This article provides a clear understanding of the process suppliers follow to submit offers for an RFQ (Request for Quote) created by a Ply user.
How Suppliers Receive an RFQ
When a Ply user creates an RFQ, they must select the suppliers they want to send the RFQ to for offers. Suppliers will receive an email like this:
When opening the email, they’ll have to choose between 2 options:
A) "Enter Bid Manually"
B) "Upload Your Offer"
Check the due date
RFQs have a deadline. Submit your offer before the due date; bids received after the deadline may not be considered. If you need more time, contact your customer directly.
✏️ Option A: Enter Bid Manually | 📄 Option B: Upload Your Offer |
⭐ Recommended | 🔄 Alternative |
Fill in your prices directly in the Ply portal. The buyer receives your bid instantly — no waiting for manual processing. | Upload a PDF or your existing quote document. The Ply team will manually enter the details on your behalf — slight delay. |
✅ Instant delivery to buyer | ✅ Use your existing quote format |
✅ No back-and-forth needed | ⚠️ Processing delay (not instant) |
✅ Can propose alternatives | ⚠️ Requires Ply team review |
Option A: "Enter Bid Manually”
Selecting "Enter Bid Manually" will display a list of requested items. Here, suppliers can input their offer for each item. The main advantage of this option is that the client will receive the offer immediately. Let’s walk through the process step by step.
Quantity: This is the number of items the Ply user has requested. If necessary, the supplier can adjust the quantity. For example, if the customer requested more units than the supplier can provide, the supplier can modify the quantity accordingly.
Cost: This is the price per unit offered by the supplier. The system will automatically calculate the total cost by multiplying the unit price by the quantity.
Note: A field where suppliers can add any specific notes related to the material.
Red Circle Icon: This allows the supplier to delete an item from the list if it's unavailable.
Add Extra Materials: Below the material list, suppliers can add additional items if necessary.
Lead Time: This is the time it will take for the supplier to have the item in stock. For example, will it be available in 1 day, 2 days, or 1 week?
Field | Required? | What to Enter |
Quantity | Adjustable | Pre-filled with what the buyer requested. You can modify it if you can only supply a partial amount — e.g., buyer wants 10 but you only have 7. |
Price / Unit | ✅ Required | Your unit price for this item (excluding tax). Ply automatically calculates the line total (qty × price). Enter 0 or delete the item if you can't supply it. |
Lead Time | ✅ Required | How many days until you can deliver the item. Buyers compare lead times alongside price — being accurate here is important. Enter "0" if you can deliver same-day. |
Notes | Optional | Any item-level notes — e.g., "Brand B equivalent available", "price valid for 7 days", or "minimum order quantity applies." |
🗑️ Delete Item | Optional | Click the red icon to remove an item from your bid if it's completely unavailable. The buyer will see it flagged as unavailable in your offer. |
Add Extra Material | Optional | Add items to your bid that weren't in the original request — e.g., complementary supplies, alternatives, or items from a past order. |
Tax | Optional | Enter any applicable tax amount. If tax is included in your unit prices, leave this as 0. |
File Attachment | ✅ Required | Upload a supporting document — your company's quote PDF, price list, or product data sheet. Accepted formats: PDF, Excel, Word, images. |
It’s mandatory to attach a file to the RFQ. Suppliers should include any documents that support their bid, such as price lists, detailed descriptions of materials, or alternative offers that might interest the client.
Once everything is filled out, double-check the subtotal price and add the tax amount if applicable. There’s also an optional space for additional notes.
Finally, click "Submit Quote", and the Ply user will receive the offer right away.
Use "Enter Bid Manually" whenever possible
Your bid is delivered to the buyer the moment you hit Submit, giving you a competitive advantage. "Upload Your Offer" is best if you already have a formatted quote document and prefer not to re-enter everything manually.
Option B: "Upload Your Offer”
If the supplier selects "Upload Your Offer", they will still see a list of the items, but without fields to enter data manually. Instead, they can upload a file containing their offer. In this case, the Ply team will manually enter the offer details into the RFQ on their behalf.
Once the supplier submits their offer via either method, Ply users can review all offers in the “Offers” section of the RFQ.
📧 Confirmation Email | 👀 Buyer Reviews | 🔔 You're Notified |
You'll receive a confirmation email immediately after submitting your bid successfully. | The buyer compares all received bids and selects the best offer. This typically happens within a few hours. | If your bid is accepted, Ply sends you a notification with the accepted offer details and next steps for fulfilling the order. |
Still need help? Contact Support!
Questions about submitting your offer or the RFQ process? Our support team is happy to help.