Replying to Vendor Quotes

Handle an incoming vendor quote for lane review

When a vendor submits a quote for a freight lane, follow this flow:

1. Acknowledge the quote & set expectations

Compose a short, plain email confirming that we've logged the quote. The email should include:

• A thank-you line
• Confirmation that the quote is under review
• A turnaround window of 3–4 business days
• The lane reference so replies stay threaded

Keep the tone direct. Do not commit to volume, rate floors, or a start date at this stage.

2. Score the lane before routing

Pull the last two quarters of tender history and compare the submitted rate against our accepted average. Route the quote based on:

• Spread against the accepted average (flag anything above 12%)
• Carrier on-time record for the origin region
• Whether the vendor is already contracted on an adjacent lane

Flag for manual review if the history is thinner than six tenders.

3. If the lane is high-volume or flagged by an account lead: notify ops

Post a short message to the #lane-intake or #pricing room.

Message example:

New vendor quote received

• Vendor: [Name or email]
• Lane: [Origin → destination, equipment type]
• Notes: [e.g., undercuts the accepted average by 7.4%, repeat submitter]