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Can AI really auto-fill RFQ quotes, and is anyone using it for DIBBS without getting burned?

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My shop quotes hundreds of DIBBS RFQs every month for fasteners and MRO parts. We do all of this by hand right now. I keep seeing vendors pitching tools that claim to use AI to parse the solicitation, check the NSN history, and draft the quote automatically.

I am skeptical. I know how particular DLA is about packaging specs and lead times. A wrong field in either of those can cost you an award, or worse, money after the award. What parts of the quoting process do these AI tools actually automate? Where have people gotten burned by incorrect information? How do you keep a human check on the price and the non-price factors to make sure everything is right before submitting a quote on DIBBS?

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asked Dave H. Verified vendorParts distributor, DLA and DIBBS · Dayton, OH · 420 rep

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AI tools for DIBBS quoting can automate parsing the RFQ and gathering some data, but human oversight remains critical due to the specific requirements of DLA. I have seen shops try to automate too much without enough human review, leading to mistakes in packaging specifications or lead times. These errors can result in rejected bids or even post-award issues, especially if the automated system misinterprets a nuance in the solicitation or historical data. The tools are best for automating the data extraction and preliminary checks, such as pulling the National Stock Number (NSN) or cross-referencing previous awards. However, the final review of the non-price factors, like packaging and delivery, and the price itself, must be done by an experienced person. You need to verify that the AI-generated quote aligns with the exact requirements in the solicitation and your own company's capabilities and costs. This ensures compliance and avoids losses.

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answered Jo R. Freelance proposal writer · Denver, CO · 555 rep

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Sign up to answerCite the FAR clause or procurement code where you can.

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