RFQ Template: 14 Fields When Buying Pipe Fittings From China

3. Size and schedule. NPS 6 × SCH 80, or OD 168.3 × WT 14.27 mm. State the controlling dimension if you have one.

4. Quantity by line item. Per ASME B16.9 production lots are heat-traceable; partial heats may be quoted differently from full heats.

5. End preparation. Reference ASME B16.25, including bevel angle (typically 37.5° ± 2.5°) and root face (1.6 ± 0.8 mm) for the matching wall thickness.

6. Marking standard. Specify MSS SP-25-2018. Add any project-specific tags (PO number, tag number, heat-stamp location).

7. NDE scope. 100% UT per ASTM A388 or A578, RT per ASME Section V, and PMI (XRF or OES) for alloys. State acceptance criteria.

8. MTC level. EN 10204 3.1 is standard; specify 3.2 if a third-party (TPI) countersignature is required.

9. Hydrostatic / hardness testing. Reference ASME B31.3 hydro at 1.5 × design pressure if applicable; for sour service, NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 hardness ≤ 22 HRC.

10. Heat treatment. Normalised, normalised + tempered, solution-annealed, etc. — the supplier's PQR depends on it.

11. Surface protection. Black varnish, anti-rust oil, or epoxy. Specify if the line goes to humid coastal storage.

12. Packing. Plywood crates, fumigated pallets per ISPM-15, moisture-barrier liner. State whether dunnage must also be ISPM-15 marked.

13. Incoterms 2020. FOB Tianjin, CIF Houston, DAP Rotterdam — name the term, named place, and ICC Incoterms 2020 reference.

14. Documents and lead time. MTC, packing list, commercial invoice, certificate of origin, NDE reports. State target ex-works date and acceptable variation window.

Common buyer mistakes

• Omitting the standard edition year, which lets mills quote against an older revision.
• Mixing imperial NPS with metric OD without a conversion note.
• Asking for "3.2 MTC" without naming the third-party inspector or paying for the visit.
• Forgetting end-prep tolerances, then rejecting fittings that meet B16.9 but not the welder's preference.
• Treating ISPM-15 as optional for sea freight to North America, Australia, or the EU.

Buyer checklist

• [ ] Material spec includes edition year and grade letter (WPB, WP304, F316L)
• [ ] Size given as NPS + schedule AND OD × WT in mm
• [ ] End prep cites ASME B16.25 with bevel + root face
• [ ] NDE scope and acceptance standards both named
• [ ] MTC type (3.1 or 3.2) explicit
• [ ] Heat-treatment condition stated
• [ ] ISPM-15 packing called out for sea freight
• [ ] Incoterms 2020 + named place written in full

Sample RFQ clause

"Supply 100 pcs 6" SCH 80 ASTM A234 WPB-2019 90° LR elbows per ASME B16.9, BE per ASME B16.25, marked per MSS SP-25-2018. 100% UT per ASTM A388. EN 10204 3.1 MTC required; PMI report (XRF) per piece. Pack in heat-treated ISPM-15 crates. CIF Houston per Incoterms 2020. Target ex-works: 35 days after PO."

For wrought butt-weld scope see seamless butt-welding pipe fittings; for raised-face WN flanges and special forgings see forged flanges and non-standard forgings. Send your filled RFQ via the inquiry form and we will respond with a clause-by-clause quotation. Sample certificates are available on the certificates page.

Sources

• ASTM A234/A234M: https://store.astm.org/a0234_a0234m-19.html
• ASME B16.9 / B16.25 specs (overview): https://www.asme.org/codes-standards/find-codes-standards/b16-25-buttwelding-ends
• Project Materials MTC guide: https://blog.projectmaterials.com/epc-projects/testing-inspection/mill-test-certificates-3-1-2/
• EnggPro RFQ checklist: https://www.enggpro.com/blogs/piping-rfqs-essential-checklist-for-procurement-success/
• ICC Incoterms 2020: https://iccwbo.org/business-solutions/incoterms-rules/incoterms-2020/