RFP vs RFQ vs RFI: What's the Difference?

An RFI (request for information) asks suppliers what’s possible, an RFP (request for proposal) asks them how they would meet a defined need and at what price, and an RFQ (request for quotation) asks them to price something you’ve already specified. Use an RFI when you’re still learning the market, an RFP when suppliers’ solutions differ and you’ll judge them on more than price, and an RFQ when every supplier would deliver the same thing, so price and terms decide. For a complex purchase such as enterprise software, the documents can run in sequence: an RFI to build a shortlist, an RFP to choose a supplier, then a contract and statement of work (SOW).

The table below compares all three, and the sections that follow cover RFQ vs RFP, RFI vs RFP and RFI vs RFQ in more detail.

RFP vs RFQ vs RFI at a glance

What is an RFI?

A request for information is a fact-finding document. You send it when you understand your problem but not the market: which products exist, how they’re deployed and priced, and which suppliers work with organizations like yours. An RFI is short, asks general questions, and doesn’t commit you to buy anything. Use the answers to build a shortlist and sharpen your requirements.

In US federal procurement, FAR 15.201(e) says RFIs may be used when the government does not presently intend to award a contract but wants to obtain price, delivery, other market information or capabilities for planning purposes, and that responses are not offers and cannot be accepted to form a binding contract.

What is an RFP?

A request for proposal asks suppliers to propose a solution to a defined need. It sets out your requirements and asks each supplier how it would meet them, how it would implement the solution, who would do the work and what it would cost. Because suppliers can meet the same need in different ways, you score the proposals against weighted criteria, not just price.

An RFP suits enterprise software, managed services and consulting, where functionality, security, implementation and support matter as much as price. In US federal procurement, FAR 15.203(a) says RFPs are used in negotiated acquisitions to communicate government requirements to prospective contractors and to solicit proposals, and FAR 2.101 treats a response to an RFP as an offer, called a proposal. For a fuller explanation, see What is an RFP?

What is an RFQ?

A request for quotation asks suppliers to price something you’ve already specified: the product, quantity, service level and delivery date. Because every compliant supplier would deliver the same thing, the comparison comes down to price, delivery and terms. In software and IT buying, an RFQ fits purchases such as hardware to a fixed specification, extra licenses for a product you’ve already chosen, or a renewal where the scope isn’t changing.

In US federal procurement, FAR 2.101 says responses to requests for quotations under simplified acquisition procedures are quotations, not offers. FAR 13.004(a) adds that a quotation cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding contract: the government’s order is an offer, and a contract is established when the supplier accepts it. These FAR references are to the text on acquisition.gov as of October 2026. The FAR is being rewritten under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul, and agencies can apply deviations, so check the current text before relying on a section number.

How RFI, RFP and RFQ fit together

For a complex purchase, the documents run in this order:

1. RFI to a long list of suppliers, to learn the market and build a shortlist.
2. RFP to the shortlist, to compare detailed proposals, run demonstrations and choose a supplier.
3. Contract and SOW with the selected supplier, setting out the price, the terms and exactly what work will be delivered.

You don’t always need all three. Skip the RFI if you already know the market. Use an RFQ instead of an RFP when the requirement is fully specified and suppliers are interchangeable, so there’s no solution to evaluate, only a price.

Worked example: replacing a CRM (hypothetical)

This scenario is hypothetical. It shows how the documents could fit together and doesn’t describe a real company or project.

Suppose a company is replacing its customer relationship management (CRM) system. The new CRM must connect to the company’s ERP and email systems, and years of customer data must move across.

1. RFI. The team doesn’t know which CRM products suit its industry and size, so it sends a short RFI to a long list of vendors, asking about deployment model, standard integrations, pricing model and who implements the product in its region. The answers narrow the field to a shortlist.
2. RFP. The team sends an RFP to the shortlist. It lists requirements for contact and account management, pipeline and forecasting, the ERP and email integrations, single sign-on and data migration, each marked must-have or nice-to-have. It sets scoring weights, asks for pricing in a standard table, and invites the top-scoring vendors to demonstrate with the team’s own scripts and sample data.
3. Contract and SOW. The team selects a vendor and negotiates the subscription agreement alongside an implementation SOW covering data migration, configuration, integrations, training, milestones and acceptance criteria.
4. Where an RFQ would fit. If the chosen product is sold through several resellers, the company could send them an RFQ for the exact license count and term. And if it had decided to keep its current CRM and only add users, it wouldn’t need an RFP at all: an RFQ, or a direct negotiation with the vendor, would cover it.

For the RFP stage, start from rfphub’s free CRM software RFP template, or browse other categories in the RFP examples library.

Where does an SOW fit?

An SOW (statement of work) describes the work a supplier will perform: the tasks, deliverables, timeline, each side’s responsibilities, and how each deliverable will be accepted. An RFP asks suppliers to propose; an SOW records what was agreed, and the final version forms part of the contract or is attached to it.

If you include a draft SOW, or a clear scope of work, in your RFP, every supplier prices the same work. After selection, you negotiate the final SOW with the winning supplier. In software purchases, the subscription or license agreement covers the product, while an SOW covers services such as implementation, data migration and training. rfphub’s ERP RFP template recommends negotiating the subscription and the implementation SOW at the same time, because each affects the other.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an RFP and an RFQ?

An RFP asks suppliers to propose how they would meet a need, and you score the proposals on several weighted criteria. An RFQ asks for prices on something already specified, and the decision rests mainly on price and terms.

What is the difference between an RFI and an RFP?

An RFI gathers information so you can learn the market and build a shortlist, and no contract follows from it directly. An RFP asks shortlisted suppliers for detailed proposals and pricing so you can choose one.

What is the difference between an RFI and an RFQ?

An RFI asks what’s possible when you don’t yet know the market. An RFQ asks for prices when you know exactly what you want.

Do I need an RFI before an RFP?

No. Send an RFI if you’re unsure which products exist or which suppliers fit you. Skip it if you already have a credible shortlist and enough information to write your requirements.

Is a quote from an RFQ binding?

It depends on the quote’s terms and the law that applies. In US federal procurement, FAR 13.004(a) says a quotation is not an offer and cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding contract. In other settings, check the terms with your legal team. This isn’t legal advice.

What is the difference between an RFP and an SOW?

An RFP is a request to suppliers before you choose one. An SOW defines the work the chosen supplier will deliver and forms part of the contract. You can include a draft SOW in an RFP so every supplier prices the same scope.