01
Forward the RFQ
Send the customer email, PDF prints, STEP/IGES files and notes. No portal migration or ERP integration required to start.
RFQ OPERATIONS FOR SMALL MACHINE SHOPS
Turn messy RFQs into quote-ready packets.
Forward the customer email, prints and files. RFQ Relay returns a structured packet with part details, quantity breaks, revision checks and missing-information flags so your estimator can move straight into pricing.
Human reviewedNo black-box quote sent to your customer
Estimator stays in controlYou own cycle time, pricing and margin
NDA availableStart with old RFQs before live work
RFQ RELAY / LIVE PREVIEW
INCOMING
Customer RFQ
- 7 PDF drawings
- 5 STEP files
- 2 quantity breaks
- 1 missing finish spec
→
OUTPUT
Quote-ready packet
- Parts + revisions organized
- Material + finish matrix
- Missing-info questions listed
- Ready for estimator review
Parts7
Flags2
CAD Files5 / 7
StatusReady
Built for overflow
Use us when quote volume spikes and estimators get buried in admin.
Consistent output
Every RFQ comes back in the same clean format your team can scan fast.
No new software burden
Your team forwards emails. We handle prep and return the packet.
HOW IT WORKS
A practical workflow for shops that need speed, not more software.
RFQ Relay fits between the incoming customer email and your internal estimator review. We remove the repetitive intake work while leaving pricing and manufacturing judgment with your team.
02
We prepare the packet
We extract parts, revisions, materials, quantities, finishes and critical callouts, then flag unclear or missing information.
03
You quote faster
Your estimator receives a consistent quote-prep summary and can move directly into machining assumptions, costing and commercial response.
BEFORE / AFTER
Show the estimator what matters. Hide the chaos.
The value is easiest to understand when you see the same RFQ before and after prep.
BEFORE
Messy inbound RFQ
From: buyer@northstar-robotics.com
Subject: Quote request / 7 parts / need by Friday
Hi team, please quote attached parts at qty 25 / 100.
Need anodize on bracket parts. Stainless plate finish should match previous job. Let me know if anything is missing.
- 7 PDF drawings with mixed file names
- 5 STEP files, 2 missing
- Revision conflict on one part
- Finish spec unclear on one stainless part
- Quantity breaks buried in email thread
AFTER
RFQ Relay packet
PartMaterialQtyRevStatus
BRK-18476061-T625 / 100CReady
SHAFT-224140 PH50BReady
PLT-441304 SS10?Review
CLARIFICATION FLAGS
PLT-441 — drawing revision not identified.
BRK-1847 — anodize specification missing.
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
A clean packet, not another dashboard.
RFQ Relay is intentionally simple: we return a consistent deliverable your estimator can scan quickly and trust.
- Customer, due-date and RFQ summary
- Part number and revision matrix
- Material, finish and quantity-break summary
- Critical tolerance and process callouts
- CAD / drawing completeness check
- Missing-info and clarification list
- Organized file naming and handoff structure
RFQ_2026-0917_PREP.pdf
QUOTE PREP SUMMARY
Northstar Robotics / RFQ-8821
ReceivedSep 17, 2026
DueSep 20, 2026
Parts7
Estimator can price 5 parts now.
2 parts held for customer clarification.
PRICING
Start with a pilot. Expand only if it saves real time.
Simple pricing keeps the buying decision easy for small shops.
PILOT
$149
10 RFQs / 14 days
- Structured RFQ packet
- Missing-info flags
- Human review
- Email delivery
MOST POPULAR
CORE
$399/mo
Up to 50 RFQs / month
- Everything in Pilot
- Human-reviewed quote-ready packets
- Clarification-request workflow
- Usage tracking and standard support
GROWTH
$799/mo
Up to 125 RFQs / month
- Everything in Core
- Higher included RFQ volume
- Human-reviewed clarification workflow
- Priority support during the pilot program
RFQ Relay organizes RFQ inputs for machine shops. We do not issue final machining quotes, engineering approvals or compliance determinations on your behalf.
DRAWING SECURITY
Designed around sensitive customer files.
We recommend starting with non-regulated commercial work. NDA, retention and deletion rules can be defined before live production RFQs are processed.
NDAAvailable before pilot
RetentionDefined per agreement
OutputNever auto-sent to your customer
ITAR / CUINot accepted in the standard service
Do not send export-controlled, ITAR, CUI or classified files unless a separate compliant workflow has been explicitly agreed in writing.
FAQ
Simple by design.
Does RFQ Relay calculate our selling price?
No. We prepare the RFQ for your estimator. Your shop owns machining assumptions, cycle time, costing, margin and final commercial response.
What files can we send?
During the pilot, forward the customer email and relevant PDF drawings. STEP/STP/IGES/IGS/DXF/DWG/ZIP attachments can travel with the RFQ and remain available to the estimator; the standard service does not interpret CAD geometry to calculate machining price.
Can you work with our quote template?
Customer-specific output fields or templates can be agreed during a pilot. They are not required to start: the standard output is the Quote-Ready RFQ packet.
Do we need to learn a new portal?
No. The standard workflow is email-first: forward the RFQ to rfq@rfqrelay.com, keep the original email context and attachments, and receive the human-reviewed quote-ready packet back. New customers receive a Getting Started guide when the pilot is activated.
What kind of shop is this for?
Best fit: US CNC job shops and precision manufacturers with roughly 5–25 employees, recurring RFQ volume and no dedicated full-time quoting admin team.
14-DAY PILOT
Give us 10 completed RFQs. Judge the output yourself.
Use old, already-quoted work for the first test. You do not need to send live customer files until you are comfortable with the workflow.