By MEDL International Business Relations

When comparing supplier quotations, do not choose on the unit price alone. First compare whether each quotation covers the same specification, quantity, quality assumption, delivery point, lead time and commercial terms. A lower number is not necessarily a lower cost if important work has been left outside the quotation.

Questions beyond the unit price

Use this checklist before asking suppliers to revise or confirm their offers:

  • Are the specifications identical? Check grade, dimensions, finish, tolerances, packaging and any approved sample or drawing.
  • What quantity is the price based on? A quotation for one trial quantity may not be comparable with one based on a repeat order or a larger production run.
  • What is included in delivery? Confirm the delivery point, packing, transport assumptions and whether duties, local charges or other landed-cost items remain open.
  • What is the lead time measured from? Ask whether it begins after order confirmation, deposit, technical approval or receipt of final artwork and documents.
  • Which payment and validity assumptions apply? Terms can affect the practical value of an offer, especially when quotations expire at different times.
  • What quality checks are included? Identify the inspection point, approval process and treatment of non-conforming goods before comparing totals.

A useful comparison sheet should show the quoted price, the assumptions behind it, the items still to be confirmed and the commercial risk of each open point. It is better to mark an item “not included” than to treat an unclear line as included.

A hypothetical example

A Bahrain buyer receives two quotations from Turkish manufacturers for the same general product. Supplier A is cheaper, but excludes export packing and starts the lead time only after final approval. Supplier B costs more but includes the agreed packing standard and provides a clearer inspection step. The buyer should not decide until both offers are restated against the same requirement.

This is the same discipline needed in a first supplier enquiry and before a supplier visit to Türkiye: define what is being compared and what decision it must support.

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Next step: put every quotation into one comparison table and send suppliers the same list of open points before selecting the lowest apparent price.