What does an EPC need to include in a bid package to get a fast equipment quote?

Six categories of real process data: the leach chemistry and guaranteed concentration range, temperature and flow conditions at each stage, the exact CSI spec section if one exists, the manufacturer basis-of-design, vendor onboarding requirements sent with the invitation, and the bid timeline.

Why does a bid package need the guaranteed concentration range, not just the nominal percentage?

Commercial "98%" sulfuric acid can run above 98.3% on the certificate of analysis — a materially different design condition that determines whether the quoted material actually survives in service. A supplier quoting from the chemical name alone, without the guaranteed range, is quoting blind.

Field Guide / Bid Desk

Leach Circuit Bid Package Checklist

Q: Does every mining equipment category have a CSI MasterFormat section number?

No. Slurry pumps and mining pumps fall under the general Overhung Horizontal Centrifugal Pumps category (Section 43 23 13) — there is no separate slurry pump code. Heap leach irrigation systems have no dedicated CSI MasterFormat section at all. A bid package that assumes one exists can send both sides chasing a number that was never real.

What an EPC or mine owner needs to send an equipment supplier to get a real quote back in a day — not a caveated placeholder two weeks later.

✓6 categories of process data that determine quote speed and accuracy — chemistry, temperature, spec section, basis-of-design, onboarding, timeline

✓The concentration mistake almost every RFQ makes — nominal vs. guaranteed range, and why it matters

✓A real CSI MasterFormat honesty check — which mining equipment categories don't actually have a dedicated spec number

✓A complete, ready-to-use checklist for your next equipment RFQ

Built for EPC estimators, mine-owner procurement teams, and anyone writing a leach circuit equipment RFQ.

The Two Variables Most RFQs Leave Out

Most RFQ packages sent to equipment suppliers describe the pipe size and the flow rate and stop there — leaving out the two variables (exact concentration and confirmed operating temperature) that actually determine whether the quoted material survives in service. A material rated fine for 75% H₂SO₄ can crack at 98.3% from a sulfur trioxide contaminant that only appears above that threshold.

A CSI Number That Doesn't Actually Exist

Not every mining equipment category has a dedicated CSI MasterFormat section. Slurry pumps fall under the general Centrifugal Liquid Pumps category — there's no separate "slurry pump" code. Heap leach irrigation systems have no dedicated CSI section at all. A bid package that assumes one exists can send both sides chasing a number that was never real.

Vendor Onboarding — Send It With the Invitation, Not After

The single biggest cause of a bid invitation stalling isn't the equipment quote — it's vendor registration paperwork arriving late or piecemeal. Mining procurement is largely private and EPC-led, not run through public plan-holder lists, which makes sending onboarding requirements up front even more important than on a municipal bid.

This guide reflects LibertyCES's own bid-desk experience as of September 2026. Individual project and agency requirements vary — confirm the specific documentation your process needs directly.

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James Riggins

LibertyCES — Liberty Chemical Equipment & Supply

30+ years in industrial chemical systems, reviewing real process conditions before a part number ever gets recommended.

(559) 395-5500 ·[email protected] ·[email protected] ·libertyces.com