Direct Answer
Before selecting a water treatment quotation, ask each supplier to identify departures from the RFQ and the assumptions used in the proposal. Review these items against the same dated requirements.
Do not treat an unanswered requirement as confirmed compliance. Record whether it is confirmed, qualified, excluded or awaiting clarification, and resolve important differences before placing the order.
Application Scenarios
For mining sites and remote camps, check how the proposal addresses the stated raw-water information, required output, utilities and site conditions.
For industrial facilities comparing alternative treatment arrangements, ask suppliers to explain what differs from the requested configuration and what those differences mean for the project.
For projects involving treatment, storage and pressure supply, review the requirements at the interfaces between packages as well as those within each package.
Start with One Requirement Baseline
Give suppliers the same RFQ revision and identify the documents that form the enquiry.
Use requirement references where practical. A reference can point to an RFQ section, drawing, equipment schedule or clarification item.
If a requirement changes, record the revision and ask affected suppliers to update their responses. Comparing offers based on different revisions can leave important differences hidden.
Distinguish Deviations from Assumptions
A technical deviation is a proposed departure from a stated requirement. Ask the supplier to describe both the requirement and the offered alternative.
An assumption is a condition used to prepare the proposal that has not yet been confirmed. Ask what information is needed to verify it and whether a different condition would require the proposal to be reviewed.
An exclusion identifies something outside the quoted scope. Ask who will provide it and whether its absence affects the proposed arrangement.
Keep these categories separate. An assumption should not become a confirmed project fact simply because it appears in a quotation.
Technical Clarification Table
| Review area | Question for the supplier | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| Raw-water basis | Which analysis and source conditions were used? | Document reference and unconfirmed conditions |
| Required output | What output and operating basis does the offer address? | Measurement boundary and qualifications |
| Product-water requirements | Which stated criteria are addressed? | Confirmed criteria and unresolved items |
| Process configuration | Where does the offer differ from the requested arrangement? | Alternative and explanation |
| Utilities | Which site utility conditions are assumed? | Required confirmation or proposed changes |
| Equipment interfaces | Which connections require coordination with others? | Interface reference and responsible party |
| Documentation and services | Which requested deliverables are qualified or excluded? | Included scope and outstanding clarification |
| Proposed substitutions | What differs from the specified component or material? | Technical evidence and approval status |
This table is an enquiry-review framework, not evidence that a particular offer meets the project requirements.
Ask What a Proposed Alternative Changes
When a supplier proposes an alternative, request an explanation of its effect on the relevant requirements.
Depending on the proposal, questions may concern treatment scope, utility requirements, maintenance access, operating arrangements or interfaces with other equipment.
A different arrangement is not automatically unacceptable. However, it should be assessed against the project requirements rather than accepted solely because it is described as “equivalent.”
Where a technical judgement is required, refer the supporting information to the responsible project engineer.
Keep Clarifications Traceable
Use a clarification register containing:
- Requirement reference.
- Original requirement.
- Supplier response.
- Proposed deviation, assumption or exclusion.
- Supporting document.
- Responsible reviewer.
- Current status.
- Agreed resolution and revision reference.
Keep unresolved items visibly open. A statement such as “to be confirmed after order” should identify what remains uncertain and who must resolve it.
Avoid recording a general discussion as approval of a specific technical change.
Close the Review Before Ordering
Ask the supplier to incorporate agreed changes into the final proposal, equipment list and applicable drawings.
Check that the final documents reflect the same resolution. If an earlier quotation contains superseded information, identify which revision applies.
Do not mark a requirement as accepted merely because it has disappeared from the latest email exchange.
RFQ Checklist
Include:
- The dated RFQ and its revision.
- Referenced drawings and schedules.
- Available raw-water information.
- Required output and operating basis.
- Product-water requirements.
- Site utility and installation information.
- A request for an explicit deviation and exclusion list.
- A request to identify all unconfirmed assumptions.
- The technical-review responsibility.
- The method for recording agreed changes.
Ask suppliers to flag missing information rather than silently replacing it with an unstated assumption.
FAQ
Does silence against an RFQ item mean the supplier complies?
Do not assume so. Request an explicit response where confirmation is needed.
Should every technical deviation lead to rejection?
No. Review the proposed alternative and its implications against the project requirements. Obtain the responsible technical reviewer’s assessment where necessary.
Is an assumption the same as a performance commitment?
No. An unconfirmed assumption is part of the proposal’s basis and must be distinguished from an agreed requirement or commitment.
What should happen after a clarification is agreed?
Update the applicable proposal and supporting documents, and record the agreed revision.
Prepare a Comparable Equipment Enquiry
Send Grace Wang Environmental your RFQ revision, available water-quality information and project requirements. Request a quotation that clearly identifies technical deviations, assumptions, exclusions and items needing further engineering review.