The Request for Quotation (RFQ) process is shown in the following figure, and gives buyers a simple facility that allow the presentation of RFQs requests to SPX offices using on-line tools or off-line mechanisms (email, Fax, visits, etc.), cascades the RFQs to selected dependent SPX offices and eventually to selected suppliers, and tracsk that suppliers have sent the corresponding quotes.

Using the SPX MIS RFQ facilities, Buyers are able to request a quote using a fixed RFQ template form that allows the buyer to specify the details of the request. The RFQ is then forwarded to an SPX officer of the corresponding office (global or local) where it will be reviewed and if correct will be sent to the corresponding suppliers so they can prepare the corresponding quotes. Local SPX sends the RFQs to locally profiled suppliers. These RFQs are either received from parent SPX or generated locally. RFQs are presented to Suppliers using a Web-Based “SPX Supplier Homepage” where the supplier can track pending RFQs, past RFQs and can mark RFQs as completed (presented) or cancelled (will not present quote). The system tracks deadlines for submission of the Quotes, emails reminders to suppliers when the deadlines is near and emails warnings to SPX of potential supplier delays.