Our China procurement desk begins supplier matching after the wind, snow, seismic, crane and foundation inputs are written on one revision. We compare bids, coordinate samples and inspections, and organize export information. The selected supplier owns design and fabrication, while local professionals decide permitting.
A price written before the site loads is a budget sketch. The freeze copies the same numbers into the shop issue and the packing list.
| Input | Before freeze | Released to the shop |
|---|---|---|
| Wind and snow | Buyer estimate, often a single speed with no exposure class | Design wind speed in m/s and ground snow load in kN/m², both dated |
| Seismic | A region name | Seismic design category or a PGA such as 0.30 g when the code uses that form |
| Frame steel | Generic mild steel | Q355 or S355 on the main frame, with the heat number path named |
| Envelope | Panel thickness as a guess, with no core named | 50–100 mm core called out as EPS, PIR or rock wool, plus a U-value calculation |
| Fire | A marketing word on the core | Fire resistance rating of the tested wall, joints and openings, in minutes, if a test exists |
Welded frames keep more of the fit-up in the shop and travel as larger pieces. Bolted knock-down frames raise the container count efficiency and move torque control to the site. Steelmaster Buildings prices both; the brief picks one. A welded splice is not automatically stiffer in service if the bolted alternative was designed for the same moment.
Use, quantity, country, plan size, storeys, interior scope, port and the date the slab can take anchors. Incomplete crane or door data stays in intake.
The selected supplier and project engineer must agree the load basis, importance category and foundation interface. We track revisions so competing quotations use the same approved criteria.
We request a cutting-list revision and the welding procedure reference from the selected supplier. AWS D1.1 applies only if the destination contract names it and the supplier demonstrates the relevant scope.
The supplier packing list should map member marks to containers. The appointed installer controls bolt-up, alignment, grout and cladding; we coordinate handover of the corresponding documents.
Bolted portal members are nested after the piece length is checked against the stated box. A 40HQ plan that ignores splice plates will fail at the door. The packing sheet lists weight per box so the site crane is ordered against the heaviest lift, not the average member.
Galvanized coating mass on cold-formed purlins is recorded where Z275 is specified. Cut edges and weld zones get a repair coat; the coil certificate does not cover those faces by itself.
Procurement coordination can request an unloading and installation method statement from the supplier. The appointed installer remains responsible for bracing, bolts and weather sealing; civil permits, fire systems and crane inspections sit with qualified local parties. MEP preinstallation is limited to sleeves and brackets that were on the frozen model; late duct loads are a revision.
Cladding stays off until grout and the torque record for the moment connections in that bay are filed. That rule is written because closed walls hide missing bolts.
We coordinate the procurement sequence from project brief to supplier shortlist, quotation comparison, sample review and inspection planning. The selected supplier remains responsible for design, fabrication and product documentation; the local professional team determines permitting.
The comparison matrix separates welded shipping pieces from bolted transport pieces, including container fit, lifting weight and site torque work. A supplier must document the connection design for the destination code before an order is placed.
For a teaching building brief, suppliers may quote PIR and rock wool wall assemblies against the same thermal and fire criteria. We ask for full assembly test scope, panel thickness, density, U-value and joint details before a buyer compares price or weight.
This example describes a possible review path rather than a past delivery. We would request the supplier drawing revision, coating schedule, member marks and loading plan before coordinating an inspection hold point.
If those fields are blank, the desk returns the inquiry to intake instead of issuing a shop date.