What to Put in a Defense-Adjacent Machining RFQ So It Gets Quoted Fast

A good CNC RFQ checklist for defense-adjacent parts has 14 items: a 3D model, a 2D drawing at the same revision, material and finish specifications with revisions, thread callouts, tolerances and GD&T, quantity breaks, the first article requirement, certificate requirements (including any DFARS specialty metals flag), packaging, Incoterm, target lead time, a written export classification statement and an NDA. Send all 14 and a qualified supplier can quote within 24 business hours. Leave three out and you usually get a week of questions instead.

Why RFQ completeness decides your quote speed

Estimators quote what they can see. When a package is incomplete, the shop either asks questions (slow), adds contingency to cover the unknowns (expensive) or quotes the wrong thing (a problem at FAI). On defense-adjacent work the stakes are higher because certificates, specialty metals rules and export classification change which material a supplier can buy and whether they can accept the work at all.

The checklist below is the one milcnc.com uses to screen incoming packages before matching them with suppliers. You can use it for any supplier.

The CNC RFQ checklist

#	Item	What to include	Why it matters
1	3D model	STEP (AP214 or AP242), one body per part	Drives CAM programming time and cycle time estimates; complex surfaces cannot be quoted from 2D alone
2	2D drawing with revision	PDF, title block with part number and revision letter matching the model	The drawing controls tolerances, finish and notes; a revision mismatch means the shop quotes the wrong part
3	Material spec	Alloy, temper and specification with revision, e.g. 6061-T6 per AMS-QQ-A-250/11 or ASTM B221, 4140 per ASTM A29	Sets raw stock cost, availability and mill certificate content
4	Finish spec	Standard, type, class and color, e.g. MIL-PRF-8625 Type II Class 2 black; masking notes	“Anodize black” can mean four different processes with different costs and dimensional growth
5	Thread spec	Size, pitch, class, depth, e.g. M6x1.0-6H, 10-32 UNF-2B or UNJ per SAE AS8879; inserts if any	Thread class and form change tooling and gauging; helical coil inserts add operations
6	Tolerances and GD&T	General tolerance block (e.g. ISO 2768-mK) plus ASME Y14.5 or ISO GPS callouts on critical features	Tight features drive machine choice, setups and inspection time
7	Quantity breaks	3 to 4 quantities, e.g. 5 / 25 / 100 / 250, plus annual forecast if any	Setup and programming cost is amortized over the lot; one quantity hides the price curve
8	FAI requirement	AS9102 full FAI, partial FAI or dimensional report only; number of FAI pieces	A full AS9102 package with ballooned drawing adds inspection hours that must be quoted
9	Certificate requirements	Mill cert traceable to heat, CoC, finish cert, DFARS 252.225-7009 flag, DFARS 252.225-7052 flag if magnets or tungsten are involved	Specialty metals rules change the stock source; missing certs at delivery can stop acceptance
10	Packaging	Individual bagging, VCI, foam, labels, lot segregation	Anodized and passivated parts get damaged in bulk packing; labels need to match your receiving system
11	Incoterm	EXW (default) or FOB Cat Lai / FOB Cai Mep	Defines who pays and controls freight, export clearance and risk transfer
12	Target lead time	Weeks to FAI and weeks to production after FAI approval	Lets the shop plan capacity or flag early that the date is not realistic
13	Export classification statement	Written line, e.g. “EAR99, not ITAR, no controlled technical data”	Without it, no responsible supplier or matching service can accept the data
14	NDA	Mutual NDA signed before drawings are shared	Protects your IP and records what was shared, with whom

Items 1 to 6 describe the part. Items 7 to 12 describe the order. Items 13 and 14 decide whether the RFQ can be accepted at all.

Notes on the items that cause most trouble

Drawing and model revision

Put the revision letter in the model file name (“BRKT-1042_RevC.step”) and make sure the PDF title block says the same. If the model is reference only and the drawing governs, say so in a drawing note. If a feature is defined only in the model (common with MBD or 3D-only definitions), say that too.

Material and finish specifications

Give the specification and, where it matters, the revision. “Per spec” with no document attached cannot be quoted. If your drawing references an internal company specification, either attach it or state the equivalent public standard. For finishes, the details matter:

• MIL-PRF-8625 Type II (sulfuric) or Type III (hardcoat), Class 1 (undyed) or Class 2 (dyed).
• MIL-DTL-5541 chem film Type I (hexavalent) or Type II (non-hexavalent), Class 1A or Class 3.
• AMS 2700 or ASTM A967 for stainless passivation, with the method if you care.
• Whether dimensions apply before or after finish.

Certificates and DFARS flags

If your end contract includes DFARS 252.225-7009, say so at the RFQ. Specialty metals include steel with alloy content above set limits (4140 and stainless steels qualify), nickel and cobalt alloys, titanium and zirconium. Aluminum is not a specialty metal. The rule concerns where the metal was melted or produced, with qualifying countries set out in DFARS 225.003 and 225.872. A supplier needs to know before buying stock, not after. See DFARS specialty metals for machined parts.

Also list what you expect with the shipment: mill certificates traceable to heat number, a certificate of conformance, finish certificates, the FAI report and a certificate of origin if needed. Record retention (seven years is a common requirement) should be stated if your contract flows it down. The quality page describes the records matched suppliers typically provide.

First article inspection

State the depth. A full AS9102 FAI (Form 1 part number accountability, Form 2 product accountability for materials and special processes, Form 3 characteristic accountability with every balloon measured) takes much more time than a dimensional report on critical features. For a part with 80 characteristics, the difference can be a day of CMM and paperwork. See AS9102 first article inspection for CNC parts.

Incoterm and lead time

EXW is the default for suppliers matched through milcnc.com. FOB Cat Lai (Ho Chi Minh City) or FOB Cai Mep (deep-water port south-east of the city) is available on request. Give a target lead time as two numbers: weeks to FAI and weeks to production after FAI approval. Typical ranges for machined aluminum parts are 2 to 4 weeks to FAI, but material, finish and quantity move that a lot.

Export classification statement

Write it in the RFQ, in plain words: “These parts are EAR99. They are not on the USML. The drawings contain no export-controlled technical data.” If you have not classified the part, do that first. The buyer is responsible for jurisdiction, classification and any export licence.

milcnc.com does not accept ITAR-controlled (USML) technical data, and does not accept other export-controlled technical data, such as EAR 600-series data, unless the buyer holds the required authorization. Check drawings for distribution statements and CUI markings too; data covered by DFARS 252.204-7012 needs handling under NIST SP 800-171, and it should not go into a quoting channel until that handling is agreed. The export compliance page lists what is in and out of scope. This article is general information, not legal advice.

Common RFQ mistakes

These are the patterns that most often turn a one-day quote into a two-week thread:

1. Model and drawing at different revisions. The shop quotes Rev B from the model while the drawing says Rev C.
2. One tolerance for everything. A title block of ±0.02 mm on all dimensions makes a simple bracket a precision part. Use a general tolerance block and tighten only functional features.
3. Finish by color. “Black anodize” or “mil-spec finish” without standard, type and class.
4. Missing thread class or depth. “M5 tapped” does not say full-thread depth, class or whether inserts are required.
5. A single quantity. You lose the price curve and cannot see where setup cost stops dominating.
6. DFARS requirements disclosed at PO. The supplier has already quoted commodity stock and must re-quote.
7. No FAI definition. The shop quotes a basic report; you expected a full AS9102 package.
8. Controlled data sent without checking. An ITAR or CUI-marked drawing in an RFQ email is a compliance event, not a paperwork issue.
9. Referenced documents not attached. Internal specs, parts lists and assembly drawings called out but not supplied.
10. “Mil-spec” as a requirement. It is not a specification. Name the actual documents. Our mil-spec CNC machining guide lists the common ones.

How milcnc.com screens and matches an RFQ

milcnc.com is a matching service, not a machine shop. When you submit through the RFQ form:

1. NDA and review. A mutual NDA is put in place first. The package is checked against the 14 items above and missing items are requested in one message, not a trickle.
2. Export screen. The classification statement and drawing markings are checked. Anything ITAR-controlled, controlled without authorization or on the out-of-scope list (firearm components, munitions, missile parts, night vision, encryption hardware) is declined and not forwarded.
3. Match. The RFQ goes to up to 3 vetted CNC machining suppliers, with a focus on Vietnam, selected by material, size, tolerance band, finish, quantity and certificate capability (see capabilities).
4. Quote. Quotes arrive within 24 business hours of a complete RFQ, with DFM notes, lead time, material certificates and an FAI plan.
5. Direct contract. You choose a supplier and contract with them directly. The service is free for buyers.

Send your package

Use the checklist table above, attach your STEP and PDF files (IGES, DWG and DXF also accepted), add your export classification statement and quantity breaks, then submit your RFQ. A complete package is screened, matched and quoted within 24 business hours.