The USD 500 RFQ payment covers Financely’s initial transaction review, financing route classification, document check, and next-step assessment.
If the transaction proceeds into a full advisory mandate, the USD 500 may be credited against the advisory retainer stated in the engagement letter.
What The RFQ Review Includes
Financely reviews capital-intensive transactions, generally from USD 5,000,000 and above. The RFQ review is the first paid assessment stage for borrowers, sponsors, importers, exporters, commodity traders, real estate buyers, business acquirers, and project sponsors seeking structured capital support.
The review covers the transaction facts available at submission, the financing route most likely to fit the request, the documents provided, and the next step required to move the file into a formal advisory workflow.
| Transaction intake | Review of the submitted RFQ, including borrower or sponsor details, requested amount, currency, country, timing, counterparties, use of proceeds, repayment source, and current stage. |
| Financing classification | Classification of the request by product type, including trade finance, commodity finance, project finance, asset-based lending, receivables finance, commercial real estate debt, acquisition finance, or credit enhancement structuring. |
| Document check | Review of documents submitted with the RFQ, including contracts, invoices, purchase orders, letters of credit, offtake agreements, financial models, PSAs, LOIs, APAs, borrower profiles, collateral schedules, or lender correspondence. |
| Funding route assessment | Initial assessment of whether the request fits lender matching, advisory structuring, credit enhancement, trade finance packaging, private credit distribution, ABL review, or another financing route. |
| Gap identification | Identification of missing documents, unclear commercial terms, incomplete counterparty information, weak repayment evidence, collateral gaps, or mandate-readiness issues. |
| Next-step assessment | Internal decision on the next practical step, which may include a document request, product routing, advisory proposal, restructuring recommendation, or decline decision. |
Why Skilled Review Matters
Assessing a USD 5,000,000+ financing request requires practitioners who understand repayment sources, collateral, counterparty risk, documentary credits, borrowing bases, security packages, lender appetite, KYT, sanctions exposure, and closing conditions.
Practitioners with this experience typically charge a minimum of USD 200 per hour. The USD 500 RFQ payment covers a limited initial review, classification, document check, and next-step assessment. It does not cover full underwriting, lender outreach, financial modelling, capital provider negotiation, or closing support.
Experienced clients already understand this. They know that capital providers work from documents, transaction control, repayment logic, security, compliance files, and credible execution timelines. They expect a paid review process because the transaction itself is commercial, document-led, and time-sensitive.
Financely’s internal intake experience is clear. Clients who refused to pay the RFQ payment have not converted into advisory retainers. More than 95% of clients who paid for an RFQ proceeded into a full-scope retainer.
The reason is practical. Paid RFQ clients usually understand the market, have fair expectations, control the transaction, and are prepared to invest in proper transaction preparation before approaching lenders or investors.
Transaction Types Covered At RFQ Stage
Financely reviews RFQs across several structured finance categories. The USD 500 RFQ payment applies to the initial review stage, before deeper advisory, underwriting, modelling, packaging, or lender distribution work begins.
Trade And Commodity Finance
- Import finance
- Export finance
- Commodity trade finance
- Pre-shipment finance
- Post-shipment finance
- Inventory and warehouse finance
- Receivables finance
- LC-backed trade finance
- SBLC-backed transaction review
Structured Capital Requests
- Project finance
- Commercial real estate debt
- Business acquisition finance
- Asset-based lending
- Credit enhancement structuring
- Private credit placement
- Lender matching
- Receivables and borrowing base finance
- Capital stack structuring
Good Fit And Outside Scope
Good Fit For Financely
- Borrowers, sponsors, buyers, sellers, or operators with a live transaction.
- Transactions generally from USD 5,000,000 and above.
- Clients with contracts, invoices, POs, LCs, offtake agreements, PSAs, LOIs, APAs, financial models, collateral schedules, or lender correspondence.
- Decision-makers who understand that underwriting, structuring, and capital placement require paid professional work.
- Clients ready to move into a full advisory mandate if the RFQ review confirms a financeable route.
Outside Scope
- Internet joker-brokers circulating commodity transactions without client authority, documents, or budget.
- SBLC requesters asking for bank instruments with no transaction, repayment source, or advisory budget.
- Parties with ready buyers and ready sellers but no signed documents, no capital, and no control over the deal.
- Borrowers expecting free lender access, free structuring, or guaranteed funding before review.
- Submissions that cannot pass basic KYC, KYT, sanctions, counterparty, or document-readiness checks.
Documents Reviewed During The RFQ
The documents required depend on the transaction type. A trade finance RFQ requires a different file from a project finance RFQ, a real estate acquisition, or a business acquisition financing request.
| Transaction Category | Useful Documents At RFQ Stage |
|---|---|
| Trade finance | Purchase orders, commercial invoices, sales contracts, buyer and seller details, trade route, incoterms, payment terms, LC drafts, SBLC terms, inspection details, logistics details, and shipment schedule. |
| Commodity finance | SPA or draft SPA, product specifications, quantity, origin, destination, buyer details, seller details, warehouse receipts, collateral details, inspection terms, title transfer mechanics, and payment instrument details. |
| Project finance | Project summary, financial model, permits, licences, land rights, EPC contract, offtake agreement, concession documents, sponsor profile, capital stack, debt requirement, and equity contribution details. |
| Commercial real estate debt | PSA, asset summary, purchase price, valuation, rent roll, operating statement, lender quote, existing debt summary, sponsor profile, closing timeline, and equity contribution details. |
| Business acquisition finance | LOI, APA, seller financials, buyer profile, acquisition price, source and use schedule, equity contribution, debt requirement, target company summary, and repayment plan. |
| Asset-based lending | Borrower profile, accounts receivable ageing, inventory schedule, collateral schedule, existing debt details, customer concentration, historical financials, and borrowing base information. |
The USD 500 Credit Mechanic
If Financely accepts the transaction into a full advisory mandate, the USD 500 RFQ payment may be credited against the advisory retainer stated in the engagement letter.
For example, where the advisory retainer is USD 10,000, the RFQ payment may reduce the payable retainer balance to USD 9,500, subject to the signed engagement terms.
The credit applies where Financely accepts the transaction into a formal advisory mandate and confirms the credit in the engagement terms. The engagement letter controls the final scope, retainer, timeline, deliverables, and commercial terms.
What Financely Assesses
The RFQ review assesses the commercial shape of the request. Financely looks at whether the transaction has enough structure, documentation, counterparties, repayment logic, and timeline clarity to move into a deeper paid advisory process.
Commercial Review
- Requested funding amount
- Use of proceeds
- Transaction stage
- Repayment source
- Buyer or offtaker profile
- Seller or supplier profile
- Tenor and payment terms
- Closing timeline
Capital Readiness Review
- Document completeness
- Collateral position
- Jurisdictional risk
- Counterparty transparency
- KYC and KYT readiness
- Lender or investor fit
- Advisory scope required
- Mandate readiness
Reserved For A Full Advisory Mandate
The RFQ review is an initial screening and transaction-routing stage. Deeper work belongs inside a formal advisory mandate with a defined scope, retainer, deliverables, and timeline.
| Workstream | Handled Under Full Advisory Mandate |
|---|---|
| Underwriting | Detailed credit review, transaction analysis, lender-ready underwriting memo, repayment analysis, capital structure review, and risk assessment. |
| Financial modelling | Project finance model, acquisition finance model, borrowing base model, debt sizing, DSCR analysis, working capital schedule, or repayment waterfall. |
| Transaction packaging | Teaser, lender memo, investor deck, data room checklist, term sheet support, capital stack summary, and funding materials. |
| Capital provider outreach | Lender distribution, investor outreach, private credit introductions, deal follow-up, Q&A handling, and indicative term sheet coordination. |
| Negotiation support | Review of indicative terms, negotiation of economics, covenant review, conditions precedent, security package, and closing process support. |
Possible RFQ Review Outcomes
After the RFQ review, Financely confirms the most practical next step based on the submitted file.
Proceeding Outcomes
- Full advisory mandate proposal
- AI Lender Match routing
- Credit enhancement review
- Trade finance packaging route
- Project finance advisory route
- Commercial real estate debt advisory route
- Acquisition finance advisory route
File Development Outcomes
- Request for missing documents
- Document checklist
- Transaction restructuring recommendation
- Counterparty clarification request
- Collateral information request
- Repayment source clarification
- Decline decision where the file is outside scope
FAQ
What does the USD 500 RFQ review include?
It includes initial transaction intake, financing classification, document check, funding route assessment, gap identification, and next-step assessment.
What size transactions does Financely usually review?
Financely generally works on capital-intensive transactions from USD 5,000,000 and above. Smaller requests may be reviewed only where the structure, collateral, repayment source, or strategic value justifies the work.
Can the USD 500 be credited toward a full advisory mandate?
Yes. If Financely accepts the transaction into a full advisory mandate, the USD 500 may be credited against the advisory retainer stated in the engagement letter.
What documents should be submitted with the RFQ?
Useful documents may include purchase orders, invoices, contracts, LC drafts, SBLC terms, offtake agreements, financial models, permits, PSAs, LOIs, APAs, borrower profiles, accounts, and collateral schedules.
Is lender outreach included in the RFQ review?
Lender outreach is handled under a formal advisory mandate after scope, pricing, deliverables, and engagement terms are agreed in writing.
Submit A Paid RFQ
Submit your transaction details and supporting documents for Financely’s initial review. The USD 500 RFQ payment covers classification, document review, transaction routing, and next-step assessment.
Financely is not a bank, direct lender, broker-dealer, securities exchange, or investment adviser. The USD 500 RFQ payment covers initial review only. Any advisory work, lender outreach, investor outreach, underwriting, modelling, transaction packaging, or closing support requires a separate written engagement. Financing outcomes remain subject to documentation, KYC, KYT, AML, sanctions screening, lender or investor appetite, legal review, credit review, and final approvals.