Letters of Inquiry (Enquiry)
Letters of Inquiry (Enquiry)
Letters of Inquiry (Enquiry)
Ref: JR/ct
Yours faithfully,
J. Rodriguez,
Office Manager
This should inform the reader that this is an
enquiry or request
you have not contacted this organization before, but you have
heard about them. You should describe from where, such as
from an advert or a recommendation
EXAMPLE I saw your advert in the HK Daily on Wednesday, 13
June 2007.
Construction on the new employee cafeteria at Better Widget Makers, Inc. is nearing
completion and I am looking for a supplier capable of fulfilling our weekly bakery needs.
Do you have an information packet that would help me project the cost of doing business
with your company? We will need daily deliveries of pastries, pies, dinner rolls and
sandwich bread. Our facility operates 24/7, Monday through Friday, with a flextime
workforce of 1,500 employees. To complete my operational budget I will need the
following information:
• Wholesale price sheets
• Quantity cost breaks
• Annual contract discounts
• Delivery and or any other service charges.
To submit my proposal to the finance committee at their October 20th meeting I will need
to receive your information by the 10th. I will also need to meet with you after reviewing
the requested materials. Please call me for an appointment at your earliest convenience.
My personal extension is 216-8080, # 29.
In keeping with long-standing policy we would like to place this contract locally. I look
forward to working with you and am hopeful that the Golden Bread Company can fulfill
our needs.
Sincerely,
18 Jun 2007
Notice these
Mr J Wong
Purchasing Officer
sentences in which the
Fortune Goods writer thanks his
317 Orchard Road
Singapore correspondent for an
Dear Mr Wong
inquiry: Pay attention
Enquiry about Batteries
that we “inquire” about
Thank you for your letter of Thursday, 14 June 2007 regarding making
general information,
copies of the sample battery you sent us.
and “request” an object
I have investigated the situation and found that your specifications are
exactly the same as the design of a proprietary camera battery
or a statement.
manufactured by a large Japanese electronics company.
We feel that it would not be in our interests to supply this type of battery.
However, I would like to thank you for considering our company as your
supplier.
Yours sincerely
David Choi
David Choi
Distributions Manager
the following terms of delivery
frequently used in business
letters:
F.o.b. – free on board – means that the seller bears responsibility for the goods until they are
delivered to the port and placed on board the ship, which will further deliver them to the port of
destination. Accordingly, the price, which the buyer pays, doesn't include transportation and
insurance in transit.
C.i.f. – cost, insurance, freight – means that the seller bears responsibility for the goods
during all the way to the port of destination – charters the vessel, organizes loading and insurance
payments – everything up to the final point; all these payments are, of course, included into the
price paid buy the buyer.
Ex-works – free from the factory – means that the seller bears no responsibility for the
goods after they leave factory gates.
c.a.f. – cost and freight paid
f.a.s. – free along side boat They are all enumerated in a document
called “Incoterms” which is issued every
several years.
Unless otherwise indicated by the foundation, the contents will
generally follow this format:
You also may want to say if you are responding to an RFP (Request for Proposals) or make
the connection between the foundation’s interest and your project.
Keep this paragraph short! You will have time later for explaining your rationale for why you
want to do the project, your methodology, or for establishing your credibility.
This section answers the “why” of the project.
Explain what issue you are addressing.
Explain why you have chosen to respond to this set of issues in the way that you have.
State briefly why this matters in the area in which you will be working.
Note who benefits. Make sure you can indicate the public good achieved.
Indicate how evaluation is part of the project – how will you know you’ve achieved these
outcomes?
Demonstrate why your institution or your staff is best equipped to carry out this activity.
Put any historic background about the institution here.
Brag with substance. Indicate awards, rankings, and tangible measures that set you apart from
your peers.
State what the total project cost will be and how much of that you would be requesting from
the foundation. Indicate broad categories of activities to be funded.
Include other sources of funding, both cash and in-kind. Especially indicate what your
institution will contribute. Do not overlook the value of all in-kind contributions, including
those of your collaborators.
Generally it is best to have the highest ranking person available sign the letter even if they are
not identified as the “contact” person. This indicates institutional support