RFQ Template for Electronic Components — How to Get Accurate Quotes from Chinese Factories

A poorly written RFQ (Request for Quotation) is the most common reason importers get inaccurate quotes from Chinese manufacturers. Factories quote what they understand — if your RFQ is vague, you'll get a vague price that bears no relation to your final landed cost. This page provides a complete RFQ template for electronic components, with field-by-field explanation of what to include and why. Before sending an RFQ, make sure to vet the supplier so you're only quoting factories worth quoting.

Electronic Components RFQ Template

Copy the block below into a document, fill in the fields, and send to shortlisted factories.

REQUEST FOR QUOTATION
Elite Global Trade Ltd / [Your Company Name]
Date: [Date]
RFQ Reference: [Your internal RFQ number]
Response deadline: [Date — give factories 5-7 business days]

SECTION A — BUYER INFORMATION
Company name: _______________
Contact name: _______________
Email: _______________
Phone/WhatsApp: _______________
Country: _______________
Incoterm required: DDP / CIF / FOB [circle one]
Target delivery port/address: _______________

SECTION B — PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
Product name: _______________
Product category: Electronic components / Finished electronics / Sub-assemblies [specify]
Intended end use: _______________
Target market/end country: _______________
Technical specifications:
- Model/part number (if applicable): _______________
- Key components/materials: _______________
- PCB specifications (if applicable):
  Layers: ___ / Material: FR4 / Other: ___
  Surface finish: HASL / ENIG / Other: ___
  Copper weight: 1oz / 2oz / Other: ___
- Dimensions (L x W x H): _______________
- Weight (approx): _______________
- Colour/finish: _______________
- Operating voltage/power: _______________
- Certifications required: CE / RoHS / FCC / UL / Other: _______________

SECTION C — QUANTITY & PRICING
Annual estimated volume: _______________
Initial order quantity (IOQ): _______________
Minimum order quantity acceptable: _______________
Please quote for these quantities:
  Qty 1: ___ units — Unit price: ___
  Qty 2: ___ units — Unit price: ___
  Qty 3: ___ units — Unit price: ___
Target unit price (if applicable): USD ___

SECTION D — PACKAGING
Inner packaging: _______________
Units per inner box: _______________
Units per master carton: _______________
Carton dimensions required: _______________
Special packaging requirements: _______________
Barcode/labelling requirements: _______________

SECTION E — COMPLIANCE & CERTIFICATION
Required certifications: _______________
Restricted substances: RoHS / REACH [circle if applicable]
Country of origin marking required: Yes / No
Test reports required: Yes / No
If yes, which testing body: _______________

SECTION F — TOOLING & SAMPLES
Is tooling required? Yes / No
If yes, estimated tooling cost: _______________
Tooling ownership: Buyer / Supplier
Sample required before production: Yes / No
Sample quantity: ___
Sample lead time required: _______________
Sample cost: _______________

SECTION G — LEAD TIMES
Sample lead time: ___ days
Production lead time (after sample approval): ___ days
Preferred production start date: _______________
Required delivery date: _______________

SECTION H — PAYMENT TERMS
Preferred payment terms: 30% deposit / 70% BL copy [or specify]
Accepted payment methods: T/T / LC / Other: ___

SECTION I — ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Quality control: AQL 2.5 PSI required Yes / No
Factory audit required: Yes / No
NDA required: Yes / No
IP/brand ownership: Buyer owns all tooling and designs Yes / No
Any other requirements: _______________

RFQ Field Guide — What to Include and Why

Incoterm selection

The Incoterm determines who is responsible for freight, insurance and customs clearance. For most importers outside China, DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) is safest — the supplier or agent handles everything to your door and you pay one all-in price. FOB means you handle freight from the Chinese port. CIF means the supplier handles freight and insurance but you handle import customs clearance at destination.

PCB specifications

For electronic components involving PCBs, surface finish significantly affects cost and performance:

• HASL (Hot Air Solder Levelling): lowest cost, suitable for most consumer electronics
• ENIG (Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold): higher cost, better for fine-pitch components and long storage life

Copper weight affects current handling — 1oz is standard, 2oz needed for power electronics.

Quantity brackets

Always request prices for at least 3 quantity brackets. Chinese factories price aggressively at higher volumes — the price difference between MOQ and 5x MOQ is often 20-40%. Understanding the price curve helps you plan order frequency and inventory strategy.

Certification requirements

State certification requirements upfront — not after sampling. CE, RoHS, FCC and UL certifications add cost and time. A factory that quotes without knowing certification requirements will underprice and then surprise you with additional costs later. For substance compliance details, see our RoHS & REACH lab testing guide.

Tooling ownership

Always specify that tooling is owned by the buyer and cannot be used for other customers. This protects your design from being produced for competitors and gives you the right to transfer tooling to another factory if needed.

7 Common RFQ Mistakes That Cost Importers Money

Once RFQ responses come back and you've shortlisted 2-3 factories, run a full factory audit before placing the first production order — quotes on paper are only as good as the factory behind them.

Frequently Asked Questions