Most RFQ delays are not the supplier's fault. They are the byproduct of an incomplete RFQ that forces a back-and-forth email chain just to figure out what is being asked. A complete RFQ — one where the supplier's engineer can sit down once and quote the whole job — turns 2-week quote cycles into 24-hour ones. After two decades of running cable-assembly shops, the items that consistently appear in fast-turning RFQs and consistently absent from slow-turning ones are the same 11 items. This is that checklist.
1. Drawing — preferably native CAD, not a screenshot
The single biggest accelerator. Send STEP, DXF, native EPLAN, native AutoCAD, or PDF. Do not send a screenshot pasted into Word. Drawings let our DFM engineer measure dimensions, count circuits, identify connector orientation, and pull tolerances without guessing. A native CAD file cuts review time from 4 hours to 30 minutes.
2. Connector part numbers — exact, not generic
"Molex Mini-Fit Jr 6-pin housing with terminals" is ambiguous. Molex makes 14 variants of 6-pin Mini-Fit Jr housings with different keying, color, and panel-mount options. Send:
- Manufacturer part number for housing.
- Manufacturer part number for each terminal (which can differ by wire gauge and plating).
- Mating connector part number if known.
If you do not know connector part numbers and you are asking the supplier to recommend, say so explicitly. Then we will scope a DFM call before quoting. See our guide to Mini-Fit family selection for the kind of detail buyers should expect to provide.
3. Wire spec — UL number, AWG, insulation color
"22 AWG black wire" is incomplete. Specify:
- UL style (1007, 1015, 1061, 3266, 758 — these are not interchangeable).
- Conductor: stranded count and material (tinned copper, bare copper, silver-plated).
- Insulation material (PVC, FEP, PTFE, silicone, irradiated XLPE).
- Color code per circuit, or a callout for jacket color if the harness is jacketed.
- Temperature rating and voltage rating if not implied by UL style.
For help picking the right wire, see our wire gauge selection field guide.
4. Pinout map / wiring schedule
A connector-to-connector wire list. From-pin / to-pin / wire-color / signal-name. This is the document that operators actually build from. Without it, we build a draft from the drawing and ask you to approve it, which adds 2-3 days to the cycle.
5. Overall length, branch lengths, and tolerance
"500 mm" is incomplete. We need:
- End-to-end length with tolerance (±5 mm is typical for industrial work; ±2 mm for medical).
- Branch points and branch lengths if the harness is not a simple two-end cable.
- Sleeve or jacket start/end relative to connector face.
- Service loops or strain-relief geometry if specified.
6. Workmanship spec
State the IPC/WHMA-A-620 class (Class 2 or Class 3) and any cross-referenced standards (J-STD-001 for solder, AS9100 for aerospace, ISO 13485 for medical). If you have no preference, default to Class 2 — and read our Class 2 vs Class 3 article so you understand the cost implication of upgrading.
7. Test requirements
Standard 100% continuity + visual is implied unless you say otherwise. Call out optional tests:
- Hipot voltage and duration (500/1000/1500 VAC, 1-60 seconds).
- Low-resistance milliohm threshold per circuit.
- Pull-force test per UL 758 (typical 6-12 lbf depending on AWG).
- IPX water-immersion qualification if the harness includes overmolded sealed connectors.
- FAI (first-article inspection) per AS9102 for aerospace.
8. Quantity tiers
Most RFQs hide assumed volumes inside email-thread negotiation. Just put them in the RFQ:
- Prototype quantity (1-10).
- Pilot run (50-200).
- First production lot (500-2000).
- Annual estimated usage.
Tiered volumes let us quote a price curve in one pass. Without them, we quote one volume and have to re-quote when you come back asking about a different one. See our rapid prototype capability for how pilot pricing is structured.
9. Delivery target and Incoterms
Target ship date for each quantity tier. Incoterm (EXW Shijiazhuang, FCA, DAP, DDP — these change the landed price significantly). Destination port or address.
10. Certifications and compliance asks
State up front whether the program requires:
- UL approval of the finished assembly (different from using UL-recognized components).
- RoHS 3 compliance declaration (default at our shop, but worth confirming).
- REACH SVHC declaration.
- Conflict Minerals (CMRT) report.
- PPAP level (Level 1 through 5) for automotive programs.
- ISO 13485 documentation for medical programs.
- AS9100 / AS9102 for aerospace programs.
11. NDA status and IP handling
Specify whether you have a signed NDA, whether one needs to be put in place, and whether the drawings carry export-control restrictions. Drawings that arrive without NDA context get reviewed by our engineering manager before they reach the floor — adds half a day, but is non-negotiable for IP protection.
The fast-RFQ template
Hi VeinWire team,
Please quote the attached harness. Drawing in STEP. Connector list, wire list, and pinout in the accompanying PDF. IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 2 workmanship. 100% continuity and visual. Hipot 1000VAC for 5 seconds on the AC-feed circuits only. Prototype 5 units, pilot 100, first production 1500, annual 8000. Target ship in 4 weeks for the prototypes, 12 weeks for pilot. FCA Shijiazhuang. NDA attached. RoHS 3 required. No CMRT needed. Send PPAP Level 2 with first production.
Best,
[name, title, company]
That email gets a quote in our inbox-to-engineering pipeline in under 4 hours and a price back to the buyer the same business day. The information-poor version of the same RFQ takes 5-9 days.
The buyer's payoff
The math is simple. A 24-hour RFQ cycle lets you compare three suppliers in a week. A 2-week cycle means you compare two suppliers in a month. The supplier you eventually pick will be the one your timeline accidentally selected, not the one with the best price-quality match. The hour you spend assembling a complete RFQ is the highest-leverage hour in the entire procurement process.
Case in production
A Canada Industrial Automation program (2025-2026) — A North American 3D vision and industrial measurement OEM required strict intellectual property protection before engaging with a contract manufacturer for custom cable assemblies.
Challenge: The customer's procurement process involved a multi-tier approval system and a strict NDA requirement, causing a 3-month vetting period where technical specifications could not be shared, delaying the quoting process.
What we did: Promptly executed the NDA, provided comprehensive company background and capability data to pass the customer's HQ and Supply Chain Manager vetting, and rapidly generated a detailed quote for the custom harness once specs were released.
Result: Successfully passed the stringent vendor qualification process, secured the signed NDA, and received the formal inquiry with detailed drawings, quoting a 4-week lead time for the custom assembly.
Concrete numbers: 3-month vetting phase, 1x20 Pin Samtec connector, 1x10 Pin Samtec connector, 100mm cable length, 4-week lead time
