> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.partfinder.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. > ## Agent Instructions > The PartFinder API is served at https://api.partfinder.dev. Authenticate with `Authorization: Bearer $PARTFINDER_API_KEY`; create an account at https://console.partfinder.dev/sign-up and pick pay as you go or a monthly or yearly plan (see https://partfinder.dev/pricing), then create a key. Pay as you go starts with 100 free credits, once per person and per company. > Install the PartFinder agent skill with `npx skills add https://docs.partfinder.dev` (skill file: https://docs.partfinder.dev/skill.md). > The OpenAPI document at https://api.partfinder.dev/v1/openapi.json is the source of truth for request and response schemas. > What each call costs and current plans: https://api.partfinder.dev/llms.txt. # Send a message in a request for quote > Answer the supplier, or send a reminder, in the same email thread as the request for quote. The text is sent as written, under the requester's name. ## OpenAPI ````yaml https://api.partfinder.dev/v1/openapi.json post /v1/rfq/{id}/messages openapi: 3.1.0 info: title: PartFinder API version: 1.0.0 license: name: Proprietary url: https://partfinder.dev/terms description: >- Supply-chain intelligence for industrial parts: risk scoring, supply availability, datasheets, disruption events, BOM analysis, alternates, part search and part comparison. Responses are structured for an AI agent to read — every score carries its scale, direction and an interpretation, every measure carries its unit, every successful response carries `as_of`, and every error carries an `error` code, usually with a `summary` you can relay, except a 413 (request body too large), which has no body. servers: - url: https://api.partfinder.dev security: - bearerAuth: [] tags: - name: Authentication description: Confirm an API key works. - name: Parts description: 'Research one part: risk, supply, datasheet, events, alternates.' - name: BOMs description: Analyze a bill of materials line by line. - name: Events description: >- Supply-chain disruptions: events, the countries they hit, and port and sea-route activity. - name: Search description: >- Find parts for a part number or a description, with specifications and stock. - name: Compare description: >- Put parts side by side on their specifications, with a verdict per specification. - name: RFQs description: Send requests for quote to suppliers and read their replies. - name: Keys description: Give each of your own customers a key that sees only its own data. - name: Webhooks description: >- Be told when a supplier replies, or a search or a comparison ends, instead of polling. paths: /v1/rfq/{id}/messages: post: tags: - RFQs summary: Send a message in a request for quote description: >- Answer the supplier, or send a reminder, in the same email thread as the request for quote. The text is sent as written, under the requester's name. operationId: sendRfqMessage parameters: - name: id in: path required: true schema: type: string description: The request for quote id. - name: Idempotency-Key in: header required: false schema: type: string example: 3d9a7f2e-6c41-4b8e-a5d0-7e2f19c4b863 description: >- Set by your client code, not by a person or a model: generate a new value (a UUID) for each message, and send the same value again only when retrying that same message after a timeout. A retry with the same key on the same request for quote sends nothing and returns the request for quote with the message the first call sent. A key is recognised only from the same API key that sent it. Optional. requestBody: required: true content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/RfqMessageRequest' example: body: >- Hi Tom, Thank you. Can you ship to Singapore, and does the price hold for 1,000 units? Best regards, Jane Smith Acme Corp responses: '201': description: Sent. The body is the request for quote with the new message last. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/RfqResponse' example: as_of: '2026-10-07T09:20:44.903Z' summary: >- Sent to sales@supplier.example in the same thread. Replies appear on GET /v1/rfq/5b0f3c1e-8a2d-4f6b-9c7e-1d2a3b4c5d6e. notice: >- Informational only. Risk scores, stock levels, lead times and alternate-part suggestions may be incomplete, delayed or inaccurate. Independently verify before making procurement, engineering, compliance, safety or sourcing decisions. rfq: id: 5b0f3c1e-8a2d-4f6b-9c7e-1d2a3b4c5d6e status: replied supplier: email: sales@supplier.example name: Example Supplier contact_name: Tom Lee requester: company: Acme Corp contact_name: Jane Smith title: Procurement Manager parts: - mpn: TPS54331DR manufacturer: Texas Instruments quantity: 500 needed_by: '2026-11-30' notify_email: null created_at: '2026-10-05T16:02:09.913Z' first_reply_at: '2026-10-06T14:27:40.551Z' follow_up_count: 1 replies_received: 1 quotes_received: 1 messages: - id: 9e4d2c7a-1b3f-4a5e-8d6c-0f1e2d3c4b5a direction: outbound subject: >- Request for quote: TPS54331DR, 500 units, needed by 30 November 2026 body: >- Hi Tom, My name is Jane Smith, Procurement Manager at Acme Corp. We're looking for 500 units of the Texas Instruments TPS54331DR and need them delivered by 30 November 2026. Could you send your best unit price, availability and lead time, along with any minimum order quantity and how long the quote is valid? Thank you, Jane Smith Acme Corp sent_at: '2026-10-05T16:02:11.307Z' attachments: [] reply_kind: null quote: null - id: 2c8b6e1f-7d3a-4e9b-a1c5-6f0d2e4b8a73 direction: inbound subject: >- Re: Request for quote: TPS54331DR, 500 units, needed by 30 November 2026 body: >- Hi Jane, We can offer TPS54331DR at $1.85 each for 500 units, 6 weeks lead time, MOQ 250. Quote valid for 30 days. Best regards, Tom Lee Example Supplier sent_at: '2026-10-06T14:27:40.551Z' attachments: [] reply_kind: quote quote: unit_price: value: 1.85 words: $1.85 each reason: null currency: value: null words: $1.85 each reason: The reply gives "$" without saying which dollar. quantity: value: 500 words: 500 units reason: null lead_time_days: value: 42 words: 6 weeks reason: null moq: value: 250 words: MOQ 250 reason: null - id: 7a1e9d3c-5b2f-4c8a-9e6d-3f1b0c2a4d58 direction: outbound subject: >- Re: Request for quote: TPS54331DR, 500 units, needed by 30 November 2026 body: >- Hi Tom, Thank you. Can you ship to Singapore, and does the price hold for 1,000 units? Best regards, Jane Smith Acme Corp sent_at: '2026-10-07T09:20:44.512Z' attachments: [] reply_kind: null quote: null headers: X-RateLimit-Limit: description: >- Calls allowed in the current window: the minute or the day, whichever has fewer calls left. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 X-RateLimit-Remaining: description: Calls left in that window. schema: type: integer minimum: 0 X-RateLimit-Reset: description: Seconds until that window resets. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 '400': description: 'The body is not valid: `body` is missing or empty.' content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' headers: X-RateLimit-Limit: description: >- Calls allowed in the current window: the minute or the day, whichever has fewer calls left. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 X-RateLimit-Remaining: description: Calls left in that window. schema: type: integer minimum: 0 X-RateLimit-Reset: description: Seconds until that window resets. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 '401': description: Missing, unknown, revoked or expired key. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' '402': description: >- This request was not run and nothing was charged. The error code names the case. `credits_exhausted`: your plan's credits for this month are used up; upgrade the plan in the PartFinder console. `payment_method_required`: your organization is on pay as you go with no payment method; add one in the console, or choose a plan. `payment_failed`: pay as you go is paused because the last payment failed; update the payment method in the console. `usage_limit_reached`: your organization, on pay as you go, has reached its limit for unpaid usage; calls resume once the current payment goes through. With a key made with `POST /v1/keys`, the `summary` tells your customer to contact your organization, and the answer carries no `billing_url`. The `summary` can be relayed as is; retry once the case is resolved. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' example: error: credits_exhausted summary: >- Your organization's credits for this month are used up, so this request was not run. Upgrade your plan in the PartFinder console at https://console.partfinder.dev/settings/billing, then try again. reason: This request needs 1 credit and 0 are left. billing_url: https://console.partfinder.dev/settings/billing headers: X-RateLimit-Limit: description: >- Calls allowed in the current window: the minute or the day, whichever has fewer calls left. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 X-RateLimit-Remaining: description: Calls left in that window. schema: type: integer minimum: 0 X-RateLimit-Reset: description: Seconds until that window resets. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 '403': description: >- The caller signed in through an AI app without the permission this call needs (`partfinder:read` to read, which includes looking up parts, alternates and events and uses credits for those; `partfinder:write` to change anything); the error is `insufficient_scope`. Or the AI app was disconnected in the console; the error is `app_disconnected`. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' headers: X-RateLimit-Limit: description: >- Calls allowed in the current window: the minute or the day, whichever has fewer calls left. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 X-RateLimit-Remaining: description: Calls left in that window. schema: type: integer minimum: 0 X-RateLimit-Reset: description: Seconds until that window resets. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 '404': description: >- No request for quote with that id belongs to your organization (with a key made with `POST /v1/keys`, to that customer). content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' headers: X-RateLimit-Limit: description: >- Calls allowed in the current window: the minute or the day, whichever has fewer calls left. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 X-RateLimit-Remaining: description: Calls left in that window. schema: type: integer minimum: 0 X-RateLimit-Reset: description: Seconds until that window resets. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 '409': description: >- The supplier's address bounced, or the supplier asked not to receive requests for quote. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' headers: X-RateLimit-Limit: description: >- Calls allowed in the current window: the minute or the day, whichever has fewer calls left. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 X-RateLimit-Remaining: description: Calls left in that window. schema: type: integer minimum: 0 X-RateLimit-Reset: description: Seconds until that window resets. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 '422': description: >- The message was not sent: `summary` says what to change before sending again. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' headers: X-RateLimit-Limit: description: >- Calls allowed in the current window: the minute or the day, whichever has fewer calls left. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 X-RateLimit-Remaining: description: Calls left in that window. schema: type: integer minimum: 0 X-RateLimit-Reset: description: Seconds until that window resets. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 '429': description: >- Your organization has used its calls for this minute or this day. Wait the number of seconds in `Retry-After`, then retry. headers: Retry-After: description: Seconds until the limit resets. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 X-RateLimit-Limit: description: >- Calls allowed in the current window: the minute or the day, whichever has fewer calls left. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 X-RateLimit-Remaining: description: Calls left in that window. schema: type: integer minimum: 0 X-RateLimit-Reset: description: Seconds until that window resets. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' '502': description: The message could not be sent. Nothing was sent; retry shortly. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' headers: X-RateLimit-Limit: description: >- Calls allowed in the current window: the minute or the day, whichever has fewer calls left. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 X-RateLimit-Remaining: description: Calls left in that window. schema: type: integer minimum: 0 X-RateLimit-Reset: description: Seconds until that window resets. schema: type: integer minimum: 1 components: schemas: RfqMessageRequest: type: object properties: body: type: string minLength: 1 description: >- The text to send, as written. Sent under the requester's name in the same email thread. subject: description: >- Omit it to reply under the thread's subject ("Re: …"), which keeps the conversation together. anyOf: - type: string minLength: 1 - type: 'null' required: - body RfqResponse: type: object properties: as_of: type: string format: date-time description: ISO 8601. How current the data in this response is. summary: type: string description: Plain language an agent can relay without re-deriving it. notice: type: string description: Informational-use notice. Always present. rfq: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Rfq' required: - as_of - summary - notice - rfq Error: type: object properties: error: type: string enum: - authentication_required - invalid_key - invalid_request - not_a_specific_part - part_not_found - verification_unavailable - generation_failed - bom_too_large - bom_not_found - bom_columns_not_found - event_not_found - rate_limited - supplier_opted_out - send_failed - rfq_not_found - rfq_bounced - message_refused - key_not_allowed - insufficient_scope - app_disconnected - key_not_found - key_name_taken - webhook_endpoint_not_found - not_a_parts_query - search_not_found - compare_not_found - credits_exhausted - payment_method_required - payment_failed - usage_limit_reached description: >- `authentication_required` when no bearer token was sent. `invalid_key` when the key or sign-in is unknown, revoked or expired — deliberately indistinguishable — or the sign-in names no organization you belong to (the `summary` says what to do). `invalid_request` when a required parameter is missing. `not_a_specific_part` when the input does not identify one specific part. `part_not_found` when no supplier lists that part number exactly — usually a typo or a partial number. `verification_unavailable` when we could not check whether the part is real, and so declined to describe it; temporary, safe to retry. `generation_failed` when the report could not be produced, or a search or a comparison could not be started. `bom_too_large` when one call carries more lines than the limit; `reason` states both numbers. `bom_not_found` when no BOM with that id belongs to your organization (with a key made with `POST /v1/keys`, to that customer). `bom_columns_not_found` when an uploaded file has no column we can identify as part numbers; `reason` lists the headers seen. `event_not_found` when no active event has that id. `rate_limited` when your organization has used its calls for this minute or this day; wait the seconds in the `Retry-After` header, then retry. `supplier_opted_out` when the supplier asked not to receive requests for quote from you, or from anyone through PartFinder. `send_failed` when the email could not be sent; nothing was stored, safe to retry. `rfq_not_found` when no request for quote with that id belongs to your organization (with a key made with `POST /v1/keys`, to that customer). `rfq_bounced` when the supplier's address could not receive the request; send a new request for quote to a working address. `message_refused` when the text was not sent; `summary` says what to change before sending again. `key_not_allowed` when a key that belongs to one of your customers calls an endpoint only your organization's own keys may call, or a caller signed in through an AI app manages keys or webhooks. `insufficient_scope` when an AI app signed in without the permission the call needs (`partfinder:read` to read, which includes looking up parts, alternates and events and uses credits for those; `partfinder:write` to change anything); the `summary` names it, and connecting the app again with it allowed fixes it. `app_disconnected` when the AI app the caller signed in through was disconnected in the console; signing in again does not help, allowing the app again in the console does. `key_not_found` when no live end-customer key with that id belongs to your organization. `key_name_taken` when a key with that name already exists in your organization, revoked keys included. `webhook_endpoint_not_found` when no webhook endpoint with that id belongs to your organization (with a key made with `POST /v1/keys`, to that customer). `not_a_parts_query` when a search query is not about a part; send a part number or describe the part. `search_not_found` when no search with that id belongs to your organization (with a key made with `POST /v1/keys`, to that customer). `compare_not_found` when no comparison with that id belongs to your organization (with a key made with `POST /v1/keys`, to that customer). `credits_exhausted` when your plan's credits for this month are used up; this request was not run and nothing was charged. Upgrade the plan at `billing_url`, then retry. `payment_method_required` when your organization is on pay as you go with no payment method; this request was not run and nothing was charged. Add a payment method or choose a plan at `billing_url`, then retry. `payment_failed` when pay as you go is paused because the last payment failed; this request was not run and nothing was charged. Update the payment method at `billing_url`, then retry. `usage_limit_reached` when your organization, on pay as you go, has reached its limit for unpaid usage; this request was not run and nothing was charged. Calls resume once the current payment goes through; follow it at `billing_url`. With a key made with `POST /v1/keys`, these four carry no `billing_url`: the `summary` asks your customer to contact your organization. summary: description: >- One sentence you can relay to a user as-is, the same as `summary` on a successful response. Present whenever there is something useful to say about what went wrong. type: string reason: description: The specific detail behind the error. type: string billing_url: description: >- On `credits_exhausted`, `payment_method_required`, `payment_failed` and `usage_limit_reached`: the PartFinder console Billing page, where your organization manages its plan and payment method. Absent for a key made with `POST /v1/keys`, and for an organization whose plan is set by its contract. type: string format: uri did_you_mean: description: >- Real part numbers to retry with. On `not_a_specific_part` they are parts of the kind you described; on `part_not_found` they are the listed part numbers your input is a prefix of, so `TPS5433` returns TPS54331, TPS54332 and so on. Absent when there is nothing to suggest. Every entry is a real part number, never a guess. type: array items: type: string required: - error Rfq: type: object properties: id: type: string status: type: string enum: - sent - replied - bounced description: >- `sent` until the supplier answers, `replied` once they have, `bounced` when the address could not receive mail. supplier: type: object properties: email: type: string name: anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' contact_name: anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' required: - email - name - contact_name requester: type: object properties: company: type: string contact_name: type: string title: anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' required: - company - contact_name - title parts: type: array items: $ref: '#/components/schemas/RfqPart' needed_by: anyOf: - type: string format: date - type: 'null' description: The date the parts are needed by. notify_email: description: Who is emailed when the supplier replies; null when none was given. anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' created_at: type: string format: date-time first_reply_at: anyOf: - type: string format: date-time - type: 'null' follow_up_count: type: integer minimum: 0 description: Messages sent after the first. replies_received: type: integer minimum: 0 description: Replies received from the supplier. quotes_received: type: integer minimum: 0 description: Of those replies, the ones that give a quote. messages: type: array items: $ref: '#/components/schemas/RfqMessage' description: The thread, oldest first. required: - id - status - supplier - requester - parts - needed_by - notify_email - created_at - first_reply_at - follow_up_count - replies_received - quotes_received - messages RfqPart: type: object properties: mpn: type: string minLength: 1 description: The manufacturer part number. manufacturer: description: The manufacturer, when you know it. anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' quantity: type: integer exclusiveMinimum: 0 description: Units you want quoted. required: - mpn - quantity RfqMessage: type: object properties: id: type: string direction: type: string enum: - outbound - inbound description: '`outbound` from the requester, `inbound` from the supplier.' subject: anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' body: description: The text as sent, or what the supplier wrote in this reply. anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' sent_at: type: string format: date-time attachments: type: array items: type: object properties: filename: type: string size: type: integer minimum: 0 description: Bytes. required: - filename - size description: The names and sizes of files the message carried. reply_kind: anyOf: - type: string enum: - quote - question - decline - other - type: 'null' description: >- On a supplier reply: `quote` when it gives a price or lead time, `question` when the supplier asks something before quoting, `decline` when they will not quote, `other` for anything else. Null on messages sent by the requester, or while it is not yet available. quote: anyOf: - $ref: '#/components/schemas/RfqQuote' description: >- The quote stated in this reply. A field the reply does not state is null, with `reason`; `words` holds the supplier's own words. - type: 'null' description: >- On a supplier reply: the quote it states. Null on messages sent by the requester, or while it is not yet available. required: - id - direction - subject - body - sent_at - attachments - reply_kind - quote RfqQuote: type: object properties: unit_price: type: object properties: value: anyOf: - type: number minimum: 0 - type: 'null' description: Price per unit. words: description: >- The supplier's exact words for this field. Null when the reply does not state it. anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' reason: description: Why `value` is null; null when it is filled. anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' required: - value - words - reason currency: type: object properties: value: description: ISO 4217 code. anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' words: description: >- The supplier's exact words for this field. Null when the reply does not state it. anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' reason: description: Why `value` is null; null when it is filled. anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' required: - value - words - reason quantity: type: object properties: value: anyOf: - type: integer minimum: 0 - type: 'null' description: Units the price is for. words: description: >- The supplier's exact words for this field. Null when the reply does not state it. anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' reason: description: Why `value` is null; null when it is filled. anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' required: - value - words - reason lead_time_days: type: object properties: value: anyOf: - type: integer minimum: 0 - type: 'null' description: Lead time in days. words: description: >- The supplier's exact words for this field. Null when the reply does not state it. anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' reason: description: Why `value` is null; null when it is filled. anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' required: - value - words - reason moq: type: object properties: value: anyOf: - type: integer minimum: 0 - type: 'null' description: Minimum order quantity. words: description: >- The supplier's exact words for this field. Null when the reply does not state it. anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' reason: description: Why `value` is null; null when it is filled. anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' required: - value - words - reason required: - unit_price - currency - quantity - lead_time_days - moq securitySchemes: bearerAuth: type: http scheme: bearer description: >- An API key created in the PartFinder console at https://console.partfinder.dev, or a customer key created with `POST /v1/keys`. Send as `Authorization: Bearer `. Revocation takes effect within approximately one minute. ```` This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.