Conversely the paperback printer will not react favourably to your request to print a four colour, high gloss, hardback. A quotation is merely an offer, an invitation to treat. It can form the basis of further negotiation before a contract is formally agreed. In practice the author asks the printer to provide a quotation, this the printer provides, discussion follows and many details are determined, costed and agreed. We probably have a contract that is legally binding.
Publishers can expect appropriate printers to respond positively to serious requests for tenders.
There is normally no charge for estimates, but the publisher should be prepared to pay for cover designs and specimen pages. It is often difficult to compare costs and estimates from different printers. Must have a comprehensive list of everything the printer is required to do. Estimates should be compared point by point with the specification - which should make it clear that the tender submitted must conform to the specification. Extras should be contained, such as authors' alterations, advertisements, offprints, extra pages.