The sports netting RFQ checklist: seven fields, one accurate quote
Suppliers do not quote requirements, they quote specifications. "Price for netting for our baseball facility, best price" gets you five questions back and a week of email; a seven-field RFQ gets a documented quote in one pass. Here are the seven fields, what each one changes in the quote, and a printable checklist to attach to any RFQ, ours or a competitor's.
The seven fields, and why each one moves the quote
| # | Field | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The application | Sport and use (impact cage, perimeter ball stop, replacement net, custom panels). It implies the mesh, the twine and the construction before any number is written. | Ball stop screens behind two 11-a-side goals, public park, UK |
| 2 | Dimensions and quantity | Panel width x height and count, or total run x height for perimeters. Sold by the panel or by the square metre; overstating quantity backfires when the quote terms are built on it. | 2 panels of 20 m x 4.5 m; option for 2 more in autumn |
| 3 | Mesh size | The ball decides it: mesh must be smaller than the smallest ball involved. State it in mm or inches, not adjectives. | 100 mm (4 in) square mesh |
| 4 | Twine diameter or gauge | The impact decides it. mm or US gauge; the two systems do not line up exactly, so state which one you use. | 4 mm twine (or: #36 minimum) |
| 5 | Construction and finish | Knotted or knotless; edging (rope border, sewn edges), corner reinforcement, colour. Finish is what turns netting into an installable panel. | Knotless polyester, rope border all sides, black |
| 6 | Environment and destination | Outdoor UV exposure, coastal wind, indoor gym. Then country (and US state): it drives freight and decides which import questions the quote must answer in writing. | Outdoor year-round; delivery to Leeds, UK |
| 7 | Timing and documents | A date is a specification: production and freight take weeks. Add any certificates or packing requirements now, not at production time. | On site by 1 October; mill specification sheet required |
A weak RFQ and a quotable one
Weak: "Hi, need netting for a cricket facility, good quality, best price please."
Quotable: "Cricket club, North West England. Re-netting 4 outdoor practice lanes: 4 side/dividing panels of 23 m x 3.6 m plus roof netting, 48 mm (2 in) mesh, 2 mm twine minimum, knotted, rope border, dark green. Outdoor year-round. Delivery to Manchester area. Needed installed by 1 March, before the season. Please state supplier minimums, the commercially viable quantity, lead time and delivery terms in writing."
The second version is four sentences longer and saves two weeks. Each line maps to a field above, and the dimensions come straight from the published ECB figures on ourcricket net dimensions page. The same works for any sport: mesh from the mesh size chart, twine from the twine gauge chart.
The printable checklist
- Application: sport, use (impact / perimeter / replacement / custom), setting
- Dimensions: panel W x H and count, or run x height; total quantity
- Mesh size: ____ mm / ____ in
- Twine: ____ mm (or gauge #____)
- Construction and finish: knotted / knotless; border; corners; colour
- Environment and destination: outdoor/indoor; country and state/region
- Timing and documents: needed-by date; certificates; packing
- Ask for in writing: supplier minimums AND viable quantity, lead time, delivery terms, check scope
Frequently asked questions
What should a sports netting RFQ include?
Seven fields: the application, dimensions and quantity, mesh size (in mm or inches), twine diameter or gauge, construction and finish (knotted or knotless, edging, colour), environment and destination, and timing plus any required documents. With those seven, a supplier can quote in one pass instead of opening a week of back-and-forth.
What if I do not know the mesh or twine to ask for?
Say so and state the application instead: the sport, the ball and the setting determine both. Our mesh size chart lists the official ball dimensions and published mesh recommendations per sport, and the twine gauge chart covers strength; a serious counterpart recommends rather than guesses silently.
Should I state a target price in an RFQ?
No. Price targets and inflated quantities produce quotes built on numbers that are not real, and the corrections arrive after you commit. State the volume you will actually buy, then ask what changes at the next quantity break: that question is free and gets an honest answer.
The shortcut
The Spec Finder walks these fields against our documented combinations and prefills the quote form. Complete RFQs make quoting faster for everyone; we answer ours within 2 business days, including with a straight "we do not sell this" when that is the honest answer: seehow we source.
We reply within 2 business days with questions or a documented quote.