What aerospace buyers check on a supplier’s website before sending an RFQ

In aerospace, a buyer can’t afford to choose the wrong supplier. A part without proper traceability, or a vendor who isn’t approved, is a problem nobody wants to explain. So before an RFQ goes out, procurement checks you out online. This is the checklist they’re running in their heads, and what your website needs to show for each item.

Certifications and approvals, on the first screen

The first question is always the same: are you qualified to supply this? Buyers look for the certifications that apply to your business, such as:

• AS9100 (manufacturing) or AS9120 (distribution), and ISO 9001
• FAA AC 00-56 accreditation for distributors
• FAA Part 145 or EASA Part 145 approval for repair stations
• ITAR registration if you handle defense articles
• OEM authorizations and channel partnerships

Don’t bury these in a quality page three clicks deep. Show them on the homepage, and give each one a downloadable certificate with a current expiry date.

If a buyer has to email you to confirm your certifications, they’ve already started looking at someone else.

Traceability and quality documentation

Aerospace buyers need to know that a part’s history is documented. Your site should explain, briefly and clearly:

• What documentation ships with your parts (for example FAA 8130-3 or EASA Form 1 release certificates, and certificates of conformity)
• How you handle traceability back to the manufacturer or last operator
• Your quality policy, and where to request your quality manual
• Your receiving inspection and counterfeit parts prevention process

You don’t need to publish every procedure. You need to show that the procedures exist.

Capabilities and inventory buyers can search

Procurement often starts with a part number, a platform or a capability. Make it easy to confirm you’re relevant:

• Platforms supported: the aircraft and engine types you work on.
• Capabilities: repair, overhaul, exchange, distribution, kitting, each with its own page.
• Condition codes: whether you supply new, overhauled, serviceable or as-removed parts.
• Inventory: if you list on parts marketplaces, say so and link to them; if you have a searchable inventory, put it front and center.

Pages organized like this also help you show up when buyers search Google or ask an AI assistant for a supplier, because they describe exactly what you do.

Who you’ve worked with

Buyers feel safer choosing a supplier others already trust. Where you’re allowed to, show the airlines, operators, MROs and OEMs you support. A short list of recognizable names does more than a paragraph of adjectives.

Certified

Licensed & insured

Client reviews

A clear path to an RFQ

Once a buyer is satisfied, sending an RFQ should take seconds. Put a quote request on every page, and ask only for what you need: part number, quantity, condition and contact details. Send it straight to the right inbox, and track where every request came from.

Separate paths for commercial and military buyers

If you serve both commercial and defense customers, their questions are different: commercial buyers care about certification and turnaround, defense buyers also check registrations and compliance. Give each its own path through the site, so nobody has to sort through information that doesn’t apply to them.

Does your website pass procurement’s check?

0 of 8 yes

• Certifications and approvals are visible on the homepage
• Each certificate can be downloaded, with a current expiry date
• Traceability and release documentation are explained
• Platforms supported are listed
• Each capability (repair, overhaul, exchange, distribution) has its own page
• Customers you support are shown, where you’re allowed to
• A quote request is one click from every page
• Commercial and military buyers each have their own path

Buyers are probably moving on

Procurement can’t confirm the basics quickly. Start with certifications on the first screen and a quote request on every page.

Get a free audit of your site

An example: Reliance Aircraft

Reliance Aircraft International supplies certified parts and repairs to airlines and military programs. Their website now puts AS9120B and ISO 9001 certifications, FAA accreditation and their Honeywell channel-partner status up front, with certificates to download, separates commercial and military buyers, and lets buyers request a quote from any page. See the before and after.

Frequently asked questions

Do buyers really check supplier websites?

Yes. A supplier’s website is usually the quickest way for a buyer to confirm certifications, capabilities and who they’ve worked with before adding them to an RFQ list.

Should we list prices on our website?

Most aerospace suppliers don’t, because pricing depends on part, condition and quantity. A fast, simple quote request does the same job and tells you who’s interested.

What’s the most common mistake on aerospace supplier websites?

Hiding the essentials: certifications on a page nobody finds, capabilities described in generic terms, and a contact page as the only way to ask for a quote.