What Is Procurement in Construction?
Procurement is the cycle that secures materials, plant and subcontractors — from the request for quotation and the comparison through to the purchase order, delivery and payment.
The full cycle
Identify the need from the take-off → issue a request for quotation → compare technically and commercially → negotiate and raise a purchase order → chase the supply → receive and inspect → match the invoice → pay. Every weak link costs: an incomplete specification, an unfair comparison, or a late delivery that stops the site.
Timing and lead times
Long-lead items — lifts, transformers, central air-conditioning units, specialist façades — have to be ordered very early or they will govern the programme. A procurement schedule tied to the project programme is a necessity, not a luxury.
In Etimadco
Electronic requests for quotation reach the matching suppliers in your market, a single comparison sheet lines the offers up, and a documented award turns into a price record that serves your next estimate.
Worked example
On an apartment building, a request for 95 tonnes of reinforcement goes to five suppliers through the platform; the offers range from SAR 2,540 to 2,720 per tonne — a SAR 17,000 difference on a single item that the comparison sheet caught in minutes.
FAQ
What is the difference between an RFQ, an RFP and a tender?
An RFQ asks for a price against a defined specification; an RFP asks for a proposal including the technical solution where the scope is open; a tender is a full, formal competitive process with its own documents.
When should I buy directly and when should I invite offers?
Small, repeating values suit direct purchase at agreed prices; large or unusual items deserve a full offer cycle — set the thresholds in a written internal purchasing policy.
Put this to work with Request for Quotation (RFQ)
Send your items to market suppliers and receive comparable quotes in one table
Explore Request for Quotation (RFQ)