PCBA Quote Checklist: What to Send Before You Get a Price

Key Takeaways

• For an accurate PCB assembly quote, send five things up front: Gerber or ODB++ files, a complete bill of materials (BOM) with manufacturer part numbers, a centroid/pick-and-place file, your quantity and dates, and any special process or test requirements.
• A BOM missing manufacturer part numbers (MPNs) is the most common reason quotes come back vague, padded, or delayed.
• Specify the IPC-A-610 acceptance class you need (Class 1, 2, or 3); it changes inspection effort and price.
• Stating your volume and whether this is a prototype or production run lets the assembler quote the right line and sourcing strategy.
• A complete request for quote (RFQ) usually returns a firm price in 1-3 business days instead of follow-up questions.

If you want a fast, accurate PCB assembly quote, the answer is simple: send a complete data package the first time. Most quoting delays and surprise line-items come from missing files, not from the supplier. This checklist is for hardware founders, design engineers, and sourcing managers who want to send a clean PCBA RFQ and get a firm number back quickly. Get the inputs right and you'll compare suppliers fairly instead of comparing guesses.

What a contract manufacturer actually needs to quote

A contract manufacturer quotes from three buckets: your design data, your parts list, and your build requirements. Fill all three and an estimator can cost board fabrication, components, assembly labor, and test in one pass. Leave any bucket incomplete and they either pad the number to cover the unknown or send your file back with questions.

Quoting is just costing. Every line on the invoice traces to something you provided or left blank. The sections below are the files and fields that close those gaps.

The PCB assembly quote checklist

Here's everything to include in your RFQ package, grouped by what it tells the estimator. Send it as a single zipped folder with a short cover note.

Design and fabrication files

These define the bare board so the fab side can be priced before anything gets soldered.

• The intelligent formats bundle stackup, netlist, and drill data together, which cuts back-and-forth. Plain Gerbers work fine too.
• (Excellon), if not already inside an ODB++ package.
• State them explicitly even if they're in the files; estimators read them first.
• FR-4 is the default. If you need a specific Tg, controlled impedance, aluminum, or Rogers, say so. It moves the price.
• HASL, lead-free HASL, or ENIG. ENIG costs more but gives flatter pads for fine-pitch parts.

Bill of materials (BOM)

The BOM drives most of the cost on a populated board, so this is the part to get right. A clean BOM has one row per unique component and these columns:

The MPN column is non-negotiable. "10k 0603 resistor" forces the estimator to guess a part, and that guess can be off on price, lead time, or availability. A genuine, vetted MPN lets a careful supplier check real distributor stock and flag counterfeits before they reach a reel. If a part is end-of-life or on long lead time, you want to hear it during quoting, not three weeks into the build.

Mark any approved alternates per line, and flag do-not-substitute parts explicitly.

Centroid / pick-and-place file

This file lists each part's X/Y coordinates, rotation, and layer. It tells the assembler how many placements the job has and how the SMT machine gets programmed. Placement count is a direct cost driver, so without it an estimator counts parts from the BOM and guesses at machine time. Export it from your EDA tool as a CSV; most tools call it a centroid, CPL, or pick-and-place file.

Assembly drawing and notes

A simple PDF assembly drawing prevents expensive misreads. Include polarity marks for diodes and electrolytics, pin-1 indicators for ICs, fiducial locations, and any DNP (do-not-place) parts. If components are hand-soldered or installed after a conformal coat, note it. These details decide whether a board passes automated optical inspection (AOI) cleanly or gets flagged for review.

Build requirements that change the price

Beyond files, a few decisions move your quote significantly, and engineers often forget to state them. Spelling these out turns a rough estimate into a firm number and keeps suppliers on the same assumptions.

Quantity, and whether it's prototype or production

State the exact quantity you want priced, plus your expected annual usage. A 5-piece prototype and a 5,000-piece production run are different jobs with different setup amortization and sourcing. If you'll reorder, say so. Suppliers price ongoing programs differently than one-offs, and knowing your roadmap lets them buy components smarter.

IPC acceptance class

Specify the workmanship standard. IPC-A-610 defines three acceptance classes: Class 1 (general electronics), Class 2 (dedicated service, the default for most commercial products), and Class 3 (high-reliability, used in medical, aerospace, and automotive). Class 3 demands tighter solder-joint criteria and more inspection, which costs more. If you don't specify, most assemblers quote Class 2.

Testing requirements

Decide what "tested" means for your board. Options range from AOI to X-ray for BGAs, in-circuit test (ICT), flying probe, and full functional test against your procedure. X-ray matters because a BGA's solder balls sit hidden under the package; an inspector reads the image for voiding, bridging, and head-in-pillow defects you can't see optically. Functional test needs a fixture and your pass/fail spec, so send those if you need it. For where these line-items land, see our breakdown of pcb assembly cost.

Compliance and special processes

Note RoHS or REACH requirements, conformal coating, potting, underfill on BGAs, press-fit connectors, or any controlled-impedance routing. Each is a real process step. Also flag lead-free versus leaded solder, since that sets the entire thermal profile on the reflow oven.

Turnkey, consignment, or partial?

Tell the supplier who buys the parts. In a turnkey quote the manufacturer sources everything; in a consignment (kitted) quote you ship the parts and they only place them. Most overseas programs run turnkey because it folds component buying, board fab, and assembly under one project manager. State your model up front so the BOM is priced correctly.

If you're new to offshore sourcing, our guide on how to outsource pcb assembly china walks through the full engagement, and our piece on overseas pcb assembly hidden costs covers the line-items that don't appear on the first quote.

Frequently Asked Questions

What files do I need to get a PCB assembly quote?

Send Gerber or ODB++ design files, a bill of materials with manufacturer part numbers, and a centroid (pick-and-place) file. Add an assembly drawing, your quantity, target dates, and any test or compliance requirements. Those inputs let a manufacturer price the bare board, the components, assembly, and test in a single pass without follow-up questions.

Why do I need manufacturer part numbers on my BOM?

A manufacturer part number identifies the exact component, so the supplier can check real distributor stock, confirm lead times, verify the part is genuine, and price it accurately. A generic description like "100nF capacitor" forces a guess that can be wrong on cost or availability, which usually means a re-quote or a substitution you didn't approve.

How long does a PCB assembly quote take?

With a complete RFQ package, expect a firm quote in roughly one to three business days. The clock starts when the supplier has everything, not when you first reach out. Missing files, unclear quantities, or a BOM without MPNs add days, because the estimator has to email you for the gaps before they can finish costing the job.

What's the difference between a turnkey and consignment PCBA quote?

In a turnkey quote, the manufacturer buys the bare boards and all components, then assembles and tests. In a consignment quote, you supply the parts (a kit) and pay only for assembly. Turnkey is simpler to manage and common for overseas builds; consignment can suit hard-to-source or customer-allocated parts you already own.

Do I need to specify an IPC class when I request a quote?

Yes. The IPC-A-610 acceptance class (1, 2, or 3) sets the workmanship and inspection standard, and it affects price. Most commercial products are Class 2. Class 3 applies to high-reliability hardware in medical, automotive, and aerospace, and it requires stricter solder-joint criteria and more inspection. If you don't state a class, expect a Class 2 quote.

Can I get a quote without a finished BOM?

You can get a rough ballpark, but not a firm price. Without an accurate BOM, the supplier can't cost components, which are often the largest part of an assembled board. A budgetary estimate is useful early in a design, but plan to re-quote once your BOM is final, since component selection drives both price and lead time.

Get a clean quote on the first pass

A tidy RFQ package is the cheapest insurance you can buy: it removes guesswork, keeps suppliers honest, and gets you a real number fast. Pull your Gerbers, BOM with MPNs, and centroid file into one folder, add your quantity, IPC class, and test needs, and you're ready to send. If you'd like a dedicated English-speaking project manager to review your package and return a firm quote, contact the Faradine team and we'll take it from there.