The agent
Repeatable execution
- Pull approved specs and current revisions
- Route RFQs to approved vendors
- Send, chase and track responses
- Normalize price, lead time and MOQ
- Recommend options with a rationale
- Log every action to the audit trail
How AI agents can expand quoting coverage while buyers stay in control of sourcing decisions.
RFQ AGENT · LIVE RUN
Part 7741-B · Rev CAgent is preparing the work. The decision waits for your buyer.
01 · The capacity bottleneck
Pulling specifications, routing RFQs, chasing suppliers and comparing responses consumes scarce buyer time. An agentic RFQ workflow handles the repeatable preparation, follow-up and comparison, then puts a recommendation in front of the buyer.
The re-quote gap
Illustrative
Untouched spend: the re-quote backlog
Agents close the gap by taking on the execution, so coverage is no longer limited by buyer hours.
01
High volumes and frequent price changes, yet rarely re-quoted because each round takes time.
02
Strategic items where margin depends on price, but sourcing them properly competes with everything else.
03
Many small parts that add up, but never reach the top of a buyer's list.
02 · The eight-step workflow
Select any step to see what happens there. The orange step is the human approval gate.
Agent lane
Buyer lane · 07
Normalized by the agent. Illustrative figures.
| Supplier | Price | Lead time | MOQ | Landed cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier A | $12.50 | 2 weeks | 100 | $1,250 |
| Supplier BRecommended | $11.80 | 4 weeks | 200 | $1,180 |
| Supplier C | $13.10 | 2 weeks | 100 | $1,310 |
Agent rationale: Supplier B has the lowest landed cost. Its 4-week lead time and 200 MOQ need to fit your demand plan. The buyer makes the call.
RFQ sent to 3 approved suppliers
Day 1 · agent
2 follow-ups sent
Day 3 · agent
All responses normalized
Day 4 · agent
Supplier B recommended
Day 4 · agent
Approved by buyer
Day 5 · buyer
Decision and ERP update logged
Day 5 · per implementation
ERP updates depend on the implementation you agree.
03 · Who does what
The agent
The buyer
04 · Readiness and controls
Tick what your team already has in place.
0/5
Start here: the agent is only as good as the parts, vendor and contact data behind it.
01
Data is missing
No current revision or supplier contact? The part is flagged for buyer review instead of going out incomplete.
02
Quotes can't be compared
Different units, terms or specs? The RFQ routes to the manual process rather than forcing a comparison.
03
An exception needs judgment
A new source, an unusual price or a guardrail breach escalates to the named owner, and the outcome is recorded.
05 · How to measure value
%
Share of addressable spend that actually gets quoted.
Δt
Time from trigger to buyer decision.
hrs
Time returned to sourcing strategy and supplier work.
$
Savings that reach the P&L, tracked against the baseline.
Savings identified
What the comparison shows is possible.
Savings realized
What is approved, ordered and paid at the new price.
Step 1 · Recommended
Place agentic quoting within the move from AI experimentation to agentic workflows.
View the AI Procurement Maturity ModelStep 2 · Optional
In a short working session, we scope one narrow quoting workflow with you: how your team chooses spend to re-quote, and what limits RFQ capacity today.
Request a working session