Why Being First to Bid Matters: The Primacy Effect and Why It Matters in Aviation Procurement

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In the delicate game of bidding and procurement, getting your bid in first or early is everything. It's a race to outdo other suppliers, being first to bid while ensuring the figures you've slogged through are accurate. With AOG (aircraft on ground) events and other delays, every minute—and every decimal place—counts.

AI technology and procurement software are transforming the bidding process by delivering faster, more accurate quotes. If you’re not leveraging AI to streamline RFQ responses, you’re leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table for competitors who are already beating you to the punch.

As more players adopt AI, deals that should have been yours—often from your most loyal customers—will go to competitors who deliver faster. In high-pressure situations like MRO emergencies, being even an hour late can mean losing out entirely. That’s going to sting when you realize your best customers are starting to jump ship.

The time to act is now. There’s still a chance to gain a competitive edge before AI becomes the norm in this critical area of your business . Waiting until everyone else is using it means you’re just catching up—hardly the way to get ahead.

But why is being first so crucial? Beyond ‌timing and convenience, there’s a psychological advantage called the primacy effect.

What is the primacy effect?

The primacy effect is a concept rooted in cognitive psychology. Humans value the primacy of information: the first information they receive often carries the most weight, shaping perceptions and decisions, even when subsequent options (or bids) could be objectively superior.

For example, if you hear a list of negative traits about a person, you are likely to form a lasting impression based on this “first information” you first hear. And even if you meet the person and they are perfectly reasonable, your negative impression is still likely to persist.  You might even trust it so blindly that you reject subsequent reports that contradict it.

While the primacy effect is "all in the head," it has a very definite real-world impact. Combined with automation tools like Email AI, the primacy effect helps companies win more bids. Able to process and respond to RFQs instantly, Email AI helps suppliers consistently come in first, at least in the first wave. 

 Anchoring bias and the power of being first  

Anchoring bias reinforces the primacy effect in procurement by solidifying the first bid as the standard against which all others are evaluated. Each subsequent bid gets a cursory comparison to the first, which receives more attention and scrutiny with each round. Over time, this repeated evaluation subliminally builds extra confidence in the initial bid, even if other options are comparable or marginally better.

In aviation procurement, where price variations are often minimal for commodity products, and availability is a key factor (especially during AOG events), the first acceptable bid often becomes the default choice. Decision fatigue and the need to act quickly only amplify this effect. The more bids that fail to exceed the first, the stronger the perception of its superiority becomes—giving the first mover a significant edge.

How it impacts procurement First-movers advantage

If your company presents the first RFQ bid, it doesn't just set a reference point—it anchors how all subsequent bids will be evaluated. If you bid $100 per part, higher bids will be seen as too expensive and a $50 bid may be seen as untrustworthy or indicative of inferior product and customer service.

This "first-movers advantage" happens because decision-makers are under time constraints and cognitive overload. These force our mental pathways to take shortcuts; those who can "move" the first bid have a significant advantage. Those first inputs set the anchor for a "good bid," making it harder for later bids to shift the decision maker's primacy bias.

Primacy effect in aviation

In aviation, where procurement decisions commonly involve critical components, tight deadlines, and dreaded AOG (Aircraft on Ground) events, the primacy effect is magnified.

First movers gain early visibility and credibility, setting the ground rules for all supplier bids, advantages that significantly increase their likelihood of success. Being first to bid may be more important than the bid itself.

ePlaneAI leverages AI  to shrink the process of reading, classifying, researching and responding to RFQs from several hours to a few minutes, ensuring that the majority of RFQs get quoted instantly, to be the first or one of them.

Other benefits of the primacy effect in the competitive bidding process

Beyond meeting tight deadlines and setting the "anchor" or psychological pricing standard, the primacy effect brings actionable benefits for suppliers—if the opportunity is acted upon promptly.

While being first creates a strong initial impression, decision-makers are less likely to act if there's a delay. Over time, the primacy effect may diminish, especially in high-volume or complex procurement scenarios where bids accumulate and compete for attention. Acting quickly on initial bids helps preserve the advantage, ensuring the "anchor" remains top of mind when decisions are made.

Consistent Brand Reinforcement

Every fast, accurate reply reinforces your brand as a responsive, trustworthy leader—making you the clear choice when stakes are high. This consistent performance builds a reputation that amplifies the primacy effect, keeping your bids memorable and impactful even in competitive environments.

The ability to secure these advantages depends on providing accurate figures, maintaining consistent supply, and eliminating operational bottlenecks. For the primacy effect to work in your favor, your bid must meet the threshold of being "acceptable" or "satisfactory." If a decision-maker were to compare it to another equally acceptable bid, they should feel confident enough to rely on your bid without hesitation—almost as if choosing between the two came down to a coin toss.

Additionally, it may not work as well, in cases where companies are limited to working with select suppliers and contractors that align with their ESG initiatives, or volume purchase agreements and other long-term contracts.

Challenges in achieving first-mover advantage

Despite the clear benefits, achieving the first-mover advantage in aviation procurement is no small feat—especially when it comes to the RFQ process. Traditional workflows are riddled with inefficiencies, including lengthy review cycles, manual data entry, and repetitive cutting and pasting just to process a single RFQ.

Suppliers often invest hours preparing a quote, only to discover they don’t have the required part in stock, lack the necessary certifications, or that the RFQ’s value is so low it barely justifies the effort. These bottlenecks not only waste time but also delay responses, allowing competitors to seize the first-mover advantage while your team is still navigating outdated processes.

Here are the key challenges:

Delayed requests for quotation (RFQ) responses

Manual RFQ workflows are plagued with inefficiencies, especially for routine, low-value requests. Procurement teams often waste hours parsing through requirements, compiling data, and preparing responses—only to realize that many RFQs contain missing or ambiguous details, such as:

• Incorrect or incomplete material specifications.
• Missing terms and conditions for delivery or payment.
• Technical complexities requiring clarification to ensure compliance.
• Scope creep or undefined requirements that increase the risk of underbidding.
• Poorly formatted or unclear submission guidelines.

Even when regulatory compliance validation is necessary—adding time for verifying safety standards and certifications—these additional steps often overwhelm teams unnecessarily when applied to routine RFQs.

For the majority of RFQs—up to 60%—the information is straightforward and repeatable. AI can process these requests within minutes, entirely removing the need for manual intervention. This allows sales teams to focus on more critical tasks, like resolving anomalies or chasing high-value, time-sensitive AOG (Aircraft on Ground) deals.

Sources: ADO Aerospace, Cflow 

 Fragmented data

Disconnected data across procurement, inventory, and finance systems continues to hinder the flow of real-time insights, despite the presence of ERP systems designed to unify processes. In aviation procurement, these silos often appear in:

• Inventory systems: While ERP platforms manage overall inventory, many teams still rely on separate tools or spreadsheets for tracking stock levels, reorder points, and vendor-specific details. This fragmentation can lead to outdated or inconsistent stock availability information.
• Supplier data: Critical details like performance history, certifications, and lead times are often scattered across procurement systems, shared drives, or even email threads, making it difficult to evaluate suppliers quickly and comprehensively.
• Financial records: Procurement and finance teams frequently operate in separate systems, creating gaps between budget forecasts, approved spending limits, and actual expenditures. These gaps slow decision-making and increase the risk of overcommitting resources.
• Compliance and certification records: FAA or EASA certifications, safety audit results, and supplier qualifications are often stored in standalone systems, requiring manual validation during RFQ responses.

While ERP systems were designed to unify these processes, they often fall short due to poor integration, lack of user adoption, or reliance on outdated workflows. This fragmentation forces procurement teams to spend valuable time consolidating data manually, slowing bid preparation and creating blind spots that can lead to missed opportunities.

Operational bottlenecks

RFQ workflows almost always involve numerous approval layers, further delaying submissions. This is especially true in aviation, where the high stakes of procurement demand rigorous internal reviews for safety and compliance.

 ​​When collaboration tools are missing, friction further muddies a messy approval process. Without streamlined workflows, these bottlenecks cost suppliers critical response time.

 The compounding challenges of inefficient workflows, fragmented data, and manual processes can make achieving the first-mover advantage feel impossible. However, these issues highlight the need for transformative solutions that simplify and accelerate RFQ responses. Solutions like EmailAI can bridge the gap, offering suppliers a way to tackle these problems effectively while seeing measurable ROI—often as high as 10x or 100x—within weeks of implementation.

Dependence on manual inputs

 Manual data entry remains a common practice in traditional aviation procurement, increasing the likelihood of data entry errors (RFgen). While some automated tools exist, they often come with steep learning curves, lack integration with existing workflows, or require frequent user intervention—making them underutilized by procurement teams. Many still rely on spreadsheets, manual calculations, or John, the “warehouse guy,” with his personal "system" to keep it all straight.

These error-prone and inefficient processes delay RFQ completion and lead to bids that fail to meet buyer expectations. In contrast, automation solutions like ePlaneAI’s Email AI require minimal user interaction to deliver accurate and timely responses automatically in minutes for more than half of your RFQ responses, and doing a fair chunk of the legwork on the rest which need more attention, like a technical review, or pricing approval…

Inability to scale

For aviation suppliers handling multiple RFQs simultaneously, scalability is often a recurring pain point. Manual processes and resource shortages—such as skilled personnel and technology tools—further restrict a supplier's ability to manage RFQs at scale (Arphie). This is particularly problematic during seasonal demand spikes or emergency procurement situations.

Why start with EmailAI?

One of ePlaneAI's many AI-powered aviation tools, EmailAI offers the perfect entry point into AI-driven quote automation. Focusing on email RFQs—a critical but often inefficient process that accounts for around half of most suppliers' annual sales —suppliers can transform their operations with minimal setup and risk and see ROI in as little as 4 weeks.

 Features like smart data extraction, real-time ERP integration, and intelligent automation streamline workflows and deliver immediate, measurable ROI.

What EmailAI does:

• Automates RFQ Processing: Instantly extracts, validates, and organizes RFQ data, enabling suppliers to respond in minutes instead of hours.
• Seamlessly Integrates with ERP Systems: Syncs with platforms like Quantum or SAP for real-time inventory, pricing, and availability details.
• Improves Accuracy and Speed: Reduces human error and ensures routine bids are submitted quickly and accurately, giving you a competitive edge.
• Detects Anomalies like missing delivery info (you listed them  eralier) and routes them to an apporpriate person for attention.
• Looks up and cross refrences existing customer info and theri contract terms in case they have agreed pricing etc.so the bid honors thier contract terms.
• Does as much of the legwork it can to prepare a complex quote then passes it on to sales for review or approval.
• Pushes RFQ into the ERP system so you can convert it to an order, or if not it becomes part of your performance history and customer demand history.. 
• WHATVER YOU WANT IT TO DO TO DOVETAIL PERFECTLY WITH YOUR EXISTING SYSTEMS

Automated RFQ processing

ePlaneAI transforms traditionally manual and time-intensive RFQ processes into an automated workflow. With advanced natural language processing (NLP) capabilities, ePlaneAI extracts, validates, and processes RFQs with unprecedented speed and accuracy.

Suppliers can generate quotes in minutes, significantly outpacing competitors while experiencing the operational and financial advantages of AI.

Real-time inventory integration

ePlaneAI’s seamless integration with ERP systems ensures access to up-to-the-minute inventory data. Suppliers no longer need to navigate siloed platforms or rely on outdated stock records. Instead, the Email AI features dynamic pricing and automated availability checks, allowing teams to submit precise and competitive bids every time.

Dynamic decision trees

 ​​Pricing and delivery terms are common deal breakers in aviation procurement, and the approach often varies based on the type of buyer. Existing customers may require tailored bids that build on purchase history, while new buyers often need additional incentives, such as introductory discounts or faster delivery promises, to encourage their first purchase.

ePlaneAI’s AI-powered decision trees analyze market trends, supplier histories, and operational data to optimize bids for both buyer types. For new customers, it quickly identifies opportunities to present compelling incentives, while for existing buyers, it personalizes bids based on their history and preferences. These dynamic, automated strategies are impossible to execute at speed with manual processes, giving your team a significant competitive edge.

Proactive alerts and predictive analytics

 ePlaneAI's predictive capabilities identify high-priority RFQs and AOG scenarios as critical opportunities for sales. These urgent cases aren’t just problems—they’re high-value chances to deliver unmatched service. If your team can provide a solution even two hours faster than competitors, the price becomes trivial compared to the lost revenue saved by getting an aircraft back in the air sooner. With ePlaneAI, you gain the speed and precision to turn these urgent needs into decisive wins.

This ensures you can focus on the most impactful opportunities without missing deadlines. Proactive alerts help you get your bid in first while competitors scramble to catch up

Scalability for high-volume RFQs

Handling multiple RFQS, simultaneously, is now easily managed. ePlaneAI automates repetitive tasks, allowing your team to scale its operations without compromising accuracy or response times.

Primacy effect for the ultimate win 

The primacy effect proves that being first in aviation procurement is more than a vanity metric—it’s a strategic advantage. Yet, the path to achieving this requires more than speed. Precision, real-time data, and operational agility are the true differentiators that separate leaders from the laggards.

The first step is to deploy ePlane's EmailAI solution. Start small, automate your email RFQ processes, and see how AI can redefine your operations in just weeks.

The skies wait for no one. Be the first. Let ePlaneAI help you lead the way.

Glossary

Anchoring bias: The tendency for the first piece of information you receive to influence how you judge all subsequent information. 

Attentional bias: The focus on certain details over others, often because they seem more noticeable.

Awarding phase: The stage where a supplier is selected and contracts are finalized after evaluating bids.

Closing phase: The final step in procurement, where agreements are completed, and orders are placed or delivered.

Cognitive load theory: Decision-makers often experience cognitive overload during procurement. The first bid encountered is easier to process and often perceived as the standard, reducing the mental strain required to evaluate subsequent bids.

Decision fatigue: When overwhelmed with too many options, decision fatigue sets in. This reduces the quality of your decision-making, where the first ‌viable option is selected even if there are objectively better ones. 

Formal process: A structured approach to procurement with defined steps like issuing RFQs or RFPs and evaluating bids.

Preparation phase: The early stage of procurement when requirements are identified, and RFQs or RFPs are created.

Primacy effect: The principle that the first information you encounter tends to permanently shape or bias your overall perception.

Priming effect: A psychological phenomenon where exposure to one stimulus influences how subsequent information is perceived or interpreted. Similar to the primacy effect, but the priming effect primes the brain to focus on certain qualities or attributes of a bid.

Purchase order (PO): A document sent by a buyer to a supplier to request products or services, specifying quantities and prices.

Recency effect: The psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to remember and give more weight to the most recent information they encountered.

RFQ (Request for Quote): A document asking suppliers for prices and delivery details for specific goods or services.

RFP (Request for Proposal): A document used to ask suppliers to propose solutions for a project or need.

RFP process: The steps involved in creating, sending, evaluating, and awarding contracts through RFPs.

RFQ process: The workflow of requesting, receiving, and evaluating quotes to choose the best supplier.

Status quo bias: The preference for sticking with the first acceptable option encountered, as it feels safer or less risky than exploring subsequent choices. 

Submission deadline: The cutoff date and time for suppliers to submit their bids or proposals.

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