Budget and procurement tools
Event supplier quote normaliser
Three quotes arrived in three formats, and the cheapest may simply be the one that leaves things out.
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The short answer
The normaliser lines every quotation up against the same list of what the event needs. For each supplier and requirement it reports one of: priced at your quantity, priced at a different quantity, excluded by the supplier, not stated, or price unknown.
A missing item is flagged, never priced at zero. A supplier is called like for like only when every requirement is priced at the quantity you need.
What to enter
- The requirements: each thing every supplier should price, with the quantity you need, such as 300 meals or 6 service staff.
- The quote lines: supplier, item as quoted (typed as in your requirements), quantity, unit price, and whether the quote includes the item, excludes it or does not say.
- Extra charges such as delivery or service charge as their own lines. They are totalled separately.
How quotes are compared
Each quote line is matched to a requirement by name, ignoring capitals and extra spaces. A requirement with no line from a supplier is shown as not stated.
Priced requirements are totalled as quoted, and again at your quantity by multiplying the quoted unit price by the quantity you need. The second figure is an extrapolation, so confirm it with the supplier.
What the warnings mean
Each gap is named: excluded, not stated or price unknown. The supplier's total is then incomplete and cannot be set beside a quote that prices those items.
If suppliers quoted different quantities for the same requirement, such as 250 meals against 300, a warning says their totals are not comparable until the quantities are aligned.
Questions to put back to suppliers
- For an excluded or unstated item: is it included in the price, available at an extra cost, or not offered?
- For a different quantity: what is the unit price at the quantity we need, and is there a minimum?
- For extra charges: which of these apply to our event, and are they fixed or a percentage?
Limits
The tool uses only the lines you type and does not know whether a quote is complete or accurate. Volume pricing, minimums and staffing rules may change a price at a different quantity. To record the chosen supplier and the reasons, use the event budget builder, and for deposits once you commit, the deposit exposure calculator.
Worked example · Fictional example
Two fictional catering quotes
Fictional suppliers and figures, to show the comparison.
A fictional event needs 300 lunch buffets, 6 service staff and 1 interpretation booth. Caterer A quotes 300 lunches at RM 42 (RM 12,600) and 6 staff at RM 180 (RM 1,080), plus a RM 350 delivery charge, and says nothing about the booth. Its total of RM 13,680 is incomplete because the booth is not stated.
Caterer B quotes 250 lunches at RM 38 (RM 9,500), does not mention staff and excludes the booth. At 300 lunches its unit price would give RM 11,400, to be confirmed. Its RM 9,500 looks cheaper but covers fewer meals and omits staffing, so it is not equivalent to Caterer A.
| Requirement | Caterer A | Caterer B |
|---|---|---|
| Lunch buffet (need 300) | RM 12,600.00 | RM 9,500.00 for 250 (at 300: RM 11,400.00) |
| Service staff (need 6) | RM 1,080.00 | Not stated, not priced |
| Interpretation booth (need 1) | Not stated, not priced | Excluded by supplier, not priced |
Use this yourself
Quote comparison sheet
List what the event needs down the side and each supplier across the top. Write gaps in words, never as zero.
| Requirement and quantity needed | Supplier 1: quantity, unit price, total | Supplier 2: quantity, unit price, total | Supplier 3: quantity, unit price, total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra charges listed | |||
| Gaps (excluded, not stated, unpriced) | |||
| Like for like at our quantities? (yes or no) |
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- There are two or three quotes with similar layouts and a short list of requirements.
- The committee is comfortable asking suppliers to confirm gaps in writing.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Quotes differ in scope, units and exclusions, and the committee cannot tell what it would be buying.
- Several workstreams are awaiting quotes, and someone must chase and consolidate them against one specification.
- The decision needs a clear record of why a supplier was chosen, for finance or a funder.
Need the quotes gathered against one specification?
A project lead can write the requirement list your suppliers quote against, chase missing quotes and clarifications, and set out the comparison for your committee. The choice of supplier and the contract stay with you.
Questions organisers ask
Why is a missing item not priced at zero?
Because zero would make that supplier look cheaper for leaving something out. It is flagged as a gap instead.
What if two suppliers quote different numbers of meals?
A warning says their totals are not comparable until the quantities are aligned, and the price at your quantity is shown as an extrapolation to confirm.
How are extra charges handled?
Lines that match no requirement are treated as extra charges and are totalled separately for each supplier.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.