Supplier engineering review starts with a named design basis

Our procurement service starts with a named design basis and a supplier question list. We coordinate supplier matching, quotation comparison, sample requests, inspection coordination, consolidation and export documents. Wind, snow, seismic, occupancy and foundation criteria must be supplied or confirmed by the project team. The selected supplier and engineer of record own the calculations, welding procedures and local compliance evidence.

Review compliance options Request specifications
Close view of a bolted portal haunch and base plate on a drawing table
  • Design loads Basic wind, snow and seismic values stay blank until the site is named.
  • Steel grade Q355 or S355 is the usual main-frame starting point, changed if the spec says otherwise.
  • Fire strategy Minutes apply to the tested wall or coating system, not to the word fireproof.

What is frozen, and what is still open

A supplier quotation that skips the design basis is only a budget range. Tonnage, anchor bolts and cladding area can change when site inputs change. Our comparison matrix separates clear span, crane provision, collateral loads, coating scope, freight assumptions and the code basis so buyers can compare like with like.

Input Recorded before mill release Still open at first contact
Wind Basic speed or pressure from the named code, exposure and topography noted A generic 45 m/s figure copied from another country
Snow Ground snow in kN/m2 plus drift zones at step roofs and parapets A flat roof live load used as a substitute
Seismic PGA or seismic design category and the site class A slogan that the frame is earthquake proof
Crane Wheel load, hook height and runway elevation on the column schedule A crane added after base plates are drilled
Fire Required minutes, the element (wall, roof, or coating) and the test reference A sandwich-panel core grade used as the whole building rating

Limitation: This sourcing desk does not state that IBC, Eurocode 3, NCC or a local permit will be granted. The structural engineer of record for the site still signs the calculations that the authority asks for. Another limit is crane reach on site. A 60 m clear span that fits the model may not fit the access road or the mobile crane chart. A third limit is temporary occupancy. Calling a building relocatable does not remove fire, energy or accessibility rules for the use and the country.

Material, weld and coat, in release order

We request a fabrication record from shortlisted suppliers in a defined sequence. Each record must be current for the selected supplier and project; the steps below are document requests, not milestones achieved by this sourcing desk.

  1. I

    Heat and grade

    Ask the supplier to identify main members to a heat number. Q355B or S355 is common for rigid frames. Light-gauge purlins and girts are called out separately, often with a Z275 galvanized coating mass when the exposure note asks for it. The requested material certificate should stay with the piece mark.

  2. II

    Weld procedure

    Ask whether shop splices on built-up rafters use a written procedure. Where the contract cites AWS D1.1, the procedure and the inspector category follow that code. Where the contract cites EN 1090, execution class and welder qualification follow the execution specification. One stamp is not pasted onto both regimes.

  3. III

    Coating after weld

    The supplier should mask or repair galvanized secondary steel at welds. Ask the supplier to show that painted primary steel uses the surface preparation named in the coating note, such as a blast grade plus a dry-film thickness. Coastal sites and dry inland sites do not share one system. Cut edges on purlins should be listed, because the mill coating does not cover a saw cut.

  4. IV

    Pack and lift

    Ask that bundle marks match the erection sequence. Lifting points on frames should be the points shown on the drawing, not a random hole. Request anchor-bolt templates with the base-plate drawing so the foundation interface can be checked before concrete.

Supplier documents requested by project

The files below are evidence categories to request from shortlisted suppliers. Availability, revision date, scope and authenticity must be verified before a buyer relies on any document. We can coordinate a review of inputs and units, but we do not issue permits or engineering approvals.

Product data, portal frame

Applies to warehouses, workshops and hangars · supplier revision to verify

Load criteria worksheet

Wind, snow, seismic, collateral · supplier revision to verify

Installation sequence outline

Unloading, bolt tension, weather seal · supplier revision to verify

Compliance scope note

What ISO 9001 covers, and what it does not · supplier revision to verify

Request a comparable supplier quotation

Include country, code family if known, clear span, eave height, crane data, building use and destination port. We will match potential suppliers and compare their documented scope, then coordinate inspection and export steps if a supplier is selected.