Tracking supplier quote responses: how to close gaps before the tender deadline

As of 12 Nov 2026. Resource type: article. Statements about Scalera come from the Supplier Matching product page (English and German) and the approved customer quote on scalera.ai; statements on binding offers come from sections 145, 147 and 148 of the German Civil Code (official English translation on gesetze-im-internet.de). All sources opened on 12 November 2026. The worked example is fictitious and editorial recommendations are marked as such.

What does tracking responses to RFQs mean?

Responses are all the replies to your RFQs to manufacturers, suppliers and subcontractors. According to the product page, a single tender involves 20 to 100 of these RFQs (Scalera, Supplier Matching). At that volume, watching the inbox is not enough.

Response tracking sits between two steps we have already covered: sending the RFQs and the line-by-line bid comparison. It decides whether the price comparison ends up complete or whether line items have to be filled with estimates.

Why is a list of answered RFQs not enough?

Because an answered RFQ does not mean every requested line item has a quote. One supplier quotes half the line items, another offers an alternative, a third gives a lump sum for an entire trade.

In a list by supplier, all of that looks “done”. Prices are still missing from the estimate. Lump sums and unit prices also cannot be compared directly; the price types glossary explains the difference, and the item types glossary covers optional and contingency items.

That is why the same responses deserve a second view: not “who has replied?” but “which line item has enough comparable quotes?”.

What does a response matrix look like?

A response matrix lists the bill of quantities line items in rows and the suppliers you asked in columns. Every cell gets a status. In practice, five statuses are enough.

Editorial compilation. Statuses apply per RFQ and carry over to the requested line items.

Editorial recommendation: before sending, set a target number for every line item, for example two comparable quotes. That gives you the coverage rate: line items that reached the target divided by all requested line items. It is the number that counts on the cut-off date.

Worked example (fictitious): Birkenhof care centre

A contractor is estimating 140 line items across 7 trades and sends 21 RFQs, three per trade. Target: at least two comparable quotes per line item. Five working days before the internal cut-off, 13 replies are in: 9 complete, 3 partial, 1 decline. 8 RFQs are open.

• Response rate: 13 of 21 RFQs answered, so 62 %.
• Coverage with at least one quote: 126 of 140 line items, so 90 %.
• Coverage at the target of two: 98 of 140 line items, so 70 %.
• No quote at all: 14 line items, almost all in two trades.

The three rates tell three different stories. The last line is the one that matters for the next reminder: it shows which two trades need a follow-up or an additional supplier.

When and how should you follow up?

A follow-up plan does not start from the client's tender deadline but from your internal cut-off date. That is the day you need the quotes for the price comparison and the estimate. The reply deadline for suppliers should sit before it.

What belongs in a good reminder?

• A reference to the original RFQ: project, trade, date sent.
• The missing line items with their item numbers, not just “your quote”.
• The reply deadline as a date, plus a contact person with a phone number.
• A way to decline in one sentence. A decline is worth more to your planning than silence.

Example (fictitious): “Subject: Reminder RFQ Birkenhof care centre, plumbing. We are still missing your quote for items 4.2.10 to 4.2.40. We need it by Tuesday, 24 November. If you are not quoting, a short decline is enough.”

Which deadlines apply to incoming quotes?

Besides your reply deadline there is a second one: how long the supplier is bound by the quote. In Germany an offer is binding in principle unless the offeror has ruled that out (section 145 BGB). If the offer sets a deadline, it can only be accepted within that period (section 148).

Without a deadline, an offer to an absent party lasts only until the offeror may expect a reply under ordinary circumstances (section 147). Austria and Switzerland have their own rules. In practice: record the validity of every complete quote and compare it with the period for which your own bid has to remain valid. This section is not legal advice.

A quote that expires before your award is a price with a sell-by date. Note the date as soon as the quote arrives.

What if no quote arrives for a line item?

By the internal cut-off date, some line items often remain open. They need a deliberate decision rather than a silent gap in the price comparison.

1. Ask another supplier if there is still enough time before the tender deadline.
2. Estimate with an internal reference value and mark the line item as “estimated” in the price comparison.
3. Use the partial quote and request the missing line items separately.
4. Check with the client if a line item is unclear and nobody quotes for that reason.

Record which option you chose. After the award you will then see where estimated prices sit in the calculation.

Which metrics show whether response tracking works?

Editorial recommendation: four metrics are enough to improve response tracking across several submissions. You can read them straight from the response matrix.

• Coverage rate per line item: share of line items that reached the target on the cut-off date.
• Response rate per supplier: how often does a supplier reply at all, with a quote or a decline?
• Response time: working days from sending to reply, per supplier and trade.
• Share of partial and qualified quotes: how often do quotes need rework before the comparison?

The values feed back into supplier selection for the next submission. Suppliers who rarely reply get a backup; suppliers who reliably quote in full are asked earlier for their trade.

How does Scalera support response tracking?

With Supplier Matching, Scalera analyses your bill of quantities (VOB, NPK, ÖNORM), identifies which supplier or subcontractor fits which line item and generates ready-to-send RFQs (Scalera, Supplier Matching). For the responses, the product page describes three things: Scalera tracks responses, sends automatic reminders for missing quotes and ensures full transparency throughout the RFQ process.

According to the German product page, the workflow can run on autopilot, reduces coordination effort by up to 70 % and cuts preparation time per submission by 2 to 4 hours. Framework agreements, regional responsibilities and preferences are already factored in when line items are assigned. Your team still reviews and decides.

“Scalera has made our supplier communication significantly simpler and more efficient. The tool is easy to use, saves valuable time, and makes our day-to-day work noticeably easier.” – Pius Zurfluh, Managing Director, GAMMA AG Bau

Incoming requests from customers are a different topic; see capturing requests from the email inbox. If you would like to see how response tracking looks in Scalera, you can book a demo.

Frequently asked questions

What does tracking supplier quote responses mean?

Responses are everything that comes back on your RFQs: complete quotes, partial quotes, questions and declines. Tracking them means knowing at any time which RFQ has been answered and which bill of quantities line item still has no quote.

How often should you follow up on missing quotes?

Our recommendation: twice in writing, once halfway through the reply period and once shortly before it ends, then by phone for line items that carry a large share of the quote total. More important than the number of reminders is that each one names the missing line items.

How long is a supplier quote binding?

In Germany an offer is binding in principle (section 145 BGB). If it sets a deadline, it can only be accepted within that period (section 148); without one, an offer to an absent party lasts only until a reply can be expected under ordinary circumstances (section 147). Austria and Switzerland have their own rules. Record the validity of every quote; this article is not legal advice.

What is the difference between response rate and coverage rate?

The response rate counts answered RFQs. The coverage rate counts line items that have enough comparable quotes. In this article's example the response rate is 62 % and coverage with at least two quotes is 70 %, yet 14 line items have no quote at all.

What if a supplier quotes only some of the line items?

Keep the partial quote as its own status and ask for the missing line items specifically. Separate lump sums and alternatives from unit prices so that the later bid comparison stays comparable.

Can Scalera send automatic reminders for missing quotes?

Yes. According to the product page, Scalera tracks responses, sends automatic reminders for missing quotes and ensures full transparency throughout the RFQ process (Scalera, Supplier Matching).

How many quotes per line item make sense?

There is no general standard. Set the target before sending, for example two comparable quotes per line item and three for line items with a large share of the quote total. Only a fixed target lets you measure coverage.

Key takeaways

• Response tracking is the phase between sending RFQs and building the price comparison, and it decides how complete the estimate is.
• Count per line item against a fixed target, not just answered RFQs.
• Follow up on a plan and name the missing line items in every reminder.
• Record the validity of every quote; in Germany, sections 145, 147 and 148 BGB govern how long an offer binds.
• Decide on open line items by the cut-off date and flag them in the price comparison.