1–4: define the product before asking for price
Start with end use, product type, specification and quantity. ‘Industrial salt’ is too broad if the process has limits for calcium, magnesium, sulphate, iron, moisture or insolubles. ‘Edible salt’ is too broad if the requirement depends on refined iodized product, pack declarations and food-safety roles.
State the one-time quantity, normal monthly consumption, lot size and forecast period. A supplier may quote a 1 MT trial, 25 MT truckload and 500 MT monthly programme differently because production and freight economics are different.
- End use and buyer industry
- Applicable standard or full chemistry table
- One-time, monthly and annual quantity
- Trial size and commercial lot size
5–8: packing, delivery and acceptance
Choose loose, 25 kg, 50 kg or retail pouch packing according to the receiving system. Give the delivery PIN code, vehicle/access restrictions, unloading scope and covered-storage capacity. Define whether freight is supplier-arranged, buyer-arranged or quoted both ways.
Specify the evidence and acceptance rule: supplier certificate, NABL or government laboratory if required, pre-dispatch sample, witnessed sample, weighbridge basis and how a disputed lot will be handled.
- Packing and liner/printing needs
- Delivery basis and unloading
- Certificate, sampling and test method
- Rejection, replacement and dispute process
9–12: commercial terms and repeatability
Ask for a separated quote: salt, packaging, testing, freight and any service. Record validity, lead time, payment milestones and balance before dispatch. Salt under HSN 2501 is nil-rated under GST, but the actual invoice description still has to be correct.
Finally, decide how the first acceptable lot becomes repeat supply. Preserve the approved specification and sample, track batch results and delivery performance, and set a call-off or forecast rhythm instead of re-negotiating an undefined product every month.
- Normalized landed-cost comparison
- Quote validity and payment terms
- Trial approval record
- Repeat-order forecast and scorecard
A one-page purchase brief before the first supplier call
Write the requirement in a single controlled sheet: buyer and plant, end use, product name, standard or parameter table, trial and monthly quantity, packing, delivery PIN code, required documents, target date and commercial basis. Give the same version to every supplier. If the requirement changes, issue a dated revision instead of correcting different bidders in separate phone calls.
Separate mandatory conditions from preferences. A mandatory chemistry limit or food licence is a pass/fail gate; a preferred bag size or credit period can be negotiated. This distinction prevents procurement from rejecting an otherwise suitable source for a preference or accepting a technically unsuitable source because its price is attractive.
- One owner for technical approval
- One dated RFQ revision
- Mandatory versus preferred fields
- One response deadline
- One comparison sheet for all offers
Buyer questions
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose the cheapest salt quote?
Choose the lowest evaluated landed cost among technically acceptable offers. Include packing, freight, testing, process impact, delivery reliability and rejection risk—not only the ex-refinery rate.
How much should I order for a trial?
Use enough material to test real receiving, storage and process conditions without creating excessive exposure. India Salt accepts whole quantities from 1 MT, but the right trial is process-specific.
What should appear on the purchase order?
At minimum: product, specification, quantity, packing, price basis, delivery location and schedule, documents, sampling/acceptance, payment and freight/unloading responsibilities.
Primary references
Official sources used on this page
Standards and regulations can change. Follow the linked authority and verify the current requirement for the actual contract.
- Industrial-grade salt numerical reference tableSalt Commissioner Organisation, Government of India
- Product Manual for IS 7224:2006 iodized saltBureau of Indian Standards
- GST rates: salt under HSN 2501Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs