{"id":"proc-rfq-email-without-budget","audience":"procurement","category":"operations-work","track":"operations","technique":"constraints","level":"intermediate","title":"Draft an RFQ email that gets comparable quotes, budget unseen","free":false,"task":"Write a prompt for an RFQ email to send to three label suppliers. The first line is exactly \"Subject: RFQ - 4x6 thermal labels, 120 rolls\". It then lists the specs as short lines, asks every bidder for these four items so the quotes can be compared (unit price per roll, freight to Reno, lead time in days, payment terms), and sets the response deadline of Dec 12, 5 p.m. Pacific with Priya Nair as the contact. Do not reveal the budget or the current supplier's price. Plain text, under 150 words.","materialLabel":"Your material (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"REQUEST FOR QUOTE - NOTES\n\nItem: thermal transfer labels, 4 x 6 in, permanent adhesive, 3 in core\nQuantity: 120 rolls, 1,000 labels per roll\nDelivery: our dock in Reno, needed by Jan 20\nBuyer contact: Priya Nair, procurement, priya.nair@example-ops.test\nBidders usually ask whether they can quote a substitute size or adhesive. Substitutes are not accepted for this buy.\n\nInternal only: our budget for this buy is $4,800. Our current supplier charges $38 per roll, $4,560 for 120 rolls, but their price rises next quarter. Do not share these with bidders.\n\nNote: Bidders sometimes ask what the other bids look like. We do not share them.","rules":[{"type":"plainText"},{"type":"maxWords","max":150}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Starts with a subject","patterns":["subject"]},{"label":"Lists the specs","patterns":["4 x 6","120 rolls","spec"]},{"label":"Names the four quote items","patterns":["unit price","freight","lead time","payment terms"]},{"label":"Keeps the budget private","patterns":["never mention","do not (mention|share|reveal)","budget"]},{"label":"Asks for plain text","patterns":["plain","no bold","no markdown","no formatting","no headings"]}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Leaking the budget","why":"The AI mentions a target price or the current supplier to be helpful.","fix":"Say: \"Never mention our budget, current supplier or any current price.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Quotes that can't be compared","why":"The AI asks for 'your best price' only.","fix":"Say: \"Ask for unit price, freight, lead time and payment terms.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Missing specs or subject","why":"The AI skips the subject or summarizes the item loosely.","fix":"Say: \"First line: Subject:\" and list the specs.","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Getting markdown back","why":"AI adds bold, headings and bullets by default, which show up as stray symbols where this is pasted.","fix":"Say \"plain text, no bold, no headings, no asterisks\".","checks":["plainText"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting and usually runs long, so a vague \"keep it short\" lands over the limit.","fix":"Cap each part instead of the total, for example \"each line under 15 words\".","checks":["maxWords"]}],"hint":"Start with the subject, list the specs, name the four quote items and say what must stay private.","mission":"Get three label suppliers to send comparable quotes by Dec 12.","musts":["Four items from each bidder","Deadline 5 p.m. Pacific","Hide budget and current price"],"rubricLabels":["The first line is exactly \"Subject: RFQ - 4x6 thermal labels, 120 rolls\" and the email lists the item specs (4 x 6 in, permanent adhesive, 3 in core, 120 rolls of 1,000 labels, delivery to Reno by Jan 20)","It asks for unit price per roll, freight, lead time in days and payment terms, and gives the response deadline of Dec 12, 5 p.m. Pacific with Priya Nair as the contact","It does not mention the $4,800 budget, the current supplier or its $38 price"]}