little value when the market and shortlist are already known, while an RFQ is inappropriate when solution design and delivery approach still differ materially between vendors.
Checklist
- Define the business problem and outcome before choosing an RFx document.
- Determine whether the available solutions and suppliers are already known.
- Use an RFI if market capabilities still need to be researched.
- Decide whether the requirement can be expressed as exact products, quantities, or fixed tasks.
- Use an RFP when vendors must propose different approaches to solving the requirement.
- Use an RFQ when the scope is fixed and price is expected to be the primary differentiator.
- Keep procurement RFQs separate from B2B storefront quote workflows in terminology and documentation.
- Include business context, scope, constraints, and objectives in an RFP.
- Define integration, security, compliance, and B2B workflow requirements as testable scenarios.
- Specify a consistent response format so vendor proposals can be compared directly.
- Establish evaluation criteria and weights before proposals arrive.
- Include multi-year total cost of ownership rather than implementation price alone.
- Require evidence for important vendor claims, including references and comparable delivery experience.
- Shortlist vendors through scoring and scripted demonstrations rather than generic sales demos.
- Skip unnecessary RFx stages when their underlying questions have already been answered.
Common pitfalls
- Sending an RFP before the organization understands its own requirements.
- Using an RFQ for a complex replatforming project where architecture and implementation approach still need to be evaluated.
- Treating an RFI response as a contractual proposal or reliable final price.
- Asking vendors dozens of questions that have no effect on the final score.
- Allowing each vendor to respond in a completely different format.
- Creating evaluation criteria only after proposals have already been received.
- Selecting the lowest-price proposal without considering technical capability, integrations, delivery risk, and TCO.
- Failing to require evidence for vendor claims about functionality or implementation experience.
- Confusing the RFQ procurement document with the RFQ quote workflow inside a B2B storefront.
- Running RFI, RFP, and RFQ automatically as sequential bureaucracy instead of using only the steps the purchase actually requires.
Short answer: An RFI asks suppliers for information, an RFP asks for a full proposal, and an RFQ asks for a price on a defined scope. Elogic Commerce uses the GSA definitions, updated 5 May 2026, as the base of its three-question RFx Selector. RFQ also names the quote workflow on a B2B storefront.
This guide is for business-to-business (B2B) buyers, procurement leads and ecommerce managers at manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers. It explains the three documents, shows when to use each, and links the terms to the quote tools inside B2B commerce platforms.
RFQ has two meanings in B2B commerce. One is the procurement document. The other is the quote workflow on a storefront. Elogic Commerce labels them “RFQ (document)” and “RFQ (storefront workflow)” throughout.
The storefront workflow is a core part of B2B ecommerce development and consulting at Elogic Commerce. The document meaning matters when a company buys that platform or an agency.
What is an RFI, an RFP and an RFQ?
An RFI, an RFP and an RFQ are three written requests that a buyer sends to suppliers before it signs a contract. The GSA page updated on 5 May 2026 sets them as research, full solution and price, and Elogic Commerce uses the same split. RFQ has a second meaning on B2B storefronts.
RFx is shorthand for all three. The letters stand for request for information, request for proposal and request for quotation. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and the FAR give the clearest public definitions, so this guide cites them.
What does RFI mean?
An RFI is a request for information that a buyer sends to suppliers to learn what the market offers. Elogic Commerce cites FAR 15.201(e): RFI responses are not offers and cannot form a binding contract. Use an RFI when the buyer does not yet know the solution.
GSA states the idea in short form: an RFI is used when an agency is gathering information. FAR 15.201(e) adds that RFIs have no required format. Elogic Commerce treats an RFI answer as market research, never as a price.
The UK has a similar early step. Section 16 of the Procurement Act 2023 allows preliminary market engagement before a tender notice, and it has been in force since 24 February 2025. The Act requires the buyer to keep contact fair, so no supplier gains an unfair advantage.
What does RFP mean?
An RFP is a request for proposal that asks suppliers to describe how they would deliver a complete solution. FAR 15.203(a) requires a competitive RFP to state four things, and Elogic Commerce recommends the same four for private RFPs. A proposal is an offer under FAR 2.101.
FAR 15.203(a) says a competitive RFP must describe at least these four items:
- The buyer requirement.
- The anticipated terms and conditions of the contract.
- The information that must appear in the proposal.
- The evaluation factors, the significant subfactors and their relative importance.
GSA adds the purpose: an RFP is used when an agency is seeking a complete solution. The evaluation looks at technical capability, experience and price, not at price alone.
What does RFQ mean?
An RFQ is a request for quotation that asks suppliers for a price on a defined product or service. FAR 13.004 states that a quotation is not an offer, and Elogic Commerce treats a quote as a price check, not a contract. In federal buying, the government order is the offer.
GSA states that an RFQ is used when an agency knows what it needs and is looking for pricing information. Under FAR 13.004, an order placed after a quotation does not create a contract. The contract forms when the supplier accepts the order.
FAR 13.104 tells federal buyers to consider asking at least three sources for a quote, to promote competition. Elogic Commerce suggests the same floor of three for private RFQs.
What is the second meaning of RFQ?
The second meaning of RFQ is a quote workflow inside a B2B online store. Elogic Commerce builds this workflow on Adobe Commerce, Shopify Plus, BigCommerce and Salesforce. The buyer submits a cart, and the seller returns a negotiated price. Label it “RFQ (storefront workflow)” to avoid confusion.
Two meanings of RFQ. RFQ (document): a buyer asks several suppliers to price a defined scope. RFQ (storefront workflow): a B2B buyer asks one seller for a quote inside the online store. Elogic Commerce uses these two labels in this guide.
The glossary defines a request for quote (RFQ) as a buyer request for pricing and commercial terms. A storefront RFQ is the first step of quote-to-order: quote creation, seller approval, buyer acceptance and order conversion.
What is the difference between RFQ, RFP and RFI?
The difference between RFQ, RFP and RFI is what the buyer asks suppliers to send: a price, a full solution or information. Elogic Commerce checked the FAR in October 2026: a proposal is an offer, while a quotation and an RFI response are not. Outside US federal buying, the document terms and local law decide the legal effect.
| Point | RFI | RFP | RFQ (document) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Learn what the market offers | Choose a solution and a supplier | Compare prices for a defined scope |
| Use it when | The solution is unknown | The need is complex and price is one factor of several | The need is exact and price decides |
| What the buyer sends | Questions on capability. No required format (FAR 15.201(e)) | Requirements, terms, response format and evaluation factors (FAR 15.203(a)) | Specification, quantities, delivery dates and terms |
| What the supplier returns | Information | A proposal with approach, team, references and price | A quotation with unit prices and a validity date |
| Evaluation basis | None. No award follows | Weighted factors with stated importance (FAR 15.304) | Mainly price and basic qualifications (GSA) |
| Response time | The buyer sets the window | Federal: at least 30 days above $350,000, except commercial products and services (FAR 5.203(c)). Private ecommerce RFP: 15 to 20 business days (Elogic Commerce planning estimate, October 2026) | Federal: a reasonable time for purchases above $25,000 up to $350,000 (FAR 5.203(b)) |
| Binding or not | No. A response is not an offer (FAR 15.201(e)) | A proposal is an offer (FAR 2.101) | No. A quotation is not an offer (FAR 13.004) |
Table 1. RFI, RFP and RFQ compared. Compiled by Elogic Commerce from GSA and FAR sources, October 2026.
Elogic Commerce cites Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2026-01, effective 13 March 2026, for every FAR clause in this guide. FAR 2.101 sets the simplified acquisition threshold at $350,000 and the micro-purchase threshold at $15,000. Federal RFQs belong to simplified acquisition.
The federal Revolutionary FAR Overhaul is in progress. Check acquisition.gov for the current clause text before you cite a clause.
When should you use an RFI, an RFP or an RFQ?
Use an RFI when the solution is unknown, an RFP when the need is complex, and an RFQ when the scope is exact. Elogic Commerce packs this rule into the RFx Selector, a test with 3 questions. Answer the questions in order and stop at the first document named.
| Question | If yes | If no |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Do you already know which solutions and suppliers exist for this need? | Go to question 2 | Send an RFI |
| 2. Can you write the need as exact items, quantities or fixed tasks? | Go to question 3 | Send an RFP |
| 3. Will price be the main difference between suppliers that meet the specification? | Send an RFQ | Send an RFP |
Table 2. The Elogic Commerce RFx Selector. Compiled by Elogic Commerce, October 2026.
Run the selector once for each purchase, not once for the company. A large project can need two documents. A replatforming project can start with an RFI and move to an RFP.
| Buying situation | Document | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| A distributor wants to replace its B2B platform and does not know the options | RFI, then RFP | The market is unknown, and the project is complex |
| A manufacturer needs a B2B portal with enterprise resource planning (ERP) integration and approval workflows | RFP | Many factors matter beyond price |
| A buyer needs licenses or hosting to a fixed specification from three suppliers | RFQ (document) | The scope is exact, so price decides |
| A buyer wants to know which suppliers support punchout catalogs | RFI | The question is about capability, not price |
| A business customer needs 5,000 custom units priced for a delivery date | RFQ (storefront workflow) | The seller prices one order for one buyer |
Table 3. Buying situations and the matching document. Compiled by Elogic Commerce, October 2026.
When the answer to question 2 is unclear, run a discovery first. Elogic Commerce offers ecommerce discovery and planning services for this step.
In what order do RFI, RFP and RFQ happen?
RFI, RFP and RFQ have no fixed order, and Elogic Commerce recommends RFI first, then RFP or RFQ, then the contract. GSA labels RFI as early, RFQ as mid and RFP as final in its May 2026 table. For commerce platforms and agencies, add an RFQ for fixed-scope parts after the RFP.
Skip a step when its question is already answered. Skip the RFI when the market is known. Skip the RFP when the scope is standard. Skip the RFQ when the RFP response already holds a firm price.
Three common paths
- Standard goods or services: RFQ, then contract.
- Complex software or agency work: RFI, RFP, then contract.
- Complex project with fixed-scope parts: RFI, RFP, RFQ for the parts, then contract.
GSA ties the RFQ to standard products or services and the RFP to a complete solution. Elogic Commerce reads its stage labels as a guide to effort and detail, not as a rule that an RFQ must come before an RFP.
What goes into an RFI, an RFP and an RFQ?
An RFI lists questions, an RFP lists requirements and scoring rules, and an RFQ lists items, quantities and terms. FAR 15.203(a) names four required elements for a competitive federal RFP, and Elogic Commerce recommends the same four for private buyers. Ask every supplier to state how long its quote stays valid.
| Section | RFI | RFP | RFQ (document) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buyer context | Short company and project summary | Company, goals, scope and constraints | Buyer name, delivery address and contact person |
| Core content | Open questions on capability, products and experience | Testable requirements, integration data flows, security and compliance needs | Exact items, specification, quantities and delivery dates |
| Commercial content | Optional budget range | Price format, total cost of ownership template and payment terms | Unit prices, delivery cost, payment terms, taxes and quote validity |
| Response format | Free text or a short form | Fixed response template with a length limit | Price sheet with fixed columns |
| Evaluation | Not scored for award | Gates, weighted criteria and their relative importance | Price, plus pass or fail checks |
| Dates | Response date and contact person | Question deadline, response deadline, demo dates and decision date | Response date, quote validity date and delivery date |
Table 4. What each document contains. Compiled by Elogic Commerce, October 2026.
For a B2B ecommerce RFP, add the buying flows that only B2B sites need. Write each flow as a scenario, so each vendor can show it in a demo.
- Quote requests, negotiation and quote-to-order.
- Approval rules for large orders.
- Contract and account-based prices from the ERP system.
- Punchout catalogs and other eProcurement connections.
- Account hierarchies for buyers with several locations.
Some buyers start from their own eProcurement system. A punchout catalog opens the seller store from that system and returns the cart for approval. Procurement integration connects the two systems.
How do you evaluate RFP responses?
Evaluate RFP responses with a weighted scoring model: set weights that add up to 100, score each answer from 0 to 4, and multiply. Elogic Commerce uses a 0 to 4 scale in its B2B ecommerce RFP template, published on 12 May 2026. FAR 15.304 requires price or cost in every federal source selection, with one narrow exception.
The federal rules show what a sound scoring plan states up front. FAR 15.304(c) requires price or cost and quality in every source selection. A narrow exception covers some multiple-award buys by the Department of Defense, NASA and the Coast Guard. FAR 15.304(c) also requires past performance in negotiated competitive buys above the $350,000 simplified acquisition threshold, unless the contracting officer documents a reason.
FAR 15.304(e) requires the solicitation to say whether non-price factors together are significantly more important than, approximately equal to, or significantly less important than price.
FAR 15.101-1 and 15.101-2 name two award methods. The tradeoff process allows an award to a higher-priced proposal when its benefits merit the extra cost. The lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) process allows no tradeoffs: proposals are checked for acceptability and not ranked on non-price factors.
The Elogic Commerce RFP Scorecard turns these rules into a table. Table 5 shows illustrative weights and scores for two vendors. Each total is the sum of score times weight, divided by 4.
| Criterion | Weight | Vendor A score | Vendor B score |
|---|---|---|---|
| B2B functional fit: quotes, approvals, account pricing | 25 | 3 | 4 |
| Integration with ERP, product information management (PIM) and payment systems | 20 | 4 | 3 |
| Delivery approach and team | 15 | 3 | 4 |
| Security and compliance | 10 | 3 | 3 |
| References and past performance | 10 | 4 | 3 |
| Five-year total cost of ownership | 20 | 2 | 3 |
| Weighted total (maximum 100) | 100 | 77.5 | 85.0 |
Table 5. Elogic Commerce RFP Scorecard worked example. Weights and scores are an Elogic Commerce planning example, October 2026, not vendor data.
Keep vendor claims apart from evaluator scores, and ask for evidence for each answer. The Elogic Commerce vendor evaluation guide covers scorecards for current suppliers.
Bidders pay for every extra question. The Loopio 2026 RFP Response Trends and Benchmarks Report is based on 1,500+ teams. It finds that teams spend 33 hours per RFP. Each RFP involves 9 contributors on average. Elogic Commerce advises buyers to cut questions that do not change a score.
How do RFQs work on B2B ecommerce sites?
An RFQ on a B2B ecommerce site is a quote workflow in which the buyer asks, the seller prices, and the buyer orders. Elogic Commerce checked four platforms on 13 October 2026, and Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce and Salesforce document a native quote tool. Shopify uses draft orders.
This is the second meaning of RFQ from the first section. The buyer asks for the quote inside the online store, so the request reaches the seller as structured data. The seller prices it, approves it and turns it into an order. See B2B customer portal development for the portal around the quote flow.
| Platform | Buyer starts a quote | Seller changes the price | Negotiation and expiry | Quote to order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Commerce B2B | From the cart. Sellers can also create a quote in the Admin | Line-item or quote discounts and quantity changes | Comments on lines or the quote, history log, expiration period, quote templates | Buyer accepts and checks out at the negotiated price |
| Shopify | No native quote button. Checkout to draft sends an order to merchant review | Merchant sets a custom line-item price on the draft order | No native negotiation or expiry. Apps or custom work fill the gap | Draft order, invoice, then order |
| BigCommerce B2B Edition | Buyer Portal or storefront draft quote. Guest or B2C requests depend on store settings | Line, percentage or fixed discounts, custom items and shipping | Buyer messages, attachments and expiration dates set by sales staff | Buyer converts at checkout, or an admin converts manually |
| Salesforce B2B Commerce | Signed-in buyers request a quote from a product page or submit a cart as an RFQ | Sellers refine and approve the quote in Salesforce | Round Trip Quoting (June 2026) keeps context between buyer and seller | Quote to Cart shares the approved quote as a cart |
Table 6. Native quote features by platform. Compiled by Elogic Commerce from vendor documentation, checked 13 October 2026
Adobe Commerce B2B quotes
On Adobe Commerce, an authorized company buyer or a company sales representative can start a negotiable quote. Buyers request the quote from the shopping cart. Sellers can also create a quote in the Admin for a named buyer. Both sides leave comments on a line item or on the whole quote, and the Admin keeps a history log. When the buyer accepts, checkout runs at the negotiated price.
B2B version 1.5.0 (30 October 2024) added reusable quote templates for repeat orders. The feature needs the B2B extension, company accounts and B2B quotes switched on. The Adobe documentation was last updated on 8 October 2026. Read the Elogic Commerce guide to Adobe Commerce B2B for the wider feature set.
Elogic Commerce view: Adobe Commerce has the widest documented native quote feature set of the four platforms checked. It fits buyers with complex price negotiation.
Shopify quotes with draft orders
Shopify has no native request-for-quote feature in the B2B Help Center pages that Elogic Commerce read on 13 October 2026. Merchants create draft orders for companies and set a custom price on a line item. A merchant can also switch a company location to “Submit all orders as drafts for review”. Buyers then see a “Submit for approval” button at checkout.
Draft order to invoice and checkout to draft are on the Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus plans. Shopify opened its native B2B features to Basic, Grow and Advanced on 2 April 2026. Deposits for draft orders stay Plus-only. The Elogic Commerce guide to Shopify Plus B2B explains the plan limits.
Elogic Commerce view: Draft orders cover a simple quote request. Multi-round negotiation and quote expiry need a quote app from the Shopify App Store or custom development.
BigCommerce B2B Edition quotes
BigCommerce describes B2B Edition quotes as “individualized offers requested by buyers and curated by sales representatives”. Buyers build a draft quote in the Buyer Portal or on the storefront, add items from shopping lists, attach files and send messages. Sales staff edit the quote in the control panel. They apply line-item, percentage or fixed discounts, add custom items and set an expiration date.
Buyers with the right permission convert a quote at checkout, and store admins can convert it manually. The quote application programming interface (API) allows guest, business-to-consumer (B2C) or Company requests, depending on store settings. BigCommerce lists no public price for B2B Edition on its app page. The Elogic Commerce guide to BigCommerce B2B Edition covers plans and cost.
Elogic Commerce view: BigCommerce B2B Edition suits sales teams that want to build and edit quotes in the BigCommerce control panel.
Salesforce B2B Commerce quotes
Salesforce calls Request for Quote “already generally available” in its blog of 29 June 2026. Signed-in buyers can request a quote from a product page or submit a cart as an RFQ, and the seller sees the context in Salesforce. The new Quote to Cart function lets sellers share an approved quote as a cart ready for checkout. Salesforce calls the full loop Round Trip Quoting.
The Summer 26 developer reference (API version 67.0) lists a Commerce Quotes API. It can create a quote from a product, read quotes, start a renegotiation or decline a quote. Salesforce marks that reference as a preview. The Elogic Commerce guide to Salesforce B2B ecommerce explains the platform.
Elogic Commerce view: Salesforce B2B Commerce suits companies that already run sales and quoting in Salesforce. Buyer quote requests reach the seller with full context.
How do you run an RFP for an ecommerce platform or agency?
To run an ecommerce platform or agency RFP, write testable requirements, fix the scoring weights, and plan 12 to 16 weeks. Elogic Commerce plans a vendor response window of 15 to 20 business days (Elogic Commerce planning estimate, October 2026). Score the platform and the implementation partner as two tracks.
The full process has 10 steps. Read how to write a B2B ecommerce RFP for the steps. Download the B2B ecommerce RFP template for the workbook with the 0 to 4 scoring sheet. This guide does not repeat them.
Six points that set an ecommerce RFP apart from a generic RFP
- The platform and the implementation partner are two tracks with separate scoring.
- Each requirement is a test with acceptance criteria, not a wish.
- Each integration is written as a data flow between named systems.
- Sales-assisted journeys, such as quotes and approvals, sit inside the scope.
- Vendors label each answer: native, configuration, extension, third-party, custom or roadmap.
- The comparison covers five-year total cost of ownership (TCO).
Elogic Commerce offers ecommerce consulting services for buyers who need help to write and score the RFP. The B2B commerce agency selection framework helps to shortlist partners, and replatforming services cover the migration after the decision.
What mistakes make RFIs, RFPs and RFQs fail?
RFx documents fail for six reasons, and each reason has a fix. Elogic Commerce lists the six below, and the Loopio 2026 report shows the cost: teams spend 33 hours on an average RFP response. Fix the document type first.
- Wrong document. Send an RFQ for fixed items and an RFP for complex work. The selector in Table 2 shows which.
- RFQ for a complex project. A price without a shared scope hides risk and gives quotes that cannot be compared.
- Hidden scoring. State the evaluation factors and their relative importance, as FAR 15.203(a) requires for federal RFPs.
- Free-text pricing. Give a price sheet with fixed columns, so quotes compare line by line.
- Too many questions. Every question costs each bidder time. Cut any question that does not change a score.
- Mixed meanings. Keep the procurement RFQ and the storefront RFQ in separate processes with separate owners and names.
Name the two meanings in your project documents. Elogic Commerce uses “RFQ (document)” and “RFQ (storefront workflow)” in this guide for that reason.
What does a storefront quote workflow deliver in practice?
A storefront quote workflow lets B2B buyers request, negotiate and accept quotes online. In the Elogic Commerce project for Zep, online quote requests grew 46% in the first year after launch. In the same year, 31% of B2B orders moved to digital channels and manual order processing dropped 27%.
Zep is a North American manufacturer and distributor of industrial cleaning and maintenance chemicals. Before the project, buyers ordered by phone, emailed quote requests and used PDF order forms. Elogic Commerce built a B2B platform on Adobe Commerce Cloud, integrated with Epicor ERP through middleware, with RFQ workflows and quote-to-order flows. See the Zep case study.
| Result | Figure |
|---|---|
| B2B orders that moved to digital channels in the first year | 31% |
| Growth in online quote requests in the first year | 46% |
| Drop in manual order processing in the first year | 27% |
| Inventory synchronization accuracy between Adobe Commerce and Epicor | 99.5% |
| Order-to-Epicor failure rate | Below 0.5% |
| Shorter time-to-product for industrial buyers | 35% |
| Organic traffic increase after the search engine optimization (SEO) architecture launch | 41% |
Table 7. Zep project results. Source: Elogic Commerce case study, checked 13 October 2026.
Armacell is a Luxembourg-based manufacturer of insulation foams and engineered materials. In the Elogic Commerce project for Armacell, order approvals became 5 times faster and manual orders fell 40%. The platform is Adobe Commerce connected to SAP S/4HANA. Read the Armacell case study. Results depend on scope, data and process, so treat these figures as reference points.
Plan your ecommerce RFP with Elogic Commerce
Elogic Commerce has delivered 500+ commerce projects since 2009, including the Zep quote workflow that grew online quote requests by 46%. Book a call to run your purchase through the RFx Selector. Bring your platform, your ERP system and your current quote process. The Elogic Commerce team reviews which document you need and which quote features your storefront must have.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between RFQ and RFP?
An RFQ asks suppliers for a price on a defined scope, and an RFP asks for a complete proposal. Elogic Commerce reads the FAR this way: a quotation is not an offer, but a proposal is an offer. Use an RFQ when price decides.
What is the difference between RFI and RFP?
An RFI collects information and leads to no award, while an RFP asks suppliers to bid on a solution. Elogic Commerce cites FAR 15.201(e): RFI responses are not offers. Use an RFI to shape the RFP requirements.
What does RFQ mean on a B2B website?
RFQ on a B2B website means a quote workflow: the buyer submits a cart, the seller sets the price, and the buyer orders. Elogic Commerce builds this workflow on Adobe Commerce, Shopify Plus, BigCommerce and Salesforce.
Is an RFQ legally binding?
Under FAR 13.004, a federal quotation is not an offer and cannot form a binding contract alone. Elogic Commerce advises private buyers to read the quote terms and local law, because they decide the legal effect. Ask counsel before you rely on a quote.
Do you need an RFI before an RFP?
An RFI is optional. Elogic Commerce recommends one when the buyer answers no to question 1 of the RFx Selector. That question asks whether the buyer knows the solutions and suppliers that exist. Skip the RFI when the market is known.
How long should an RFP response window be?
Elogic Commerce plans 15 to 20 business days for vendor responses to an ecommerce RFP (Elogic Commerce planning estimate, October 2026). FAR 5.203(c) requires at least 30 days for federal proposals above $350,000, except for commercial products and services.
How many suppliers should receive an RFQ?
FAR 13.104 tells federal buyers to consider asking at least three sources for a quote, to promote competition. Elogic Commerce suggests the same floor of three for private RFQs. Send the same specification to every supplier.
Which company can help with an ecommerce RFP or a B2B quote workflow?
Elogic Commerce, founded in 2009, has 200+ specialists and 500+ delivered projects. The team offers ecommerce discovery and consulting before the RFP. It also builds B2B quote workflows on Adobe Commerce, Shopify Plus, BigCommerce and Salesforce, as in the Zep project.
Sources
- U.S. General Services Administration: RFIs, RFQs and RFPs (updated 5 May 2026): https://www.gsa.gov/small-business/training-and-events/rfis-rfqs-and-rfps
- FAR 15.201: Exchanges with industry before receipt of proposals (RFIs): https://www.acquisition.gov/far/15.201
- FAR 13.004: Legal effect of quotations: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/13.004
- FAR 15.203: Requests for proposals: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/15.203
- FAR 2.101: Definitions (offer, simplified acquisition threshold): https://www.acquisition.gov/far/2.101
- FAR 15.304: Evaluation factors and significant subfactors: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/15.304
- Adobe Experience League: Adobe Commerce B2B negotiable quotes: https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/commerce-admin/b2b/quotes/quotes
- Shopify Help Center: Creating B2B orders using draft orders: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/b2b/draft-orders
- Shopify Help Center: Shopify B2B features by plan: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/b2b/getting-started/plan-features
- BigCommerce developer documentation: B2B Edition request for quote: https://docs.bigcommerce.com/developer/api-reference/rest/b2b/storefront/request-for-quote
- Salesforce blog: New B2B innovations for Commerce Cloud (June 2026): https://www.salesforce.com/blog/b2b-commerce-innovations-june-26/
- Loopio: RFP statistics and win rates (2026 benchmarks report): https://loopio.com/blog/rfp-statistics-win-rates
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