PCBA RFQ Checklist: What to Send for a Useful Assembly Quote
Prepare a PCBA RFQ with a controlled BOM, fabrication and placement files, quantities, test requirements and clear material responsibilities.
A useful printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) request for quotation identifies the exact board revision, the parts to fit, the build quantity, the required manufacturing scope and the acceptance criteria. Send the bill of materials, PCB fabrication data and component placement data as a controlled package. State which items are incomplete so that an estimate does not silently become a production instruction.
You can begin a supplier conversation before every file is ready. A product description, an approximate quantity and the help you need are enough to establish the next step. A quote that can support an order needs more detail, particularly where materials, tooling or testing must be purchased.
Start with the scope of the request
Describe the intended output: assembled boards, programmed and tested boards, or a finished product with enclosure, cables and packaging. Identify whether the supplier is expected to procure components, source bare boards, assemble customer-supplied material or coordinate a combination of those activities.
Separate the immediate order quantity from a forecast. A forecast helps a supplier discuss purchasing options, but it should not imply permission to commit inventory. If you need several price breaks, label each quantity as a quotation scenario and state whether it represents one release or multiple deliveries.
The schedule should identify a requested delivery date and destination. Ask the supplier to explain the dependencies behind its proposed date, including file release, material availability, tooling, customer approvals and test readiness. A date without those conditions is difficult to compare across quotations.
Assemble a consistent technical package
| Item | Information to include | Check before sending |
|---|---|---|
| Build identity | Product name or controlled identifier, PCB revision, assembly revision and variant | Every document belongs to the same release |
| Bill of materials (BOM) | Reference designators, quantity per board, manufacturer, complete orderable part number, description and approved alternatives | Each fitted reference has an unambiguous part; do-not-populate positions are explicit |
| Fabrication data | Agreed manufacturing format, drill data, board outline and fabrication drawing | The outline is closed and layers are identified; obsolete files are removed |
| Board specification | Stack-up, thickness, copper requirements, finish, material requirements and controlled features | Requirements are consistent with drawings and quotation notes |
| Placement data | Reference, position, rotation, board side, units and origin | The placement list matches the BOM and assembly drawing |
| Assembly information | Polarity marks, special handling, connectors, mechanical parts and process restrictions | Ambiguous orientation or manual operations have a drawing or note |
| Programming and test | Firmware revision, programming method, test procedure, limits and required records | Access, fixtures, software ownership and development scope are identified |
| Delivery requirements | Packaging, labels, identification, destination and requested shipping responsibilities | Product protection and commercial assumptions are stated |
Manufacturing images do not communicate every fabrication requirement. Ucamco explains that its Gerber Job format can carry fabrication information such as material, thickness and finish alongside the image data. Agree the format your supplier accepts; do not assume a particular export removes the need for a clear board specification. Ucamco: Gerber Job.
A component placement list also needs a shared interpretation. KiCad's PCB Editor documentation describes placement exports with position, orientation and output options. Review the generated file and agree its units, origin and treatment of unfitted positions with the assembler. An apparently complete file can still be interpreted incorrectly if those conventions are unclear. KiCad 9.0: PCB Editor documentation.
Make sourcing and substitution decisions visible
For each BOM line, identify the purchasing owner and whether an alternative is already approved. A generic value such as a capacitance or resistance is insufficient where package, voltage rating, tolerance, temperature range or application requirements matter.
If a part is unavailable, ask the supplier to identify the affected reference designators, the proposed orderable part number, the reason for the change and the evidence required for approval. “Equivalent allowed” should have a defined boundary and an approval owner. Otherwise a sourcing decision may change the product without the design team realizing it.
For customer-supplied materials, provide a kit list with quantities, packaging condition and expected arrival dates. Agree how shortages, damaged material, excess material and inventory reconciliation will be handled. These conditions affect both the quoted work and the realistic start date.
Define acceptance before discussing “full testing”
State what the product must demonstrate before shipment. Visual acceptance, solder-joint inspection, electrical measurements, programming checks and functional operation answer different questions. A supplier cannot create meaningful functional limits from an assembly drawing alone.
List the applicable workmanship requirements, their revision and any customer-specific criteria. Identify who supplies or develops the test fixture and software, who approves them, whether every unit or a defined sample is tested, and which results must be retained. If the test plan is still being developed, request a separate development scope rather than hiding that uncertainty in the unit price.
Request a quote with explicit assumptions
Ask for a response that separates recurring charges from initial engineering, fixtures and tooling. It should identify the quoted revision, quantities, material responsibilities, excluded work, proposed substitutions, delivery assumptions and validity conditions.
Use this response checklist when comparing suppliers:
- Does the quotation reference the same release package you sent?
- Are bare boards, components, assembly, programming, test and packaging separately identifiable?
- Are setup costs and reusable tooling identified, including ownership and future reuse conditions?
- Are material purchase quantities, excess inventory and any cancellation restrictions explained?
- Are missing information and required customer decisions listed?
- Does the delivery proposal start from a defined event, rather than an unstated assumption?
A quotation should not release the build automatically. Record the accepted scope, close technical questions and issue a controlled order or manufacturing release according to the agreed process. If the design changes after quoting, ask which items need re-quotation and which purchased materials or tooling are affected.
A simple release record
Maintain one record with the release identifier, file list, file versions, scope, quantity, open questions, quotation reference and approval status. A checksum can help distinguish files with the same name, but the team must still understand which revision is approved. Keep superseded packages clearly marked and outside the active release folder.
This checklist is a preparation method, not a promise that every supplier accepts every format or can manufacture every design. The final file set, process limits, test coverage, commercial conditions and schedule need agreement for the specific project.
Discuss your assembly requirements
Use the assembly services page to define the requested manufacturing scope, the component purchasing page for sourcing discussions and the finished product test page for test requirements.
Start an RFQ discussion with your current files or an initial description of the project. Include the revision, quantity and decisions you need help resolving. Confirm an appropriate transfer method before sharing confidential design files; scope, acceptance, price and delivery conditions should be agreed during review.
