One offer costs €2,000 and another €1,700. The €300 difference is clear; whether you buy the same thing is not. One may include installation and training, the other supply alone. Start by comparing equivalent services.
Higher price is not automatically better. Identify differences and their relevance. A cheaper proposal may cover your needs; a fuller one may include unnecessary work.
Compare on the same basis
Check subject, quantities, models, materials and locations. Ensure totals include the same applicable components and treatment of options. Do not compare one subtotal with another final total.
For measured work, check quantities and measurement rules; for recurring services, frequency and duration; for consulting, deliverables and revisions. Different PDF layouts can still contain comparable information.
A practical comparison list
- Products or materials: equivalent characteristics and quantities?
- Activities: same service and outcome?
- Accessories: included or purchased separately?
- Transport and installation: included, separate or excluded?
- Timing: indicative or confirmed under stated conditions?
- Extras: how are they assessed?
- Validity: how long are terms offered?
- Payment: what terms are stated?
Do not invent missing facts. Mark them for clarification and ask the supplier. Omission alone proves neither inclusion nor exclusion.
A scope difference example
Illustrative offer A: products €1,400, installation €400 and training €200, total €2,000 before taxes. Offer B: products €1,400 and installation €300, total €1,700, training unspecified.
Ask whether B includes training and what it covers. If an extra €200 is required, comparison becomes €2,000 versus €1,900 on a more similar basis. Installation tasks and terms still need checking beyond the €100 difference.
Ask concrete questions
“To compare the proposals, can you confirm whether the total includes delivery, configuration and one training session? What remains excluded?” is more useful than “the other supplier is cheaper; match the price”.
For construction, ask about surfaces and materials. For cleaning, ask about frequency and areas. For supply, ask about model, accessories and delivery conditions. Precise questions encourage precise answers.
Lump-sum versus unit-price offers
A lump-sum offer can have defined scope and overall price. Unit-based offers calculate from quantities under specified terms. They are not identical when some quantities remain estimates.
Ask how changed measurements or requests affect work and how additions are agreed. Do not infer variation handling from line count or unit prices alone. Written terms and supplier clarification matter.
Limits of comparing documents alone
Execution quality is not established by high prices or polished PDFs. For technical work, verify relevant skills, documents and requirements with a qualified assessor. A commercial quote cannot replace design or specialist checks.
Avoid unnecessarily sharing other suppliers' confidential data. Ask for precise services without forwarding entire documents containing irrelevant information.
After choosing
Identify the confirmed offer and keep relevant clarifications and attachments. For agreed changes, request an updated document or identifiable confirmation. Select the offer actually assessed rather than a superseded version.
For suppliers, this checklist also improves proposals: clear quantities and services let clients assess work rather than price alone.
When an item still cannot be compared
Ask the supplier to describe the outcome or separate the selectable part. Matching line counts is unnecessary: differently structured offers can be comparable when services and conditions are clear.
Consider unresolved important limitations in the decision and obtain competent checks when needed. Do not assign invented prices to missing items. Distinguish documented facts, received clarifications and open issues. Ensure final terms include what informed your comparison, rather than leaving those facts only in personal notes.
Use PreventivOk to organise offer items and terms in PDFs. Comparing suppliers remains an assessment of services and agreements. Create your next quote with PreventivOk.