How to normalise event supplier quotes
Three quotes have arrived for the same job, the totals are far apart, and nobody can say whether the cheapest one is actually cheaper.
The short answer
Normalising a quote means rebuilding each one on the same rows, the same quantities and the same tax and charge treatment, so that the differences left are real differences in price or scope.
Where a quote is silent on an item, mark it as missing and ask. Do not price it at zero, because the lowest total is often the quote that has left the most out. The quote normaliser tool flags missing inclusions in this way.
Step 1: fix one row structure
Build the rows from your own brief, not from any supplier's quote. Each supplier is then asked to fill your rows, or you map their lines to yours. Keep one row for each deliverable, and separate rows for set-up, crew, equipment, transport, overtime and any cost the supplier says is optional.
Step 2: align quantities and units
Differences usually hide in quantities. Meals for how many people, how many hours of crew, how many days of equipment hire, how many revisions are included. Write the quantity next to every price and convert everything to the same unit before comparing.
- Per person or per group: make the headcount explicit.
- Per day or per event: confirm the hours that a day covers.
- Per unit or lump sum: ask what the lump sum includes.
Step 3: treat tax, service charges and fees the same way
Quotes may show prices before or after tax and service charges, and some list fees separately. Ask each supplier to state what applies to its quote, and show every quote on the same basis. Tax treatment is for your finance team or adviser to confirm, not for the comparison sheet to decide.
Step 4: mark gaps, do not fill them with zero
Where a supplier has not priced a row, record Not stated, then send the question. A missing row can mean included, excluded or forgotten, and each has a different cost. Use the hidden cost questions as the list of questions and the scope gap comparison to see what each quote leaves out.
Step 5: record what remains different
After normalising, differences should be explainable. A higher price with more crew or a longer warranty is a decision. A higher price with the same scope is a negotiation. Record both, then move to scoring suppliers with evidence, rather than ranking by the bottom line.
Worked example · Fictional example
Comparing two fictional catering quotes
Fictional organisation and figures, illustrative only.
A fictional professional institute needs lunch and two tea breaks for 300 people. Supplier A quotes RM 38,000 and Supplier B quotes RM 33,500. B's quote is based on 250 meals and does not list service staff or crockery.
| Row | Supplier A | Supplier B | Normalised note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lunch, 300 people | Included | Priced for 250 | B needs repricing for 300 |
| Tea breaks, two | Included | Included | Same |
| Service staff | Included | Not stated | Ask B: included, extra or excluded? |
| Crockery and cutlery | Included | Not stated | Ask B |
| Tax and service charge | Stated as excluded | Stated as included | Show both on the same basis; finance to confirm |
| Total as quoted | RM 38,000 | RM 33,500 | Not comparable until the rows above are answered |
Use this yourself
Quote normalisation sheet
Copy this into a spreadsheet with one column per supplier. Fill the rows from your brief, record each quantity and write Not stated where a quote is silent.
- Row (deliverable) from our brief:
- Quantity and unit stated by each supplier:
- Price as quoted, and whether before or after tax and service charge:
- Included, excluded or Not stated:
- Question sent to supplier and date:
- Answer received, with date and who answered:
- Normalised price for this row on our basis:
- Optional items listed separately:
- Overtime, transport and change terms stated:
- Remaining difference after normalising (scope, quality, price):
- Finance or adviser confirmation on tax treatment:
- Prepared by, reviewed by, date:
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- Two or three quotes with similar structure and a simple scope.
- One person can send the questions and read the answers.
- The spend is small enough that a simple spreadsheet is proportionate.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Several quotes use different structures, units or tax treatment.
- The decision goes to a committee or finance, and the comparison must be defensible.
- Many suppliers and several workstreams need comparing on the same timetable.
Want someone to run the quote comparison?
A conference project lead can build the row structure from your brief, send the questions to each supplier, keep the answers in one record and prepare the comparison for your committee. Decisions on which supplier to appoint stay with you.
Questions organisers ask
Should I just ask suppliers to resubmit on my template?
Yes, where possible. Send your row structure and ask each to fill it. Keep their original quote as the contractual reference.
What if a supplier will not answer a question?
Record it as Not stated and treat the row as unconfirmed. Do not assume it is included.
Is the cheapest normalised quote the winner?
Not by itself. Normalising shows price and scope clearly. The choice also depends on evidence of capability and risk, covered in supplier scoring.
Who confirms how tax applies?
Your finance team or tax adviser. The sheet only records how each supplier has quoted.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.