RFx Events (Alpha Release): How to Create an RFQ

Organisations like yours typically have many forms of sourcing events issued to market. To reflect the variety of events such as RFQ, RFP, and EOI, we have adopted the term "RFx". This new feature in Alpha release testing phase also brings ability to start configuring multiple templates for quick access to the most common events for your organisation.
This feature is in a pre-release testing phase (Alpha release) and can only be enabled by your organisation’s Customer Success Manager at Felix. Event (such as RFQs) features are currently limited to the simplest needs for quick requests to market and to test user experience and RFx template configurations. Use the "legacy" RFQ process (guidance below) if you require additional features. See Other Notes at the bottom of this article for RFx event limitations in this Alpha release.

Pre-requisites and RFx Templates

The following guide relates to organisations where the RFx feature has been enabled for testing. For all other users, refer to How to create an RFQ.

We have preloaded a global Quick Request RFx template for use by all organisations. This demonstrates the likely expected layout and use of the RFx feature for the initial, simplest and fastest events to market.

Your organisation can work with your Customer Success Manager at Felix to experiment with current template configuration that is available such as field labels, help text, mandatory/optional or hidden fields.

Creating a new RFQ

During the pre-release phases of RFx testing, you will have access to both the legacy RFQ process and the new RFx process.

To create a new RFQ:

Navigate to Projects > Requests for Quotation from the main menu.
Click the Create New RFQ button in the top right corner.
- You will be directed to a new page where you can select a project, a folder, and a template to create your request from.
Select a Project and a Folder from the dropdowns.
- If you do not see your project listed, refer to How to create and modify projects.
If you prefer to stick to the legacy RFQ process, you can either use the text link or select the Standard Request tile.
- See below image
Select your preferred template under Templates section by clicking the template tile.
- Felix global templates will feature a globe icon in the tile. Other templates that do not have the globe icon are your organisation's custom configured templates. In both cases, refer to the subtitle of each tile for its intended use.
One you have selected your project, folder, and template, click the Create Request button.
- You will be directed to step 1 of the RFx event creation. Shown below is the Felix global Quick Request RFx template.
On the left under the REQUEST DETAILS section, you can:
- Click the Request Owner dropdown to update the owner if needed.
- (Optional) Click the Request Watchers dropdown to select one or more Request Watchers. (Watchers receive email updates about the event but are not granted additional permissions.)
In the About your request section, update the following fields:
- Add a title for your request - Enter a title for the RFx event/request. This is visible to vendors and is searchable on your RFQ listing.
- Request Type - Select the type of request from the dropdown. This is visible to vendors so they can gauge your expectations and their interest. (Felix has preconfigured the most common options. Feedbacks are welcome on additional options needed.)
- Choose category of work - Select a category by clicking the dropdown. This listing is configured per your organisation's needs and is the same as the legacy RFQ process. (A link to Procurement Schedule packages is not part of the Alpha release for testing.)
- Submission due date - Enter the close date for the RFx event.
- Submission due by - Enter the close time for the RFx event.
In the Describe the scope of work section, use the following fields to clearly communicate your expectations for the work being requested in the sourcing event. Attachments can be added in the next section.
- Add further detail about your request - This is visible to vendors when they view the event in their Felix platform. You can format text styling and use lists plus more to organize your message.
- (Optional) Location site/details - Enter the relevant location details for the vendor to know where the delivery address or service location is.
- (Optional) Work commencement date - Select the date when you require the work to start or goods to be delivered. This is visible to vendors.
- (Optional) Estimated work completion - Select the date when you expect the work to be completed. This assists the vendor's understanding of job duration prior to them assessing any attachments you may have also provided.
In the Attachments section, you can upload or drag and drop any relevant technical, commercial or legal documents that the vendor needs to respond to you.
- Click the Upload a file link to select and upload the relevant documents or drag and drop the documents.
- Maximum file size is 300 MB. Accepted file types are listed here. You can select multiple files at a time to upload.
In the How vendors should respond section for Pricing requirements, select from the following options as to how vendors are required to provide pricing for the event.
- Pricing Schedule - You will be directed to create a detailed pricing sheet (bill of quantities) for vendors to respond with. To create pricing schedules, refer to How to Create a Custom Pricing Schedule.
- Lump Sum - Vendors will be requested to provide a single lump sum amount as a response.
Click Save & Continue. You have now completed your request details and will be directed to step 2 of the RFx creation process to select recipients for the event.
In the Search Vendors section, enter or start typing an email address, company name or contact name of a vendor to search. It will return matching results in these three fields.
- We understand that most of our users like you have relationships with vendors. However, if you are unsure of who to send to, note the Key Contact badge to the right side of each row. Add the key contact person if you are unsure.
Click the Add button beside each relevant vendor contact to select them and include them as a recipient.
The added vendor is shown in the Selected Vendors section. You can additionally select or deselect contacts to send the request to in this section by clicking the Add button beside the relevant contact.
To finish and send the request, click the Send Requestbutton.
- You will be directed to the RFQ View page to see the event you just created. Emails and notifications to vendors will be triggered.
If you wish, you can optionally Save & Close to come back and finish the request at a later time.

Duplicating RFQs

You can duplicate RFQs from the RFQ listing (Projects > Requests for Quotation). If you duplicate a saved RFQ (i.e. not Open) that was created using the RFx process, it will also open the duplicate in the RFx process.

Other Notes

Currently, the RFx process is only accessible from the main RFQ listing (Projects > Requests for Quotation). All other access points to create RFQs will continue to open the legacy RFQ process.

Currency will default to the Project Base Currency for all RFx events. Functionality to set multiple accepted currencies in the RFx creation step is not available for the RFx at this stage. Other acceptable currencies can be added (for multi-currency projects) in the RFQ view once an RFx event has been sent.
It is not possible to pull project documents into the new RFx workflow. If you wish to use the project documents, create RFQ from Projects > Select project > New RFQ option access point or from Procurement Schedule.
Integrations with InEight Document and Oracle Aconex are not available for the RFx process. Use the legacy RFQ process if you wish to import documents from third party systems.
Budget details are not available in the RFx creation process but can be added to the RFQ after it was issued to vendors. Go to RFQ > Quotes > Service Details to update the budget information (if enabled by your organisation).
RFQ Approval workflows are not available for the RFx workflow. Use the legacy RFQ process to issue RFQs with approval.
Vendors that have quoted an RFx event can be awarded using the Recommendation for Award (RFA) workflow with approval as per your existing process (if enabled by your organisation).
Quote requirements and requested documents features are not available for the RFx workflow. Vendors can submit tender returnables in the general attachments section of the RFQ Response.
Only one package can be released at a time using the RFx workflow. If you wish to release multiple packages in a single tender, use the legacy RFQ process.
Pricing Schedule and Lump Sum pricing requirements are available for all RFx irrespective of your category configuration. It is currently not possible to disable these options.
Vendor category or location-based recommendations are currently not available in the RFx workflow. Use the legacy RFQ process if your organisation requires the use of matched vendors.
Marketplace vendor recommendations and search are not currently available in the RFx workflow. Use the legacy RFQ process if you wish to search for vendors from the Felix Vendor Marketplace and invite them to tender on your RFQs.
RFx workflow respects user permissions that control the ability to add non-approved vendors (vendors in Invited Pending Approval, Declined or Suspended statuses) to an RFQ. Users with permission to invite non-approved vendors will maintain this privilege.
As this feature is in testing phase, it is not subject to contracted performance SLAs. However, we have tested key requirements, including but not limited to application security, data integrity, and system integration with other functionality.
We are continuing to actively work on this functionality and want to hear your feedback. Please sign up to our User Research list here - https://forms.office.com/r/HZeMCxCzFY if you would like to be part of our research community.