While RFIs, RFPs, and RFQs are all tools used in the procurement process, they serve different purposes and are used at different stages. An RFI is typically issued at the beginning of the process to gather information. In contrast, an RFP is used to solicit detailed proposals from pre-selected suppliers for a specific project or requirement. An RFQ, on the other hand, is focused on obtaining price quotations for specific products or services from a shortlist of potential suppliers.