Pricing and Profit Models for Micro RFQs
Micro-RFQs are like options trades: lots of small bets where the edge comes from consistency and disciplined risk control. You are not aiming for one giant home run—you are building a portfolio of modest, repeatable wins.
For each NSN, sketch a simple unit economics stack: landed cost from supplier, packaging and labels, shipping, indirect overhead, and a buffer for surprises. Only then add your target margin.
Because the government often cares more about on-time, on-spec performance than the last penny of price, you can price rationally—not as a race to zero. Keep a minimum dollar profit per order rule so you never do heroic work for lunch money.
Track metrics like: average profit per award, average cycle time from RFQ to cash, and hours spent per award. These will tell you when to raise your minimums or when a niche has matured enough to justify automation or delegation.
Mermaid Block — Business Workflow
Mermaid Block — Interaction Sequence
Action List
- Write down one concrete experiment you will run related to this chapter.
- Identify which RFQs, suppliers, or tools you need to test the idea.
- Define a small success metric: a quote submitted, a new supplier found, a script written.
- Schedule a review to capture lessons learned and update your playbook.