An RFQ (request for quote) for electronics manufacturing should include PCB fabrication data, a BOM with approved manufacturer part numbers, assembly files, one clear revision, realistic quantities, testing and compliance requirements, and delivery terms. If any of these are missing, manufacturers will fill the gaps with different assumptions and return prices that cannot be compared fairly.
What Should an Electronics RFQ Include?
| Item | What to include | What goes wrong if it is missing |
|---|---|---|
| PCB data | Gerber, ODB++, or IPC-2581, plus fabrication drawing and stackup | Board quoted on the wrong material, thickness, or finish |
| BOM | Manufacturer part numbers, quantities, and reference designators | Factory selects cheaper or incorrect parts |
| Approved manufacturer list | Permitted alternates for each BOM line | Unapproved substitutes enter the build |
| Assembly files | Pick-and-place data, drawing, polarity, and do-not-populate notes | Placement errors and clarification delays |
| Revision | One released revision across all files | Quote based on outdated design data |
| Quantities | Prototype, first order, and expected annual volume | Wrong price tier or misleading unit cost |
| Test requirements | Methods, stage, coverage, and acceptance criteria | Low price because testing was excluded |
| Compliance | Target markets and required evidence or certifications | Unexpected redesign or certification cost |
| Packaging and delivery | Labels, packaging, Incoterms 2020 rule, named place, and dates | Hidden freight or customs costs and missed delivery |
The checklist is a comparison tool as much as a document list. Ask each supplier to quote the same released package, quantities, and responsibilities. If information is not ready, mark it as an open item and request a separate assumption or price option. Do not let each supplier quietly decide what “standard testing” or “equivalent part” means.
What PCB and Assembly Files Do Manufacturers Need?
Send the files needed to price the bare board and the assembly as two related packages. For the board, provide the fabrication data, drill data, fabrication drawing, layer stackup, material, finished thickness, copper weights, surface finish, impedance requirements, and any controlled dimensions. A file showing copper artwork does not, by itself, define every manufacturing requirement.
Gerber files remain a common way to transfer PCB layer artwork. ODB++ and IPC-2581 can carry richer structured information, but confirm the receiving factory can import the version you export. Altium’s overview of manufacturing outputs lists Gerber, ODB++, and IPC-2581 as principal output formats and distinguishes the separate Gerber file set from the more integrated packages. IPC-2581C defines an XML-based data format for transferring printed board and assembly manufacturing descriptions.
For assembly, include the pick-and-place file with coordinates and rotation, an assembly drawing for both sides, the BOM, and notes for polarity, orientation, do-not-populate (DNP) positions, programming, coating, and mechanical integration. State whether the factory is quoting PCB assembly only or a complete product with enclosure, cable, labeling, and final pack-out. Those scopes have different labor, tooling, and inspection costs.
Put a revision identifier on every exported file and send a short manifest listing the exact files in the release. A ZIP named “final_v3_really-final” is not a revision system. If the schematic, placement file, and BOM were exported on different days, check that they describe the same board before asking for a price. A design for manufacturing review before quoting can expose stackup, placement, or enclosure assumptions that would otherwise become change orders.
Why Does the BOM Need Manufacturer Part Numbers and an AML?
The bill of materials should identify each item by reference designator, quantity per assembly, manufacturer, and exact manufacturer part number (MPN). Include the package, value, rating, and any configuration or programming detail that determines the ordering code. A generic description can help humans read the BOM; it cannot tell a buyer which part is allowed.
Attach the approved manufacturer list so the factory can price the intended MPN and any qualified alternates. Mark parts that cannot be substituted. State whether the supplier may propose alternatives in the quote and who must approve them before purchase. If one bidder prices the specified connector and another uses a cheaper look-alike, their totals do not answer the same question.
Check lifecycle and availability before sending the RFQ. A device already at end of life can make a unit price look normal until the factory asks for a last-time buy or a redesign. For single-source or long-lead parts, ask for a separate supply-risk note. Tell suppliers whether they should include buffer stock, customer-supplied parts, or consigned inventory in the price.
Why Do Quantities Change the Quote So Much?
Electronics quotes contain costs that recur with every unit and costs that occur once per build or design. SMT line setup, programming preparation, test fixtures, tooling, and engineering review do not scale in the same way as resistors or assembly labor. A quote for 50 prototypes cannot be compared with a quote for 5,000 production units by dividing the total by quantity.
Ask for separate prices at your prototype quantity, first production order, and plausible annual volume. Give the expected order cadence as well: 12,000 units per year in monthly orders is a different purchasing problem from one order of 12,000. Lead times, minimum order quantities, component reels, inventory holding, and capacity reservations can change the economics.
Request an itemized view of NRE, including fixtures, programming work, tooling, and any one-time setup. Ask whether those charges recur when the design revision changes or a second factory is added. A low unit price can hide a high upfront charge; a higher unit price may include work that another supplier bills separately. For each quantity tier, compare the same scope and the same assumptions about component ownership.
How Should You Specify Testing and Quality Requirements?
“Tested” is too vague for an RFQ. State which checks happen on every unit, which are sampled, and who supplies the test procedure or fixture. Separate bare-board electrical test, assembly inspection, programming, powered functional test, calibration, and final product test where relevant. Give pass/fail limits, expected cycle time, data-retention needs, and whether failures may be reworked.
If your plan uses AOI, ICT, or functional test, specify the required coverage and review the differences between AOI, ICT, and FCT before assuming one can replace another. Tell suppliers whether they must design a fixture, build it from your design, or use an existing one. Fixture ownership and maintenance belong in the quote, especially if you may move production later.
For outgoing inspection, define what is checked, sample size or acceptance plan, and how defects are classified. An AQL sampling plan is an outgoing lot decision, not a substitute for tests needed on every safety-critical or functional unit. Also state the required records: serial numbers, test logs, inspection reports, rework history, and traceability to component lots. If one supplier includes that data and another does not, the cheaper quote may be expensive to support in the field.
Which Compliance Requirements Belong in an RFQ?
List every market where the product will be sold and the standards or approvals you already know apply. For a product entering the EU, ask how the supplier will document RoHS material compliance. For a product sold in the United States, clarify whether FCC testing or authorization work is in scope. Other products may have safety, wireless, battery, environmental, or customer-specific requirements.
Do not ask the factory to “include certification” without naming the product configuration, target markets, and who owns laboratory coordination and fees. Ask it to separate pre-compliance work, formal testing, documentation, samples, retests, and design changes. If you have existing test reports, provide them with their exact tested revision and configuration. A report for an earlier radio module or enclosure may not cover the product now being quoted.
Packaging and delivery terms also belong in the RFQ because they affect landed cost. Specify the destination, label content, carton quantity, handling needs, target dates, and a named Incoterms 2020 rule and place. The ICC’s Incoterms 2020 checklist distinguishes EXW at the seller’s premises, DDP at the named destination with seller import obligations, and FOB for appropriate vessel shipments. It recommends FCA rather than FOB for containerized or multimodal cargo. Ask the supplier and freight forwarder to agree on the actual route before treating a three-letter term as a complete delivery price.
Should You Send Your RFQ to Many Manufacturers at Once?
Sending the same RFQ to 20 manufacturers may seem like an efficient way to collect prices. In practice, manufacturers can tell when they are one name on a long list. Many will decide that the odds of winning do not justify assigning engineers to the quote, and the RFQ will sit unanswered.
Contact each shortlisted manufacturer individually. Address its company and explain why you chose it. Do not put several factories on one email, whether in the To, CC, or BCC field. A mass message gives the recipient little reason to take the project seriously.
Be candid about the product and its commercial case. Explain who will buy it, why you expect demand, what stage the design has reached, and whether funding is in place. You are asking a factory to spend engineering time on your product, so give it enough information to decide whether that time is well spent. A promising project is easier to quote than a vague idea presented as a guaranteed order.
There is also a cost to broadcasting your design. Every manufacturer that prepares a useful quote studies the files, parts, test plan, and likely production problems. If 19 of 20 bidders lose, those teams have learned a great deal about your idea without getting the work. Some may even ask themselves whether a similar product is worth developing.
Shortlist a small number of serious candidates. Send each a complete, individual RFQ, answer questions consistently, and compare the resulting quotes on the same scope. That approach usually produces better discussions and more useful prices than a wide blast.
How Do You Compare Quotes Fairly?
Put the quotes into one comparison sheet with identical rows: PCB specification, approved components, assembly scope, test coverage, tooling and NRE, yield assumptions, packaging, freight terms, lead time, and payment milestones. Mark each line “included,” “excluded,” or “assumed.” If a supplier gives a single total without explaining an expensive item, request the breakdown before ranking prices.
Ask every manufacturer to list exceptions in writing: unavailable MPNs, proposed substitutes, missing files, test steps it cannot perform, and any compliance work left to you. Then issue the same answers and revised package to all bidders. Otherwise the first supplier may quote revision B with functional testing while the last quotes revision C without it. The apparent price gap says little about the factory.
Compare schedule as carefully as cost. Confirm when lead time starts: receipt of the purchase order, receipt of approved files, arrival of long-lead parts, or approval of first articles. Ask what would trigger a re-quote and how long the quoted price is valid. If supply risk is high, request separate prices for approved alternatives rather than letting substitutions hide inside the base quote.
When Titoma reviews an RFQ, the useful starting point is a released data package and a clear list of decisions still open. If you want a quote for your electronics build, get in touch with the BOM, manufacturing files, quantities, and target markets. We can then identify the assumptions that need an answer before a price is meaningful.
