Create one reference specification for every bidder
Issue the same item codes, dimensions, quantities, materials and finish references to every factory. Include intended use and any project-specific performance requirements. If a supplier proposes a change, ask for it in a separate alternative column. Do not let an unmarked change from a specified construction to a cheaper construction become the apparent reason one offer wins.
Normalise what the price actually includes
Compare currency, quotation validity, unit quantities, sample charges, packing, inland transport and named delivery point. Record any assembly, inspection or documentation that is separately charged. A blank cell is a question, not a zero. Use a common comparison basis; otherwise one quotation can look cheaper simply because the supplier has stopped their responsibility earlier in the journey.
Separate acceptable differences from missing information
A practical comparison sheet can use three statuses: meets brief, proposed alternative and unresolved. For example, Factory A offers the specified upholstery and Factory B offers another fabric without a sample. Record B as unresolved until its composition, appearance and suitability are reviewed. Do not award it an equivalent score on the strength of a small digital photograph.
Make the decision wider than a unit-price ranking
Review the confirmed sample, communication quality, production plan, packing approach and proposed correction process alongside price. Write down why the preferred offer is suitable. If a lower offer needs extensive redesign, repeated samples or a split shipment, evaluate those consequences before committing. Retain the clarified quotation and its revision number so the purchase order refers to the decision actually approved.
Project checklist
Before you approve
- Send one specification version to all bidders.
- Expose exclusions and proposed substitutions.
- Confirm currency, validity and delivery point.
- Link the accepted quotation to the order revision.
A useful question
Should the lowest furniture quotation always win?
No. A lower figure is useful only when the product and included work meet the brief. Compare confirmed differences, clarify omissions and judge the full package. Price remains important, but an unexplained gap is a reason to investigate rather than assume a saving.