How long does it take to get proposals after I submit an RFQ?

A person reviews your brief first — usually within one business day. If the brief is complete (production target, site, water data, sizing basis), initial project-matched supplier responses typically arrive within 2–4 weeks, with a comparable quote matrix after scope alignment. Incomplete briefs take longer because the review step comes back with questions before sourcing starts.

What are the stages my RFQ moves through?

Submitted → under review → sourcing (matched suppliers are approached on your scope) → proposals in → comparison and clarification → handoff to the supplier you choose. If you have a buyer portal account, each stage change appears on your RFQ timeline as it happens.

Can I speed my RFQ up?

Yes — completeness is the lever. Attach calculator outputs (flow, head, oxygen demand, filtration load, feed tonnage), state your water source and salinity, and mark unknowns honestly instead of leaving them blank. Briefs that pass review without questions move to sourcing immediately.

Can I update or withdraw an RFQ after submitting?

Yes, through the buyer portal or by replying to your confirmation email. Changes made before sourcing starts are folded into the brief; changes after suppliers are engaged are issued as a scope revision so every supplier still prices the same thing.

How are proposals shared with me?

Proposals come back against one identical scope and are shared with you through FishMatch — in your buyer portal room and by email notification. You compare line items like-for-like instead of decoding five different quote formats.

Do I see which suppliers sent the proposals?

Not initially. Supplier identities stay confidential until you choose to engage — this is what keeps suppliers quoting honestly and protects you from unsolicited sales contact. When you decide to move forward with a proposal, FishMatch makes the introduction manually.

Can I ask a supplier questions before deciding?

Yes. Clarification questions are passed through FishMatch in writing, so answers stay on record and reach every supplier where the question affects scope. Nothing goes supplier-direct until you choose the handoff.

Will my project details be shared with suppliers I didn't choose?

Your brief is shared only with suppliers matched to your project for quoting, and without your identity. Losing bidders never learn who you are, and your brief is never published or reused for another buyer.

How do I sign in to the buyer portal?

Create an account with email and password or Google sign-in from the portal page. Once signed in, your RFQs, their stage, proposal activity and desk messages are in one private room — no more searching email threads.

Do I need an account to submit an RFQ?

No. You can submit an RFQ without an account and track it via the confirmation email. An account is recommended once you have live RFQs, because the timeline, proposals and stage updates live in the portal.

I submitted an RFQ before creating an account — can I still see it?

Yes. Create the account with the same email you used on the RFQ and the request is linked to your portal room automatically.

Who else can see my portal?

Only you and the FishMatch desk. Suppliers never see your portal, your other RFQs, or your contact details until you choose an introduction. Your data is not shared with other buyers.

How much does a commercial RAS cost per tonne of production?

As a planning range, intensive RAS typically lands between $8,000 and $25,000 of CAPEX per tonne of annual production, depending on species, intensity, climate (HVAC duty), redundancy level and how much civil work is included. Shrimp RAS sits at the upper end because of lower stocking densities and higher biosecurity requirements. Use the FishMatch RAS cost calculator for a project-specific range before looking at any quote.

What is the breakdown between CAPEX and OPEX in a RAS budget?

CAPEX covers tanks, filtration, aeration/oxygenation, pumps, HVAC, controls, backup power and civil works. OPEX is dominated by feed and energy — typically 55–70% of operating cost — followed by labour, fingerlings/post-larvae, water treatment consumables and maintenance. A project that only models CAPEX is not a budget; both sides must be stress-tested.

Why do two RAS quotes for the same farm differ by 40% or more?

Almost always scope, not price. One quote includes HVAC, redundancy, installation and commissioning; the other is equipment-only ex-works. Quotes only become comparable when every supplier prices the same line items on the same sizing basis. That is exactly what the FishMatch human-reviewed RFQ process enforces before any supplier is contacted.

What hidden costs do buyers most often miss in RAS budgets?

HVAC and dehumidification, backup power and redundancy, freight and import duties, installation and commissioning, the first production cycle's working capital (feed, PLs, energy before first harvest), and contingency below 10%. These are covered in detail in the 10 planning mistakes guide.

What shrimp survival rate should I plan for in RAS vs ponds?

For planning, use conservative figures: well-run intensive RAS vannamei systems achieve 70–85% survival cycle after cycle; ponds vary widely from 40–70% depending on disease pressure. Never build a business plan on the best cycle you have ever seen — model the average, then stress-test the downside.

How does survival rate change the economics of a shrimp farm?

Survival is a multiplier on everything: 10 points of survival at harvest is roughly 10% more biomass sold against nearly the same feed, energy and PL cost. A farm planned at 85% that delivers 65% does not lose 20% of profit — it can lose most of it, because fixed costs stay put.

What actually drives shrimp survival in intensive systems?

Post-larvae quality and screening, water quality stability (ammonia, nitrite, alkalinity, temperature swings), biosecurity, stocking density versus system capacity, and feed management. Equipment supports survival; husbandry and PL quality determine it. Any supplier promising survival numbers without asking about your PL source is guessing.

How should survival assumptions appear in an RFQ?

State your planned survival, FCR and harvest-size assumptions explicitly in the brief. Suppliers then size against the same production reality, and their guarantees can be compared like-for-like. The FishMatch review step checks that these assumptions are stated before sourcing starts.

How long does an aquaculture project take from idea to first harvest?

A realistic path: 2–6 weeks for a scoped brief and RFQ, 4–8 weeks for human-reviewed supplier sourcing and comparable quotes, 6–12 months total from feasibility to a bankable package, and 18–24 months to commissioning for a commercial RAS. Add the first production cycle (3–6 months for shrimp) before revenue.

How long does the FishMatch sourcing process take?

Once your brief passes review, initial project-matched supplier responses typically arrive within 2–4 weeks, with a comparable quote matrix after scope alignment. Timelines depend on how complete the brief is — water data, site and sizing basis speed everything up.

What slows aquaculture projects down the most?

Redesign after quotes arrive (skipped sizing), permits and discharge consents, long-lead equipment, and financing that starts after design instead of in parallel. Starting the planning checklist and the RFQ brief early is the cheapest schedule insurance available.

When should I request quotes — before or after feasibility?

After you have a scoped brief: production target, site, water data and a sizing basis. Requesting quotes earlier produces numbers that cannot be compared; requesting them after full engineering wastes months. The middle path is a human-reviewed RFQ on a planning-level scope.

Buyer FAQ: RAS Costs, Shrimp Survival & Project Timelines

The three questions every serious aquaculture buyer asks first: what it costs, what survives, and how long it takes. Conservative, planning-level answers — no sales numbers — with the tools to test each one on your own project.

Supplier and manufacturer listings are provided for research, transparency and discovery only. FishMatch Group does not provide automatic buyer-supplier introductions. Every aquaculture project request is reviewed manually by David / FishMatch Group, and supplier introductions are made only after internal approval.

RFQ process & timelines

Ready to start?Build your RFQ in five steps·Request a human-reviewed quote

Proposals & confidentiality

Buyer portal & sign-in

Skip the reading:Create your buyer account·Sign in to your portal·See how the portal works

RAS costs & budgets

Shrimp survival & economics

Project & sourcing timelines

Test the numbers on your project

RAS cost — planning ranges and cost drivers RAS shrimp farm — costs, design and survival economics RAS planning — the six-step path from target to RFQ The 10 planning mistakes checklist Case study: indoor RAS shrimp farm Planning check — score your project against the checklist The buyer journey map — five stages from enquiry to handoff Buyer portal — sign in and track your RFQs

Numbers check out? Get comparable quotes.

Submit your project brief. A person reviews every RFQ before any supplier is contacted, and sourcing starts only after that review — suppliers never see you, and you never see them, until the match is right.

Request a human-reviewed quote See how the buyer portal works Buyer portal FAQ

What is the fastest way to get quotes for Buyer FAQ?

Submit one structured request for Buyer FAQ. FishMatch Group translates it into a technical RFQ, runs a confidential sourcing round with project-matched international suppliers, and returns comparable quotations. No fee is charged to the buyer, and your identity and project details stay private until you choose to proceed.

How it works:

One structured request, human-reviewed before any supplier outreach

Typical turnaround:

Depends on scope and site data; no turnaround is guaranteed

Confidentiality:

Supplier names are never exposed during evaluation

Cost to buyers:

No fee charged to the buyer