RFQ Checklist
Fiber Optic Cable RFQ Template: 12 Details That Prevent Requoting
A buyer-ready RFQ structure for comparing cable offers on the same application, construction, performance, packing and delivery basis.
1–2: identify the application and route
Start with the network use and installation method: indoor, duct, lashed aerial, self-supporting aerial, direct buried, power-line ADSS or FTTH drop. Then describe the route conditions that change the design, such as spans, duct size, pulling distance, soil, water, wind, temperature and electrical environment. If the model is unknown, a route description is more useful than choosing a familiar code from another project.
3–4: state fibre and cable construction
Specify fibre count, fibre standard and any colour or tube-allocation plan. Add the required loose-tube or tight-buffer arrangement, metallic or dielectric strength member, water blocking, armour, messenger and sheath material. Attach the tender drawing when one exists. ITU-T fibre recommendations such as G.652 define fibre characteristics, while the finished cable construction and test requirements must still be stated separately.
5–6: define performance and standards
List maximum cabled attenuation, tensile, crush, bend, temperature, water-penetration, fire or other required values with the applicable standard and test condition. Avoid copying a table without its units or test method. IEC 60794-1-2 provides cross-reference guidance for optical-cable test methods, but the product specification or contract must define which tests and severities apply to the order.
7–8: provide quantity and drum schedule
Give total route length, order tolerance and the required length of every drum or coil. Drum lengths should follow splice points, pulling sections and handling limits. State whether over-length is accepted and how it will be priced. A request for “20 km” without a drum schedule can produce a commercially correct total quantity that is unusable on the actual route.
9–10: confirm marking and documents
Send the exact sheath legend, metre-marking direction, customer or project name, drum label fields and language. List the documents required before shipment: datasheet, cable drawing, routine test record, certificate of conformity, packing list, photos or third-party inspection. Decide these at quotation stage; adding custom records after production may delay shipment or require work that was not priced.
11–12: define delivery and commercial scope
State destination country, port or delivery address, Incoterm and requested date. Clarify whether freight, insurance, wooden drums, fumigation or ISPM 15-compliant wood, accessories and spare length are included. For a mixed project order, identify which items must ship together. This prevents two offers with different delivery scope from appearing comparable because their cable unit price is similar.
A copy-ready RFQ format
Project and route; installation method; environment; fibre count and standard; construction drawing; sheath and armour; performance table with standards; total quantity; drum schedule; printing and labels; inspection documents; accessories; destination and Incoterm; requested delivery; and approved deviations. Ask every bidder to complete the same compliance sheet and mark “comply”, “deviation” or “not offered” against each line. The result is easier to evaluate than ten quotations written in ten different formats.
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