RFQ Template: 14 Fields When Buying Pipe Fittings From China

Why this matters

A loose RFQ produces loose quotes. When a buyer asks for "A234 elbows, 6-inch, 100 pcs," Chinese mills are forced to assume schedule, end preparation, MTC level, and packing — and each assumption hides a price gap of 5–25%. The result is unfair quote comparison and, worse, fittings that fail incoming inspection. The RFQ template below is built from ASTM A234/A420, ASME B16.9, EN 10204, and procurement guidance published by Project Materials and EnggPro. Use it to lock specifications before suppliers price the job.

This RFQ template is the backbone of every successful pipe fittings China procurement cycle.

Field-by-field RFQ template

1. Product description. "Seamless butt-weld 90° LR elbow per ASME B16.9." Avoid generic terms; pair the shape with the dimensional standard.

2. Material specification + edition. Cite the year. Example: ASTM A234 WPB-2019 or ASTM A403 WP316L-2023. The grade alone is not enough — supplementary requirements (S1, S52, etc.) change the price.

3. Size and schedule. NPS 6 × SCH 80, or OD 168.3 × WT 14.27 mm. State the controlling dimension if you have one.

4. Quantity by line item. Per ASME B16.9 production lots are heat-traceable; partial heats may be quoted differently from full heats.

5. End preparation. Reference ASME B16.25, including bevel angle (typically 37.5° ± 2.5°) and root face (1.6 ± 0.8 mm) for the matching wall thickness.

6. Marking standard. Specify MSS SP-25-2018. Add any project-specific tags (PO number, tag number, heat-stamp location).

7. NDE scope. 100% UT per ASTM A388 or A578, RT per ASME Section V, and PMI (XRF or OES) for alloys. State acceptance criteria.

8. MTC level. EN 10204 3.1 is standard; specify 3.2 if a third-party (TPI) countersignature is required.

9. Hydrostatic / hardness testing. Reference ASME B31.3 hydro at 1.5 × design pressure if applicable; for sour service, NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 hardness ≤ 22 HRC.

10. Heat treatment. Normalised, normalised + tempered, solution-annealed, etc. — the supplier's PQR depends on it.

11. Surface protection. Black varnish, anti-rust oil, or epoxy. Specify if the line goes to humid coastal storage.

12. Packing. Plywood crates, fumigated pallets per ISPM-15, moisture-barrier liner. State whether dunnage must also be ISPM-15 marked.

13. Incoterms 2020. FOB Tianjin, CIF Houston, DAP Rotterdam — name the term, named place, and ICC Incoterms 2020 reference.

14. Documents and lead time. MTC, packing list, commercial invoice, certificate of origin, NDE reports. State target ex-works date and acceptable variation window.

Common buyer mistakes

• Omitting the standard edition year, which lets mills quote against an older revision.
• Mixing imperial NPS with metric OD without a conversion note.
• Asking for "3.2 MTC" without naming the third-party inspector or paying for the visit.
• Forgetting end-prep tolerances, then rejecting fittings that meet B16.9 but not the welder's preference.
• Treating ISPM-15 as optional for sea freight to North America, Australia, or the EU.

Buyer checklist

• [ ] Material spec includes edition year and grade letter (WPB, WP304, F316L)
• [ ] Size given as NPS + schedule AND OD × WT in mm
• [ ] End prep cites ASME B16.25 with bevel + root face
• [ ] NDE scope and acceptance standards both named
• [ ] MTC type (3.1 or 3.2) explicit
• [ ] Heat-treatment condition stated
• [ ] ISPM-15 packing called out for sea freight
• [ ] Incoterms 2020 + named place written in full

Sample RFQ clause

"Supply 100 pcs 6" SCH 80 ASTM A234 WPB-2019 90° LR elbows per ASME B16.9, BE per ASME B16.25, marked per MSS SP-25-2018. 100% UT per ASTM A388. EN 10204 3.1 MTC required; PMI report (XRF) per piece. Pack in heat-treated ISPM-15 crates. CIF Houston per Incoterms 2020. Target ex-works: 35 days after PO."

For wrought butt-weld scope see seamless butt-welding pipe fittings; for raised-face WN flanges and special forgings see forged flanges and non-standard forgings. Send your filled RFQ via the inquiry form and we will respond with a clause-by-clause quotation. Sample certificates are available on the certificates page.

Sources

• ASTM A234/A234M: https://store.astm.org/a0234_a0234m-19.html
• ASME B16.9 / B16.25 specs (overview): https://www.asme.org/codes-standards/find-codes-standards/b16-25-buttwelding-ends
• Project Materials MTC guide: https://blog.projectmaterials.com/epc-projects/testing-inspection/mill-test-certificates-3-1-2/
• EnggPro RFQ checklist: https://www.enggpro.com/blogs/piping-rfqs-essential-checklist-for-procurement-success/
• ICC Incoterms 2020: https://iccwbo.org/business-solutions/incoterms-rules/incoterms-2020/