Steel Structure Fastener RFQ Checklist: What to Send Before a Quote

A fastener RFQ is not a request for a price list. It is the package that lets a supplier identify the exact product, quantity, finish and document requirement. When the drawing and schedule are incomplete, the supplier has to guess, and the quotation becomes difficult to compare or approve.

This checklist covers the common steel structure fastener families: high-strength bolts, torsional shear bolt sets, anchor bolts, shear studs, threaded rods, sag rods, bracing and connection brackets.

1. Start with the connection, not the product name

For every line, state where the fastener is used:

• column base or foundation;
• beam-to-column connection;
• purlin or girt;
• bracing;
• composite floor;
• facade bracket or embed;
• general steelwork.

The same M20 bolt can be part of a high-strength assembly, a bent anchor bolt or a threaded rod. The application is what makes the requirement clear.

2. List the technical data

Field	What to provide
Product type	Hex bolt, TC bolt, anchor bolt, stud, rod, U-bolt, bracket or other
Standard or drawing	Project standard, dimensional reference or drawing number
Size	Diameter, thread pitch and length
Grade or material	Required grade and any impact or temperature condition
Thread length	Full thread or a defined threaded length
Head or end detail	Head type, bend, plate, hook, stud or thread end
Nut and washer	Supplied, fitted or excluded
Finish	Electroplated zinc, hot-dip galvanizing, stainless or project coating
Marking	Product grade, heat or batch marking requirement

Do not write only “high strength” or “galvanized.” Those words do not define a purchasable product.

3. Provide the drawing package

Attach the current revision of:

1. The general arrangement or connection drawing.
2. The bolt or anchor schedule.
3. The base plate, embed plate or bracket detail.
4. The template requirement, where applicable.
5. The project specification for material, finish and inspection.

If the drawing is marked “for tender” or “preliminary,” say so. The supplier can quote against the stated assumptions and identify the items that will change after approval.

4. Quantify by mark

Give quantities by mark, size and assembly, not just a total weight. This allows the supplier to:

• check that nuts and washers are included in the right ratio;
• pack sets rather than loose parts;
• identify long-lead items;
• keep revisions traceable.

For anchor bolts, give the number of bolt groups and the number of bolts per group. For TC sets, give the number of complete sets. For brackets, give the left-hand and right-hand quantities separately.

5. Define the finish and the environment

State the exposure condition and the coating specification. Include:

• interior, exterior, coastal or chemically aggressive environment;
• galvanizing standard and coating requirement, if applicable;
• whether threads are to be cut before or after coating;
• colour or appearance requirement for painted parts;
• isolation or contact details for dissimilar metals.

Electroplated zinc and hot-dip galvanizing are not interchangeable finishes. The quotation should say which process is included.

6. State the documentation requirement

Ask for the documents that the project actually needs:

• material certificate or mill certificate;
• dimensional inspection record;
• coating thickness record;
• batch or heat traceability;
• test report for the specified product;
• packing list and certificate of conformity.

Do not ask for a certificate that the product standard does not provide, and do not accept a document for a different size or batch.

7. Add commercial and logistics information

Include:

• required quantity and any call-off schedule;
• delivery destination and Incoterm, if applicable;
• packing method and marking;
• required delivery date;
• sample or approval requirement before production;
• whether partial shipments are acceptable.

8. Review before sending

Before sending the RFQ, check that:

• every drawing has a revision number;
• every schedule line has a unit and quantity;
• the mating nut, washer and template are identified;
• the finish is written as a process, not a colour;
• the document requirement is specific;
• the person who can approve technical deviations is named.

Common RFQ errors

• A bolt diameter with no length or grade.
• A drawing with no bolt schedule.
• A schedule with no nut and washer quantities.
• “Galvanized” with no standard or coating requirement.
• A request for “the same as last time” with no batch or drawing reference.
• A delivery date that assumes approval will happen instantly.
• A request for load values without the project design data.

How Tangtie can respond

Tangtie supplies high-strength structural bolt sets, torsional shear bolt sets, foundation anchor bolts, embedded anchor bolts and threaded rods and studs, together with the other steel structure and curtain wall items in the catalogue.

Send the drawing package and schedule to request a quote. The reply should identify what is quoted, what is excluded and what still needs approval.

Next step: use this checklist as the cover sheet for the next RFQ. A complete package reduces clarification cycles and makes supplier comparisons meaningful.