Start with the exact requirement
The fastest way to slow down an aircraft-parts enquiry is to send only a description such as ‘A320 valve needed.’ Start with the requested part number as it appears in your controlled maintenance or procurement data. Add the component description, aircraft or engine application, and quantity. If you have a serial-number requirement, modification standard, or approved alternate, state it explicitly. Do not assume that a seller will infer interchangeability from a similar-looking number.
A concise RFQ can still be precise. Put one part number per line when requesting several items and identify which details are mandatory versus flexible. That lets the sourcing team distinguish a firm match from an alternative requiring your technical review. Keep internal stock codes separate from manufacturer part numbers so neither is mistaken for the other.
- Requested part number, description, quantity, and aircraft or engine application
- Required condition and any acceptable alternatives or exclusions
- Required certification or release documents, traceability, and serial-number data
- Ship-to location, required date, and whether the aircraft is AOG
Specify what an acceptable offer must prove
A price alone is not a usable offer. State whether you will consider new, overhauled, repaired, or inspected material, and whether a unit removed serviceable is within your buying policy. Ask the seller to identify the actual offered condition, rather than treating your requested condition as a promise. If you need an FAA Form 8130-3, an EASA Form 1, a specific trace chain, or records of time and cycles, make that a requirement in the RFQ and confirm what documents will accompany the quoted unit.
For serialized or life-limited material, identify the records your technical team must review before acceptance. FAA guidance treats eligibility, quality, and traceability as separate questions and notes that used-part records can include maintenance releases, airworthiness-directive status, and substantiated life data where applicable. A release certificate helps establish status; it does not itself approve installation on a particular aircraft.
Make the logistics decision visible
Include the delivery airport or address, receiving hours, shipping terms you need quoted, and any export or customs information already known to your team. Say whether the date is the latest acceptable arrival or merely a target. For an AOG request, provide the aircraft location and a reachable contact for technical questions. The aim is to let a seller check location and shipping feasibility before an apparently attractive quote becomes unusable.
When you receive an offer, compare the offered part number, condition, documentation, physical location, lead time, and price against the same RFQ line. Route any alternate or record exception to your authorized technical and quality reviewers. A well-written RFQ creates a clear comparison; it does not replace the operator’s receiving inspection or the installer’s eligibility determination.
Source material
These references provide general context. Confirm item-specific requirements with the applicable records and qualified teams.