RFQ examples: four sample RFQs for AV, ELV, lighting and home automation
An RFQ example shows a Request for Quotation filled in for a real type of package: one line per product or activity, a quantity and unit on every line, the specification that defines it, and the commercial terms around it. The four sample RFQs below cover the packages UAE buyers send most often, written as line items with the price columns left for the supplier.
Updated 20 October 2026
RFQsNow RFQ template
Excel (.xlsx) · the blank file these examples are written in
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What every sample RFQ below has in common
- One product or activity per line, so each supplier prices the same thing and a substitution shows up as its own line.
- Installation, programming, testing and commissioning on separate lines, because labour is where bids diverge most.
- A notes column that says what the supplier must state: the model offered, an approval, or whether an item is included.
- A commercial frame around the lines: currency, validity, delivery window, warranty and the submission deadline.
The quantities are illustrative. They show the shape of a real request, not a real project, so replace them with the numbers from your own drawings and bill of quantities.
Example 1: meeting room and boardroom AV
An office fit-out in Dubai with one boardroom and two meeting rooms. The consultant has issued drawings and an AV specification, so the room types and equipment are fixed. The RFQ prices each room type the same way for every supplier and keeps labour on its own lines.
| Line | Description | Qty | Unit | Supplier must state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AV-01 | 86 inch 4K commercial display, wall mounted, boardroom | 1 | nos | Specified model, or an equal flagged on its own line |
| AV-02 | 65 inch 4K commercial display, meeting rooms | 2 | nos | Mounting bracket included |
| AV-03 | Ceiling microphone array with DSP, tuned per room | 3 | nos | One per room, PoE powered |
| AV-04 | Conference camera or video bar for the specified UC platform | 3 | nos | Platform certification stated |
| AV-05 | Room control processor and touch panel | 3 | sets | Programming priced on AV-07 |
| AV-06 | Cabling, connectors and wall plates | 1 | lot | Containment by others, as stated in scope |
| AV-07 | Programming, interface design, testing and commissioning | 1 | lot | Lump sum with duration |
| AV-08 | Handover training and as-built drawings | 1 | lot | Included or excluded, stated |
Around the lines: prices in AED excluding VAT, the quote validity period, the delivery window to site, the warranty period, and the clarification contact and deadline.
Example 2: CCTV and access control
The ELV security scope of a residential building in Dubai. CCTV in Dubai falls under SIRA rules, so the RFQ asks every supplier to confirm approval status and to quote equipment that meets the specification, rather than leaving compliance to be discovered at consultant review.
| Line | Description | Qty | Unit | Supplier must state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELV-01 | IP fixed dome camera, indoor, to specification | 32 | nos | Model and compliance notes per line |
| ELV-02 | IP bullet camera, external, weather rated | 12 | nos | Mounting and housing included |
| ELV-03 | Network video recorder with storage sized to the specified retention period | 1 | nos | Storage calculation attached |
| ELV-04 | Access control door controller | 8 | nos | Expansion capacity stated |
| ELV-05 | Card reader with mobile credential support | 16 | nos | Entry and exit readers |
| ELV-06 | Electromagnetic lock with door contact and exit button | 8 | sets | Fire alarm release interface stated |
| ELV-07 | PoE network switches to the network design | 1 | lot | Or by the IT package, stated in scope |
| ELV-08 | Installation, testing, commissioning and SIRA submission support | 1 | lot | Approval responsibility stated |
Around the lines: the approval responsibility, who supplies the network, the fire alarm interface, AED pricing excluding VAT, validity, lead time per line, and the submission deadline.
Example 3: lighting fit-out
A commercial office fit-out where the lighting designer has issued a fixture schedule with type references. The RFQ lists one line per fixture type with the photometric data that defines it, so a substitution is visible as a substitution and not hidden inside a lower total.
| Line | Description | Qty | Unit | Supplier must state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L-01 | Recessed downlight, type A, 3000K, CRI 90, DALI driver | 140 | nos | Specified model or flagged equal with data sheet |
| L-02 | Linear suspended luminaire, type B, continuous runs | 36 | m | Run lengths per drawing |
| L-03 | Track spotlight, type C, 30 degree beam | 60 | nos | Track and adaptors on the same line |
| L-04 | Emergency luminaire, self-test | 24 | nos | Civil Defence approval stated |
| L-05 | DALI control gateway and scene panels | 1 | lot | Protocol and panel count stated |
| L-06 | Samples and mock-up for approval | 1 | lot | Included or excluded, stated |
| L-07 | Testing, commissioning and scene programming | 1 | lot | Duration stated |
Around the lines: lead time per fixture type for imported products, delivery to site and storage, warranty, AED pricing excluding VAT, validity, and the clarification contact.
Example 4: villa home automation
A new villa in Dubai where the automation consultant has issued a room-by-room control schedule. The RFQ separates hardware from programming and from the interfaces to other trades, because those interfaces are where home automation bids most often assume different things.
| Line | Description | Qty | Unit | Supplier must state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HA-01 | Lighting control actuators to the circuit schedule, KNX or as specified | 1 | lot | Circuit count confirmed |
| HA-02 | Wall keypads to the room schedule | 22 | nos | Finish and engraving stated |
| HA-03 | Curtain and blind motor control | 14 | nos | Motors by others or included, stated |
| HA-04 | Multiroom audio zone with in-ceiling speakers | 6 | zones | Speaker count per zone stated |
| HA-05 | Climate control integration with the HVAC thermostats | 1 | lot | Interface protocol confirmed with HVAC |
| HA-06 | Intercom and CCTV interface to the automation app | 1 | lot | Third-party systems named |
| HA-07 | Programming, app setup and handover training | 1 | lot | Duration and revisions stated |
Around the lines: which trade supplies the cabling, the interfaces to HVAC and security, AED pricing excluding VAT, validity, the programme on site, and the warranty and support period.
How to turn a sample RFQ into your own
- Download the matching template and copy the line structure, not the quantities.
- Take quantities and model references from the issued drawings, specification and BOQ, one line per item.
- Write the scope boundary explicitly: what is included, what is by others, and which attachments were issued.
- Send the file itself and ask every supplier to return it filled in, so the bids line up without re-keying.
If you are not sure the package needs an RFQ at all, the guide to what an RFQ is in construction covers when to use one. For the writing itself, section by section, see how to write an RFQ. When the bids come back, tabulate them in the bid comparison template.
Frequently asked questions
What does a good RFQ example look like?
A good RFQ example lists one product or activity per line with a quantity, a unit and the specification that defines it, keeps installation, programming and commissioning on their own lines, and states the commercial frame: currency, validity, delivery window and deadline. It leaves the price columns empty for the supplier.
Why do these sample RFQs have no prices?
Because the buyer does not price an RFQ. The supplier fills in unit price, total and lead time on every line, and the empty price columns are what make the returned bids comparable line by line.
Can I reuse these RFQ samples for my own project?
Yes, as a structure. The quantities are illustrative and must be replaced with the quantities from your drawings and BOQ. Download the matching template, overwrite the lines with your own schedule, and keep the same column layout.
What is the difference between an RFQ example and an RFQ template?
A template is the blank file with the sheets and columns ready to fill. An example shows the same structure filled in for a real type of package, so you can see how lines, units and scope notes are written before you start your own.
Templates and guides for these examples
The blank files behind the samples, and the guides that explain them.
RFQ template
The blank Excel RFQ with cover, line items and scope sheets.
BOQ template
Measured works sectioned by system, for ELV and AV packages.
Bid comparison template
Line up the returned bids and score them before award.
Meeting room AV guide
What goes into the specification behind example 1.
All templates
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