Buyer context
Who this guide is written for.
Mining maintenance planners, procurement teams, EPC buyers, quarry operators, and distributors preparing shutdown or project spare lists across conveyors, crushers, screens, hoppers, wear liners, and machined replacement parts.
A mining shutdown RFQ usually starts messy. The list may include conveyor rollers, pulleys, crusher liners, screen panels, hopper parts, pins, shafts, brackets, and one or two items described only by photos. That is normal, but the supplier cannot treat the list as one product.
The buyer's real problem is time. If every line waits for perfect information, the shutdown plan slows down. If the list is sent with no structure, the supplier returns a long question list and the quote still slows down. The practical answer is to rank each item by urgency and information quality.
A good shutdown RFQ shows which parts stop production, which parts can ship later, which items have drawings, which need measurement, and which need material or fit review before quote.
Product scope
Product scope this RFQ route can cover.
Mismatch risks
Where quotes usually go wrong.
Every item is marked urgent.
- Cause
- The buyer sends the shutdown list without separating production-stopping items from spare stock.
- Buyer loss
- Supplier review time is spread across low-risk items while critical lines wait for questions.
- Control
- Mark A, B, and C priority lines, and identify items that can ship later or be quoted after critical parts.
Drawings and photos are mixed without status.
- Cause
- Some items have drawings, some have old photos, and some have only names, but the RFQ does not label the source.
- Buyer loss
- The supplier cannot decide which items are quote-ready and which need technical confirmation.
- Control
- Add a drawing status column: final drawing, old drawing, measured sample, photo only, or name only.
Large fabricated parts are priced without packing review.
- Cause
- Hoppers, frames, guards, and chutes are included without size, weight, lifting, or container notes.
- Buyer loss
- Packing and freight assumptions change after the quotation, affecting budget and schedule.
- Control
- Send overall size, lifting point notes, destination, container constraints, and whether the part can be disassembled.
Inspection requirements arrive after lead time is promised.
- Cause
- The RFQ asks for price first, then adds material certificates, hardness checks, reports, or third-party inspection later.
- Buyer loss
- The quote or delivery window changes late, and critical items may miss the shutdown date.
- Control
- State inspection and document needs by item line before the supplier confirms lead time.
Partial shipment is not discussed.
- Cause
- The buyer assumes the supplier will ship all items together, even when some lines are simple and others need drawing confirmation.
- Buyer loss
- Ready parts may wait for slow lines, or urgent items miss the repair window.
- Control
- Ask for shipment split options: urgent ready items, drawing-confirmed batch, and low-priority repeat stock.
RFQ fields
Information to put in the first email.
| Scope | Send | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Priority | Priority level by item, shutdown date, must-arrive items, acceptable partial shipment, and items that can wait. | Suppliers can review critical lines first when urgency is visible. |
| Item identification | Part name, machine or conveyor section, old part number, drawing status, photo status, and installed position. | Mixed lists become manageable when the supplier can see how each item is identified. |
| Fit-critical data | Dimensions, hole pattern, shaft end, bearing, seal, profile, aperture, material, or mating part details depending on item type. | Each product family has a different feature that controls whether it fits during shutdown. |
| Material and condition | Handled material, abrasion or impact condition, wet or dusty environment, hardness or heat-treatment notes, and coating needs. | Mining spare parts need working-condition context before material and process route can be judged. |
| Inspection and documents | Dimensional report, material certificate, hardness check, weld inspection, photo report, or third-party inspection requirement. | Document scope affects both cost and schedule and should not be added after quotation. |
| Packing and delivery | Destination port, pallet or crate request, mixed-item labels, container limits, partial shipment preference, and deadline. | Shutdown spare packages need packing and shipment planning as much as production planning. |
Review route
How this RFQ should be cleaned up.
- Create a priority column before sending the list.Use simple labels such as shutdown critical, maintenance stock, and repeat stock. That tells the supplier where to spend review time first.
- Add a source-status column.Mark each item as final drawing, old drawing, sample, measured part, photo only, or name only. This shows which lines are quote-ready.
- Group the list by product family.Keep conveyor items, crusher wear parts, screen media, fabricated parts, and machined parts in separate sections.
- Ask for questions item by item.A good supplier response should show which line needs which missing detail, not a vague request for more information.
- Discuss shipment split early.If urgent items can ship first, the buyer can protect the shutdown while slower drawing-based items are still being reviewed.
Factory review points
Control points buyers should ask suppliers to check.
- Priority line marking, shutdown date, and acceptable partial shipment confirmation.
- Drawing, sample, photo, or name-only status for every item.
- Fit-critical dimensions by product family before formal quotation.
- Material, hardness, coating, or heat-treatment notes where working condition requires them.
- Inspection report, certificate, photo check, and third-party inspection scope by item.
- Mixed-item packing labels, crate or pallet protection, container size, and destination review.
FAQ
Common questions before sending this inquiry.
Should a shutdown RFQ be sent before every detail is confirmed?
Yes, if the list is structured. Mark each item's information status and urgency so the supplier can review quote-ready lines first and ask focused questions on the unclear lines.
How should urgent and non-urgent items be separated?
Use priority labels. For example: shutdown critical, needed soon, and repeat stock. Also state whether partial shipment is acceptable.
Can different mining spare part families be quoted together?
Yes, but they should be grouped by family and separated by line item. Conveyor, crusher, screen, fabricated, and machined parts each need different RFQ details.
What information is most often missing from shutdown RFQs?
Drawing status, fit-critical dimensions, installed position, material or working condition, inspection requirements, packing limits, and shipment priority are the most common gaps.