HOW TO REQUEST A QUOTE FROM JMC FABRICATION
Three channels reach JMC Fabrication: call (228) 762-3156, email info@jmcfab.com, or submit the form at jmcfab.com/contact. A complete RFQ includes scope, materials, specs and code references, drawings or isometrics, target schedule, and delivery location. JMC's engineering team reviews submitted packages, issues RFIs where the scope needs clarification, and returns a budgetary or firm quote depending on what's available.
The shorter answer for procurement teams comparing shops: send a real RFQ with drawings, get a real quote back. Send a vague scope and you get a vague number. The completeness of the package decides the speed and accuracy of the response.
Published May 19, 2026 · JMC Fabrication
Most RFQs come in by email because email handles attachments cleanly. Drawings, PDFs, Revit files, spec sections, and bid documents all land at info@jmcfab.com, get logged, and route to the engineering team for review. The email channel is the path of least resistance for any RFQ with documentation attached.
Phone is the right channel when the project is in early scoping and the customer wants to talk through it before sending paperwork. Call (228) 762-3156 during shop hours, Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM Central. A 10-minute conversation often clarifies which way to scope an RFQ before drawings get sent. Walk-ins to 4502 Chicot Rd in Pascagoula are also welcome by appointment.
The web form at /contact is for buyers who want a structured intake. The form captures scope, contact info, and a brief project description, and routes into the same review process as email. The form is the right entry point when a customer is browsing the site, sees a service that fits, and wants to initiate contact without composing a full email.
The faster JMC's engineering team can review and quote a project, the more useful the RFQ has to be. Here's the checklist that produces the cleanest first-pass quote:
- Scope: What's being fabricated. Pipe spools, duct, pump skid, custom weldment, structural subbase, mounting frame. A one-line description plus a quantity is enough to start. The more specific the scope, the more accurate the quote.
- Materials: Carbon steel (and grade if known), stainless steel (304 or 316), galvanized, copper. If the spec leaves material open, say so and ask for a recommendation. Material is the single biggest cost driver after labor, so this line item moves the number more than any other.
- Specifications and codes: ASME B31.1 or B31.3 for pressure piping. SMACNA pressure class and seal class for duct. AWS structural welding code. NAVSEA references for naval work. Industry-specific specs (API, AWWA, ANSI). If the customer's engineer has issued a project specification, attach the relevant sections.
- Drawings or isometrics: Shop drawings, P&IDs, isometrics, Revit models, AutoCAD DWGs, or even hand sketches. JMC's engineering can work from any starting point, but the cleaner the input, the cleaner the output. If a model exists, send the model. If only PDFs exist, send the PDFs.
- Target schedule: When does the customer need the work delivered? A target ship date or install date drives the production schedule. If the schedule is flexible, say flexible. If it's locked, say locked. Phased schedules with multiple ship dates get noted so the production plan reflects them.
- Delivery location: Where the work ships to. Pascagoula, Mobile, New Orleans, regional Gulf Coast, somewhere further out. Freight is part of the quote on most projects, and delivery distance plus access constraints (truck size, crane requirements, jobsite hours) shape the freight line item.
Once an RFQ lands, the engineering team logs it and assigns a project number. The first review pass checks completeness: does the scope make sense, are the materials specified, are the drawings legible, is the schedule realistic. Anything missing or ambiguous gets flagged for an RFI back to the customer.
The second pass is technical: do the welding procedures already exist for the material and joint type, does the NDE plan in the spec match JMC's standard QC workflow, is there anything in the drawings that conflicts with code or with the project's stated requirements. This is where engineering catches issues that would otherwise show up at fabrication or inspection.
The third pass is commercial: material pricing, labor estimate, shop time, freight, and any specialty work that drives cost (long-lead alloys, third-party NDE, weekend production). The quote returns to the customer with a line-item breakdown so the buyer can see what's driving the number, not just the bottom number.
Different stages of a project call for different quote types. Here's how the two differ:
| Quote Type | When It Fits | What's Included | Typical Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budgetary quote | Early-stage projects, conceptual design, GC pricing exercises | Order-of-magnitude pricing based on partial scope, material assumptions noted | A few business days for typical scope |
| Firm quote | Issued-for-construction drawings, locked spec, defined schedule | Detailed line items: material, labor, freight, documentation | Longer, scaled to scope complexity |
| Quote with RFIs | Scope or spec has gaps that affect pricing | Quote returned with assumptions noted, RFIs sent in parallel | Initial response fast, final quote after RFI answers |
| Re-quote on revisions | Scope or schedule changed after the original quote | Delta from original quote with revised line items | Faster than a fresh quote, scaled to revision size |
An RFI is a Request for Information, and it's how JMC's engineering team asks a clarifying question on a submitted RFQ. RFIs go back to the customer in writing, numbered, with the specific question and the context. They aren't a sign of a difficult project, they're a sign that engineering is reading carefully.
Common RFIs on duct work: which SMACNA pressure class, what's the seal class, is the gauge specified or selected by the fabricator, are there specialty fittings (sound attenuators, fire dampers) inside or outside the scope. Common RFIs on pipe spool work: what's the ASME B31 code path, what's the pressure rating, what's the NDE plan, are there project-specific welding procedure requirements, what's the material grade and schedule.
RFIs typically come back as a small batch (three to six questions on a moderate-scope RFQ) rather than one at a time. The customer answers, the quote firms up, and the project moves forward. Skipping the RFI step and assuming on the back end is how a quote ends up wrong, which is worse for both parties than a 24-hour delay to clarify.
The cleanest first-pass quotes share a few common traits. If a customer wants to shorten the cycle from RFQ to firm number, here's what helps:
- Send issued-for-construction drawings instead of preliminary drawings when they exist
- Include the mechanical specification or the relevant sections of it, not just drawings
- Specify materials by grade (A36, A53, A106, 304, 316) instead of generic terms (steel, stainless)
- Include the SMACNA pressure class for duct or the ASME B31 reference for pipe
- Provide the project's NDE plan or note that JMC's standard QC applies
- Identify the delivery location and any site access constraints
- State the schedule and any phasing the GC or mechanical sub is targeting
- Identify the primary point of contact for technical questions (often different from the procurement contact)
- Note any prior JMC project the work relates to, so engineering can reference previous procedures and packages
How quickly does JMC respond to a new RFQ?
Initial acknowledgment goes out within a business day on most RFQs. The full quote turnaround depends on scope size, completeness of the package, and whether RFIs are needed. Small-scope RFQs with complete documentation can come back within a few business days. Large multi-phase RFQs with significant engineering review take longer and JMC's PM gives a target date once the package is logged.
Can I get a budgetary number before I have final drawings?
Yes. Budgetary quotes are standard for early-stage projects, GC pricing exercises, and conceptual design work. The quote comes back with the assumptions noted so the customer knows what's locked and what's a placeholder. As the design firms up, the budgetary quote gets refined into a firm quote.
What if my project doesn't have drawings yet?
JMC's engineering team can produce drawings as part of the scope if that fits the project. Common starting points without drawings include P&IDs for pipe work, architectural backgrounds with mechanical scope marked up, hand sketches with dimensions, or a site walk for retrofit and repair projects. The RFQ stage is where the deliverable scope (drawings included or excluded) gets defined.
Do I need to know which welding procedures my project requires?
No. JMC's engineering and QC team selects the WPS from the procedure library based on the material, joint type, position, and code path. The customer specifies the code reference (ASME B31.3, AWS D1.1, NAVSEA, etc.) and the project specification, and JMC matches the procedure to that. If the project specifies a non-standard procedure that's outside JMC's existing library, procedure qualification gets scoped at quote stage.
Will JMC sign an NDA on a sensitive project?
Yes. NDAs are common on proprietary equipment, defense work, and early-stage product development. Send the NDA with the RFQ or before the RFQ, JMC reviews and signs, and the technical documentation flows after. Confidentiality on customer-specific designs, equipment, and processes is part of how the shop operates.
Can I tour the shop before placing an order?
Yes, by appointment. The 50,000 sq ft Pascagoula facility is open for buyer tours, and walking the shop is a useful step for procurement teams comparing fabricators. Call (228) 762-3156 to schedule. Tours typically include the engineering room, the production floor, and QC, with project examples from the work currently on the floor.
What's the service area for JMC's quotes?
Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana are the primary service area, with Pascagoula at the center. The Southeast and national accounts are handled on larger projects where freight and project size justify the geography. Coastal projects and Gulf Coast industrial work make up the bulk of the project mix, with marine and oil & gas concentrated regionally.