Inquiry About Last Quotation Template

In plain language: States the full legal names, addresses, and contact details of the buyer sending the inquiry and the supplier being addressed.

Common mistake: Addressing the letter to a general sales inbox rather than a named contact in the supplier's accounts or sales team. Letters without a named recipient are routinely deprioritized or lost, delaying a time-sensitive response.

In plain language: Explicitly cites the supplier's prior quotation by its reference number, the date it was issued, and the goods or services it covered.

Common mistake: Referencing 'your recent quotation' without citing the quotation number. If the supplier has issued multiple quotes to the buyer, this ambiguity delays the response and can result in confirmation of the wrong price.

In plain language: Explains clearly why the inquiry is being sent — whether to confirm the quote is still valid, to request a revised price, or to seek clarification on specific terms.

Common mistake: Burying the actual question within pleasantries or background context. The supplier's team needs to understand within the first two sentences what action is being requested.

In plain language: Asks the supplier to confirm the quoted unit price is still current, or requests a revised price if market conditions have changed since the original quote.

Common mistake: Asking for a price update without providing the original price for reference. The supplier must then retrieve the original quote before responding, adding unnecessary delay.

In plain language: Asks the supplier to confirm how long the current (or revised) pricing will remain valid, enabling the buyer to plan purchase order timing accurately.

Common mistake: Assuming the original validity period automatically restarts from the date of the supplier's reply. Many suppliers treat their reply as a new quotation with a fresh validity window — the buyer must confirm this explicitly.

In plain language: Requests updated lead times, Incoterms, shipping method, and any conditions that may have changed since the original quotation.

Common mistake: Omitting delivery timeline questions from the inquiry. If lead times have changed since the original quote, the buyer may plan production or project milestones against stale assumptions.

In plain language: States the quantity the buyer intends to order and asks whether the quoted pricing and availability apply to that volume.

Common mistake: Not specifying the intended order quantity when requesting a price confirmation. Volume tiers can materially affect unit pricing — failing to state a quantity may result in a confirmation that does not reflect the applicable tier.

In plain language: Optionally invites the supplier to propose any revised or improved terms — payment schedule, warranty, or volume discount — that may be available since the original quotation.

Common mistake: Framing this clause as a demand rather than an invitation. Aggressive renegotiation language in a follow-up letter can damage supplier relationships and result in the supplier withdrawing the original offer entirely.

In plain language: Specifies a clear date by which the buyer requires the supplier's response in order to meet internal procurement timelines or project deadlines.

Common mistake: Not including a response deadline at all, or setting one that is unrealistically tight. A missing deadline signals no urgency; an impossible deadline signals poor planning and may not be taken seriously.

In plain language: Closes the letter with the authorized representative's name, title, and signature, confirming the inquiry carries the buyer's official authority.

Common mistake: Having a junior team member sign the letter when the buyer's procurement policy requires director-level authorization. Some suppliers will not act on or prioritize purchasing inquiries that are not signed by an authorized officer.

An inquiry about last quotation is a formal written letter a buyer sends to a supplier to ask whether a previously issued price quotation is still valid, and to request confirmation, clarification, or an update on its terms. It creates a written record of the pre-contractual communication between buyer and supplier, which is useful if a pricing dispute arises later. It is distinct from a new RFQ because it references a specific prior quote rather than requesting fresh pricing from scratch.

The inquiry letter itself is not a binding contract — it is a request for information or confirmation. Legal obligations arise when the supplier responds by confirming the quoted terms and the buyer accepts by issuing a purchase order or signed agreement. However, the letter creates a paper trail that courts and arbitrators may consider when interpreting what was agreed during pre-contractual negotiations. In most jurisdictions, a supplier's written confirmation of pricing in response to an inquiry constitutes a firm offer that the buyer can accept within the stated validity period.

Send this letter when you already have a specific quotation on file and need to confirm whether its price and terms are still current before issuing a purchase order. Use a new RFQ when no prior quotation exists, when the scope of supply has changed materially, or when you want competitive quotes from multiple vendors simultaneously. The inquiry about last quotation is faster and more targeted because both parties already share a frame of reference from the prior quote.

Yes. A signed inquiry letter carries the buyer's official authority and is treated by suppliers as a formal procurement communication rather than an informal email inquiry. In practice, unsigned or informally worded requests are often deprioritized or handled at a junior level, which can result in slower, less reliable responses. For any procurement action that may lead to a significant purchase order, authorized signature is recommended as a matter of best practice.

If the validity period has passed, the supplier is generally not obligated to honor the original price. Sending an inquiry about the last quotation after expiry is effectively asking the supplier to re-quote on the same terms. Some suppliers will honor the expired price as a goodwill gesture, particularly for established customers. If the validity period is close to expiring, send the inquiry immediately and ask the supplier to extend the validity period in their response.

For domestic suppliers, 3–5 business days is a reasonable standard. International suppliers may need 7–10 business days, particularly if the inquiry involves currency conversion, updated logistics costs, or regional management approval. Set your internal response deadline accordingly — if your procurement committee meets on the 15th of the month, your supplier's deadline should be the 10th to give you time to review the response and prepare your recommendation.

Yes, but carefully. The inquiry can include a clause inviting the supplier to offer revised or improved terms, such as a volume discount or extended payment terms, without explicitly demanding a price reduction. Aggressive or confrontational renegotiation language in a formal letter risks damaging the supplier relationship and may prompt the supplier to withdraw the original offer. Frame any renegotiation as an invitation rather than a condition of proceeding.

Retain a copy of the signed inquiry letter, proof of delivery (email read receipt or postal tracking), the supplier's written response, and any subsequent purchase order or contract that follows. These documents together form the pre-contractual record for the transaction. If a pricing dispute arises after the purchase order is placed, this correspondence sequence is the primary evidence of what was agreed and when.

Sending on official company letterhead is strongly recommended and is standard practice in most jurisdictions for formal procurement correspondence. Letterhead establishes the buyer's identity, registered address, and contact details at a glance, and signals to the supplier that the communication is official rather than a casual inquiry. Some corporate supplier approval processes require procurement letters to be on letterhead before they will action a response.