Guides · 3 min read
Unit of issue: the small detail behind big pricing mistakes
Updated October 30, 2026
Every RFQ line has a quantity and a unit of issue, the definition of one unit. Ten EA is ten single items; ten BX is ten boxes, which might hold a hundred items each. Misreading it is one of the fastest ways to lose money on a bid.
Common units
- EA: each, a single item.
- BX: box; PG: package; CO: container. Check how many items are inside.
- PR: pair; SE: set; KT: kit.
- RO: roll; FT: foot; LB: pound; GL: gallon.
Why it trips up pricing
Past award prices come without the unit attached, and the same part is sometimes bought by the box one year and by the each the next. In our backtest of DLA parts, the worst price misses were almost all cases like this: a part last bought around $5.50 a unit, then won at under $1.
How to check
- Read the unit on the RFQ line, and the package quantity in the description if one is given.
- Ask your supplier to quote in the same unit.
- If past prices jump several times over between awards, suspect a unit change before trusting the history.
ZukoBid warns you when a part's past prices swing enough to suggest a change in unit of issue.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. Rules and thresholds change; the solicitation and the official rule are the authority.
More guides
How to win your first government contract (with no experience) →How to bid on DLA's DIBBS: a beginner's guide →Can you resell products to the government? The nonmanufacturer rule, explained →What is a set-aside, and do you qualify? →How (and when) the government pays you →What is an NSN? National Stock Numbers, explained →How to read a DLA RFQ, line by line →How to find a supplier for a government contract →How to price a government bid (and still make money) →How to register on SAM.gov, step by step (it's free) →What is a CAGE code? →SAM.gov notice types, explained →RFQ vs. RFP vs. IFB: what is the government asking for? →Sources sought and RFIs: why answering one can win you work →How to win micro-purchases (government buys under $15,000) →FOB origin vs. FOB destination: who pays to ship it? →First article testing, explained →Military packaging and marking for beginners →How to find out who won a government contract, and for how much →ZukoBid is an independent service, not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Figures come from public records and may contain errors; always check the official listing before you bid.