Eleven points. Use it on our quote too
Written to be used against any supplier, including us. If a quote fails several of these points, the gap in price against a more complete one is not a saving — it is a list of things that have not been decided yet.
The eleven points
- Named venues and properties. Not '5-star beachfront resort'. If the quote does not name the hotel, nothing in it has been verified and nothing has been held.
- An hour-by-hour programme. Not a paragraph of description per day. The detail is where the feasibility lives.
- Itemised costing by component. So you can see what removing the gala or dropping an accommodation grade actually saves. A single total is not a quote, it is a number.
- Exclusions at line level. Specifically: alcohol, gala production, photography, and airport transfers for staggered arrivals.
- The contingency plan, named and held. Which venue, held how, and what the decision deadline is. This is the single most revealing question you can ask.
- Staffing ratios as numbers. Guides per delegate, coordinators per group, medic threshold. 'Full support throughout' means nothing.
- Named subcontractors for anything the supplier does not deliver directly.
- The payment schedule and cancellation position as figures, at each stage of the calendar.
- Where the cost steps at your headcount — vehicles, venue capacity, vessel capacity.
- Insurance and licensing, with the operating entity named and certificate limits stated.
- How long the quote holds, and whether inventory is held during it.
When one quote is 20% cheaper, the difference is usually gala production and alcohol, or the absence of a held contingency. Normalise those three items across the quotes before concluding anything about value.
Questions that expose a weak supplier
| Ask | A good answer | A weak answer |
|---|---|---|
| Which venue, by name? | Named immediately, with capacity and layout | A category, or 'we will confirm nearer the time' |
| Is the wet-weather venue held? | Named, held, with a decision deadline and a cost formula | 'We will find something' or 'the resort has indoor space' |
| What is the ceiling height in the plenary room? | A figure, and whether a stage fits under it | Confusion, or a capacity chart |
| Who runs the gala production? | A named company, with their role stated | 'Our team' |
| What is your public liability limit? | A number and a certificate | 'We are fully insured' |
| Where does cost step at our headcount? | Specific thresholds for this programme | 'It scales with the group' |
| What is excluded? | A list, volunteered | 'Everything is included' — which is never true |
Comparing quotes fairly
- Give every supplier the same brief. Different assumptions produce incomparable numbers, and the cheapest quote is usually the one that assumed least.
- Normalise the exclusions first. Add the missing lines to the cheaper quote before comparing totals. Ten minutes, and it changes the answer more often than not.
- Compare at your committed headcount, not at a round number. A quote at 50 and a quote at 45 are not comparable if the vehicle threshold sits between them.
- Weight risk, not only price. A quote with no held contingency is cheaper because the risk has been transferred to you. That may be an acceptable trade — but decide it deliberately.
- Ask the same three questions of every supplier and compare the answers rather than the documents. Named venue, held contingency, insurance limit. The pattern of answers tells you more than the pricing.
Questions clients ask most
Is the cheapest quote ever the right one?
Frequently, for a low-stakes programme where you can absorb a problem. For an event where the chief executive is speaking or a duty-of-care review will follow, the cheapest quote is usually cheap because something has been left out.
How many quotes should we get?
Two thorough ones beat four superficial ones. If your policy requires three, ask two of them for an indicative range rather than a full costing — it satisfies the policy without wasting anyone's fortnight.
Should we share our budget with suppliers?
Yes, as a band. Withholding it means suppliers guess, usually low, and then the proposal is nothing like what you wanted. A supplier who inflates to fill a stated budget will be visible in the itemisation.
What if a supplier will not name venues?
It means nothing has been checked or held. Treat it as a proposal, not a quote, and do not compare it against a real one on price.
Where to go next
Four fields and you can send
Send the outline and you get a free feasibility reply within eight working hours — whether your dates hold at that headcount, what constrains them, and an indicative price range. No payment and no commitment at this stage.