A packaging RFQ works when it is run as a structured buying process, not a price request: send every shortlisted supplier the same complete information package, evaluate responses on a weighted scorecard covering quality, capacity, compliance, project management, logistics and total cost of ownership, and award only after samples prove the specification. Brands that follow this discipline consistently avoid the three most expensive outcomes — a unit-price win that fails at retail, a factory that cannot absorb reorders, and a forced supplier switch made under a launch deadline.
What a Complete Packaging RFQ Contains
Send an identical package to every supplier so quotes are genuinely comparable:
- Brand and market context: product description, brand positioning, destination countries, sales channel and any retailer routing guides.
- Structural specification: dieline or measured reference sample, dimensions, product weight, inserts, closure and assembly method.
- Materials and construction: board or paper grade, liners, reinforcements, adhesives, and any food-contact or performance requirements.
- Print and finishing: colors with Pantone references, printing process, coatings, windows, hardware and any variable data.
- Quantities: per-SKU order quantities, annual forecast, expected reorder frequency and volume tiers.
- Compliance: required social audits, product tests, sustainability claims or certifications, and packaging regulations in the destination market.
- Logistics and timing: target delivery dates, delivery location, Incoterms, and case-pack or pallet expectations.
- Commercial questions: tooling cost and ownership, payment terms, sampling policy, and version-control or exclusivity terms.
State in the RFQ how suppliers will be evaluated and when decisions will be made — transparency improves both response quality and accountability.
Scorecard Dimensions Beyond Unit Price
| Dimension | What to assess |
|---|---|
| Quality systems | Inspection standards, golden-sample discipline, defect history, QC staffing |
| Capacity and redundancy | Capacity available for your volumes, backup sites, peak-season behavior |
| Compliance and sustainability | Audit readiness, substantiated claims, transparency of sourcing |
| Technical capability | Structural engineering, prepress, range of processes and materials |
| Project management | Single contact, planning discipline, reporting, language and time-zone coverage |
| Geography and logistics | Origin options, routing flexibility, port access, disruption risk |
| Sample performance | Fit, finish, color, transit performance, speed of response |
| Commercial terms | Payment terms, tooling ownership, cost transparency, total cost |
Weighted Scoring — Illustrative Points Model
| Dimension | Illustrative points (of 100) |
|---|---|
| Quality and consistency | 20 |
| Compliance and sustainability | 15 |
| Project management and communication | 15 |
| Capacity and redundancy | 10 |
| Technical capability | 10 |
| Geography, logistics and origin risk | 10 |
| Sample performance | 10 |
| Commercial terms and TCO | 10 |
These points are an illustrative starting point, not a standard — set the weights to your program's priorities; fixed retail launches usually reward heavier weighting on consistency and on-time delivery. Each dimension should be scored independently by at least two stakeholders against written evidence — audit reports, test results, factory references and physical samples — rather than general impressions. Run a short calibration session before scoring so reviewers apply the same scale; the scorecard then becomes a record you can revisit when a supplier underperforms after award.
Total Cost of Ownership, Not Unit Price
Unit price is only one input to landed cost. Add tooling, sampling, compliance testing, inland and ocean freight, expected defect and rejection rates, rework, expedited shipments, retailer chargebacks, and the cost of delays to launch. Currency exposure belongs in the same calculation, as do any duties that apply to the chosen country of origin; compare suppliers on a consistent Incoterm and currency basis so the numbers genuinely align. A modestly higher unit price from a supplier with consistent quality, redundant capacity and disciplined project management is frequently the cheaper total outcome.
A Repeatable RFQ Process
- Prepare the information package and define scorecard weights.
- Shortlist suppliers that already match the category and compliance profile.
- Issue the RFQ simultaneously and run one written Q&A round shared with everyone.
- Request white samples and production-intent samples against the same specification.
- Score proposals and samples independently before commercial negotiation.
- Award with a documented specification, approved golden sample, tooling terms and milestone schedule.
- Re-score every supplier after each delivery — the same scorecard should govern retention.
Common RFQ Pitfalls
- Comparing unit prices alone, often on differing "equivalent" materials.
- Ignoring tooling ownership and dieline version control, which makes any future move expensive.
- Payment terms disconnected from milestones or sample approval.
- Switching factories mid-program without re-qualification.
- Accepting verbal compliance claims instead of audit or test evidence.
- Awarding a single source with no backup for peak season.
How Great Union Fits This Standard
Great Union Packaging operates as a brand supply-chain partner for Western brand clients. Our RFQ responses include full specification documentation, production allocated across our mainland China and Southeast Asia network rather than a single factory, and unified project management spanning design, sourcing, manufacturing, QC and logistics; audits and tests are coordinated per brand requirements. Commercial terms, lead times and specifications are confirmed against the actual project. For the compliance layer of a retail RFQ, see our retail vendor compliance checklist; for origin strategy, see our dual-sourcing guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the questions brands ask most on this topic.
What is the most important information in a packaging RFQ?
How should suppliers be weighted when price is not decisive?
What does total cost of ownership include for packaging?
Who should own the tooling and dieline files?
Is it acceptable to switch suppliers once a program has started?
How many suppliers should a packaging RFQ include?
Scope & Limitations
This article provides general procurement guidance only and is not legal, tax or contractual advice. Scorecard weights and process steps are frameworks to be adapted to each program's category, market and risk profile. Compliance, audit and testing obligations should be confirmed against destination-market rules and retailer requirements. Commercial terms, specifications and lead times are agreed and confirmed in the quotation and contract for the actual project.
Plan your next packaging program
Tell us your product, volume and target market — we will map a sourced, compliant and costed option across our China and Southeast Asia network.
Start a Project WhatsApp Us一次成功的包装 RFQ 是一套结构化采购流程，而不是简单发个规格问价格：向入围名单中的每家供应商发送同一份完整信息包，用加权评分卡从质量、产能、合规、项目管理、物流和总拥有成本等维度评估回复，并在样品验证规格之后才定标。按这套纪律执行的品牌，通常能避开三种代价最高的结果——单价最低却在零售端出问题的方案、接不住追单的工厂，以及上市倒计时下被迫临时换厂。
一份完整的包装 RFQ 应包含什么
向每家供应商发送相同的信息包，报价才有可比性：
- 品牌与市场背景：产品描述、品牌定位、目的国家、销售渠道，以及任何零售商 routing guide。
- 结构规格：刀模或可测量的参考样品、尺寸、产品重量、内衬、封口与组装方式。
- 材料与结构工艺：纸板或纸张等级、面纸、加固件、胶水，以及任何食品接触或性能要求。
- 印刷与后道：颜色（附 Pantone 参考）、印刷工艺、表面处理、开窗、五金件及可变数据。
- 数量：各 SKU 订单量、年度预测、预计追单频率和数量阶梯。
- 合规：所需的社会责任审核、产品测试、可持续声明或认证，以及目的市场的包装法规。
- 物流与时间：目标交货日期、交货地点、贸易术语（Incoterms）、装箱与托盘要求。
- 商务条款：模具费用与归属、付款条款、打样政策、版本管理及排他性约定。
在 RFQ 中写明评估方式与定标时间——透明度会提高回复质量，也让供应商更负责。
除单价外的评分卡维度
| 维度 | 评估要点 |
|---|---|
| 质量体系 | 检验标准、金样纪律、不良记录、QC 人员配置 |
| 产能与冗余 | 可用于你订单量的产能、后备基地、旺季表现 |
| 合规与可持续 | 审核准备度、声明是否有据、寻源透明度 |
| 技术能力 | 结构工程、印前能力、工艺与材料覆盖面 |
| 项目管理 | 唯一对接人、计划纪律、报告机制、语言与时区覆盖 |
| 地理位置与物流 | 产地选项、路由灵活性、港口条件、中断风险 |
| 样品表现 | 配合度、做工、颜色、运输性能、响应速度 |
| 商务条款 | 付款条款、模具归属、成本透明度、总成本 |
加权评分：示例性分值模型
| 维度 | 示例性分值（满分 100） |
|---|---|
| 质量与一致性 | 20 |
| 合规与可持续 | 15 |
| 项目管理与沟通 | 15 |
| 产能与冗余 | 10 |
| 技术能力 | 10 |
| 地理位置、物流与产地风险 | 10 |
| 样品表现 | 10 |
| 商务条款与 TCO | 10 |
该分值仅为示例性起点，不是通用标准；请按项目优先级设定权重。对于上市日期固定的零售项目，通常应给一致性和准时交付更高权重。每个维度应由至少两位相关成员依据书面证据——审核报告、测试结果、工厂参考信息和实物样品——独立打分，而不是凭整体印象。打分前先做一次简短校准，让评分者使用同一把尺子；这样评分卡也会成为定标后供应商表现不佳时可追溯的记录。
比较的是总拥有成本，不是单价
单价只是落地成本的一个输入项。还要加上模具、打样、合规测试、内陆与海运运费、预期不良与拒收率、返工、加急运输、零售商扣款，以及上市延迟的代价。单价略高、但质量稳定、产能有冗余、项目管理有纪律的供应商，在总成本上往往更便宜。
一套可复用的 RFQ 流程
- 准备信息包，确定评分卡权重；
- 筛选已在该品类和合规层面匹配的供应商进入短名单；
- 同时发出 RFQ，并进行一轮对所有供应商公开的书面答疑；
- 按同一规格索取白样和生产意图样；
- 在商务谈判之前，先对方案与样品独立打分；
- 定标时落实书面规格、已批准金样、模具条款和里程碑排期；
- 每次交货后重新评分——同一张评分卡也应决定供应商的去留。
RFQ 常见踩坑点
- 只比较单价，而且各家的“等效”材料其实并不相同；
- 忽视模具归属和刀模版本控制，导致未来换供应商代价高昂；
- 付款条款与里程碑或样品批准脱钩；
- 项目中途未经重新认证就换厂；
- 接受口头的合规承诺，而不要求审核或测试证据；
- 只定一家供应商，旺季没有任何备份。
Great Union 如何符合这套标准
Great Union Packaging 以品牌供应链伙伴身份服务欧美品牌客户。我们的 RFQ 回复包含完整的规格文件、在中国大陆与东南亚网络之间（而非单一工厂内）安排的生产分配，以及覆盖设计、寻源、制造、QC 与物流的统一项目管理；审核与测试按品牌要求配合协调。商务条款、交期与规格按实际项目确认。零售 RFQ 的合规则层面，见零售供应商合规清单；产地战略方面，见双产地指南。
常见问题
品牌客户在该主题上最常问到的问题，简明回答。
包装 RFQ 中最重要的信息是什么？
价格不是决定因素时，应如何给供应商设权重？
包装的总拥有成本包括哪些？
模具和刀模文件应该归谁？
项目已经启动后还能换供应商吗？
一次包装 RFQ 应该找几家供应商？
适用边界
本文仅为通用采购指引，不构成法律、税务或合同意见。评分卡权重与流程步骤是参考框架，应结合各项目的品类、市场和风险特征调整。合规、审核与测试义务应对照目的市场规则和零售商要求确认。商务条款、规格与交期，以实际项目的报价与合同约定为准。