A formal document issued by prime contractors or operators asking subcontractors to submit detailed pricing and specifications for specific field services, equipment, or labour. RFQs typically include project scope, timelines, and technical requirements that subcontractors must address to compete for the contract.
Cash Flow Glossary Term
RFQ (Request for Quote)
Related Terms
DSO (Days Sales Outstanding)
Cash FlowThe average number of days it takes to collect payment after a sale. For field service companies, DSO measures how long between completing work and receiving payment. Industry benchmarks range from 30-60 days.
LEM (Labour, Equipment, Materials)
Cash FlowA breakdown of costs on a field ticket or invoice, separating charges into labor hours, equipment usage, and materials consumed.
Day Rate
Cash FlowA pricing model where contractors are paid a fixed daily rate for equipment and/or personnel, regardless of the amount of work completed that day.
Ticket Rejection
Cash FlowWhen an operator returns a field ticket for correction before approval. Common causes include missing information, rate discrepancies, or insufficient documentation. Rejections delay payment and require rework.
Fixed-Rate Contract
Cash FlowA contract where the subcontractor agrees to complete a defined scope of work for a set price, regardless of actual labour or material costs incurred — meaning cost overruns come directly out of your margin. Common in construction and turnaround work, these contracts reward efficient crews and tight project management but carry significant financial risk if scope creep or site conditions aren't carefully managed upfront.
Revenue Leakage
Cash FlowRevenue that is earned but never collected due to operational inefficiencies. Common causes include lost field tickets, unbilled equipment hours, forgotten third-party charges, and documentation errors. Industry estimates suggest 1-5% of revenue is lost to leakage in paper-based operations.
Latest Cash Flow News
Cash Flow
Eni Cuts Annual Capex by $2B, Raises Shareholder Payouts Under 2026-30 Plan
Italian energy major Eni is reducing annual capital investment by roughly EUR 2 billion and boosting shareholder distributions under its updated five-year plan, a shift that signals tighter upstream spending through 2030.
yesterday Cash FlowAlberta Landowners Block Oil Company Operations Over Three Years of Unpaid Lease Payments
Edmonton-area landowners erected blockades against MAGA Energy after the company allegedly failed to pay land lease fees for three years, highlighting payment risks for field service contractors.
6 days ago Cash FlowTariffs Push Construction Input Prices Up 7% to Start 2026
January saw a sharp spike in nonresidential construction costs, driven by tariff-affected materials like copper, steel, and industrial controls. Here's what subcontractors need to know.
20 days ago Cash FlowStudy: Mid-Sized Field Service Companies Losing $1.8M Annually to Operational Inefficiency
New research quantifies the true cost of paper-based field operations. Revenue leakage, admin overhead, and delayed approvals combine to drain nearly 5% of revenue for a typical 75-person operation.
22 days agoRelated Guides
Cash Flow Guide
Job Costing for Field Service Companies: How to Know If You're Actually Making Money
A practical job costing guide for oilfield and construction subcontractors. Track labor, equipment, and materials per job to find profit leaks and bid smarter.
Cash Flow GuideHow to Reduce Field Ticket Rejections: A Subcontractor's Complete Guide
Learn why field ticket rejections happen, what every ticket must include, and proven steps to get oilfield invoices approved faster and protect your cash flow.
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