国际RFX流程
RFX 可以看作一种买卖流程的机制：经常交流的特定项目或服务的特定的价格，但也交换信息。常见的 RFX 是 RFQ （Request for Quotation，报价要求）, 另一种是 RFP （Request for Proposal，建议书要求）。其它 RFX 类型包括 RFBs (Request for Bid，邀请竞标）、RFI （Request for Information，信息要求）。
国际大厂采购还包括使用多级的 RFX，但是个别 RFX 活动分别举行，但彼此相连。RFX 由单方发出，按照发出方需求可设计1至多个接受方.例如I公司有意采购产品，I公司可以根据需求发出RFX 给五家供货商，并要求于规定时间回复至指定窗口。根据产品的技术难度、需求量和未来性，RFX 过程从1至六个月不等。
以台湾的实务面来看，RFX 以前大多应用于台湾大型代工厂商，买方100%是国外大厂。现在台湾也有国际大厂如双A，所以 RFX 也有可能是由台湾厂商为owner。
建议读者先研读后面 RFX 的英文定义解说，比较容易理解下面所列形态。
一般国际业务情况下，RFX 事件包括以下形态，而且买方通常会要求供货商签订NDA。
1. 一般性采购
- 通常指所欲采购的产品规格，是市场已经ready一段时间的标准产品
- 也有可能是一般零组件
- 买方会直接发 RFQ 给1至多家供货商，RFQ 会详载规格品名，并要求供货商在规定时间回复买方
- 一般性产品通常价低者得
- 够大的买家会使用资源筛选数家合格供货商(AVL, Approve Vendor List)
2. 策略性专案采购
- 通常不是单一规格或零组件，而是系统或设备
- 买方先发 RFP，深入了解不同供货商的建议书
- 买方基于资源和时间的限制，通常会筛选剩下少数供货商的短名单
- 买方发 RFQ 给短名单, 并要求供货商在规定时间回复买方
- 此时 RFQ 的内容必须包含买方所要求的内容，如果是国际大厂，那绝对包括PQCDS(Product, Quality, Cost, Delivery, and Service)，少说30页起跳
- 此种形态不见得是价低者得，买方会考虑几个重要因素，有时可能会要求产品测试
3. 未来性产品采购
- 这表示买方所需求的标的目前市场没有现成的技术或标准品，也就可以说供货商可能也不多
- 买方会先发 RFI 给有限的供货商，也就是研究技术的成熟度，用别人的资源来研究买方产品规划的可行性
- 其实谁吃亏不知道，有时候供货商有机会收到 RFI，RFI 的内容是买方花费很多金钱研究出来的market specification, 这对供货商未来核心技术的规划帮助甚大
- 这种未来性的产品很有可能胎使腹中,因为计划跟不上变化
- 如果评估有可行性，就会继续发 RFP
- 由于是没有生产过的技术，有些比较积极的供货商会先用NCT做模型以便先看机构外型，或动用资源先开发软硬件，如果交期很关键的话，这样机会可能比别人大，不过供货商自己要评估机会成本
- 最后可能会剩一家接受 RFQ，此时的 RFQ 绝非议价，交期和质量反而是最重要的，当然价格也是要砍的，只是比较松一点，毕竟新技术的产品市场先机是很重要的
- 此时供货商可要求签订 MOU 或 LOI 以保障基本投资，当然一定要把 NRE 列入 MOU 或 LOI
有关请求信息(RFI)
A Request for Information (RFI) is a way for buyers to gather information about prospective suppliers and the items they can offer. Buyers would like to use the information gathered by an RFI as input for designing a future sourcing activity, as an initial stage of a multistage RFX activity. Valuable information for a buyer could include the number of sellers interested, specific seller identities, and how well sellers match or might change details about the items being sought.
Most RFIs are typically designed as a questionnaire for suppliers to complete. Often, specific items are not identified in the RFI, or if they are, the buyer wants suppliers to _selectonly items they are interested in, without entering prices, quantities, or any other specific item terms. If multiple line items are sought in the RFI, a supplier's response must include all items.
A buyer initiates the RFI, seeking responses from potential suppliers. A supplier's bid in an RFI is called a response, but the process of submitting a response is the same as placing a bid in most other RFX activities because it uses the bid process to help the supplier.
When the RFI stops accepting responses, it enters a Pending Selection state before closing. During this time, the buyer selects the winning responses.
有关建议书请求(RFP)
A Request for Proposals (RFP) is an RFX type designed to collect information in the form of responses from suppliers. Proposal collection is typically a sealed process, where participants know very little if anything about other participants and the proposals they submit.
Like RFIs, RFPs often include an RFX Info section describing the buyer's specific business scenario and the needs the buyer wants to solve. This RFX Info section typically also contains a questionnaire, sometimes very extensive, which the buyer uses to determine the capabilities and flexibility of potential suppliers.
Also like RFIs, you can use RFPs in the earlier stages of a multistage RFX, where selected suppliers responding to the RFP are promoted to a follow-on RFX (for example, an RFQ).
Another way that RFPs gather business intelligence and initiate a collaborative dialogue with potential suppliers, is by using advanced pricing structures like matrix pricing or tiered pricing. Although tiers and matrixes are different in practice, they share the same basic intent to explore several potential levels of business in one loosely-competitive bidding event.
After the RFP stops accepting responses, it enters the Pending Selection state, during which the owner evaluates the responses. After the owner awards winning suppliers (or promotes suppliers to the next stage in a multistage RFX), the RFP goes into the Closed state.
有关询价要求(RFQ)
The Request for Quote (RFQ) and Request for Bid (RFB) are similar RFX types, operating in much the same way. The main difference is the action in the two types is switched, reversing the roles of the owner and participants:
RFQ is a buy-side RFX type. The owner is a buyer, and participants are potential suppliers.
RFB is a sell-side RFX type. The owner is a seller, and participants are potential customers.
A strength of the RFQ/RFB is that you can structure these RFX types to have bidders submit other terms with their bids besides price and quantity. The owner specifies these other terms (for example, color, CPU speed, or quality rating).
Both RFQs and RFBs have open and sealed variations, each describes how much information is revealed to participants about their bids and those of competitors.
When bidding is over, RFQs and RFBs enter a Pending Selection state before closing. During this time, the owner selects the winning bids, taking the bidders' additional terms into consideration.
