We have included a very rough guide to the terms used in procurement. Please feel free to add comments to this page so we can improve the content. Note that you can add RFx's to our network - this is free to do.

RFI - Request for Information

This is often used by companies in the early stages of a project. They are looking for broad information and may be using the RFI to sound out prospective companies that they may use later when issuing RFPs, RFQs, RFTs. This is often the early stages of a strategic decision and the customer issuing this will be looking for a wide set of information which may contain more general industry information. It is important to realize that RFIs do not usually result in the award of a contract.

RFP - Request for Proposal

This is issued by customers that is looking for a solution to a problem. They may know generally what they want but are looking for providers to come back with some creative solutions. This will demonstrate to the customer the suppliers perceived understand of the customers problem and also demonstrate the suppliers capabilities. Often customers will issue RFPs to known suppliers that they are confident will be able to provide more ideas based on the suppliers understanding of their business.

RFQ - Request for Quotation

This is usually created when the customer knows exactly what they want and are looking for a specific solution and will be sent to a list of suppliers. The customer will issue a document outlining their requirements and specifications based on known business requirements. This should enable the customer to provide a good comparison on the responses from the various suppliers. Internally they company may create spreadsheets that compare each response from the suppliers - which will then influence their decision. Since the suppliers are issuing a quote, the quote cannot be used by the customer to form a binding contract.

RFT - Request for Tender

This is different to a RFQ in that it is usually issued to the market as an open invitation for any supplier to respond and the supplier is to provide a sealed bid rather than a quote.
The customer may or may not issue a detailed set of requirements, or may issue a more general set of business requirements. The tender will be result in the suppliers issuing sealed bids with price quotes for the contract being offered.

IFB - Invitation for Bid

List of sites that often display data center tender information

AusTenders - Australian Tender Site

TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) - Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union

Tender notices are published on TED website, the single official source of public contracts in Europe. Most of public procurement notices are sent for publication through an electronic channel. A web-based tool — eNotices — simplifies and speeds up preparation and publication of tender notices. eSenders service allows qualified organisations to submit notices directly as XML files.

This database can be used by all firms legally established in the EU, and is free of charge. All large public supply, works and services procurement contracts, above certain thresholds decided in accordance with the European Directives, must be published in TED. U.S. based firms are allowed to bid on certain EU contracts above established thresholds. These contracts can be found in this database http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion/tender_search.html

http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion/tender_search.html