Proposal Comparison
Comparing agency proposals
Compare agency proposals on scope, approach, team, dependencies and total cost. Clarify gaps and record a decision you can explain.
Compare agency proposals against the same business requirements. Check the work each agency commits to deliver, the help it needs from your team and the cost of completing the job.
Establish a common basis
Use the brief and any clarifications sent to candidates as your baseline. Identify the outcomes, constraints and work that every acceptable proposal must address. If an agency proposes a different route to the outcome, assess its merits and record where it departs from the request.
Separate essential requirements from preferences. An agency that cannot work with a required system may be unsuitable; a preferred meeting format may be negotiable. If candidates received different information, record which brief each used and share material corrections consistently, while respecting the process and any confidential proposal details.
Compare the offers
Make one row for each important requirement rather than each proposal heading.
| Compare | Ask of each proposal |
|---|---|
| Approach | How does the work address the problem, and what must be learned first? |
| Deliverables | What will be handed over, in what quantity or cadence, and in what usable form? |
| People | Who will lead and perform the work, and when are they available? |
| Client contribution | What information, access, production or approvals must your team provide? |
| Timing | Which milestones are proposed, and which depend on others? |
| Commercial terms | What is included in the quoted fee, and what sits outside it? |
Mark an unanswered point unknown and seek clarification. Do not treat an appealing description as a commitment. Proposal length tells you little about whether the necessary work is covered.
Ask each agency to explain its first decisions and the assumptions behind its plan. Where the cause of the problem is uncertain, a defined diagnostic stage with a usable decision at the end may be preferable to committing immediately to implementation. Confirm who owns work performed by your staff or another supplier.
Key Proposal Comparison Criteria
- ApproachHow the work addresses the problem and what must be learned first
- DeliverablesWhat will be handed over, in quantity or cadence, and in usable form
- PeopleWho leads and performs the work, and their availability
- Client contributionInformation, access, production or approvals your team must provide
- TimingProposed milestones and dependencies between them
- Commercial termsWhat is included in the quoted fee and what sits outside it
Read the whole commercial offer
Compare prices against the scope behind each figure. Check whether applicable GST is included, identify third-party costs and optional stages, and note conditions that could change the fee or timetable.
An exclusion may be manageable if your team can supply the work. It is a problem when an essential task has no owner. Check that the written offer describes the work, costs, timing, revisions and payment terms clearly enough for this purchase. Do not infer that an unmentioned task is included.
Check whether the quoted amount accounts for the true costs of the work, including labour, resources, taxes and a proportion of business operating costs. Note whether a price is based on complete specifications or may change when further details are known.
Do not assume the lowest price represents the best value. A low figure may matter less if the agency’s proposed service or ability to deliver does not meet your requirements. Assess affordability alongside the proposal’s scope and the supplier’s reliability.
Commercial Offer Verification Checklist
- GST Included?
- Check whether GST is part of the quoted price
- Third-party costs
- Identify any external fees not covered in the quote
- Optional stages
- Note any non-essential components that may increase cost
- Payment terms
- Confirm timing and conditions for payments
- Scope clarity
- Ensure work, costs, revisions and timing are clearly described
Check supplier fit beyond the proposal
Consider whether each agency appears able to deliver reliably and on time, and whether its size, time in business and location suit your needs. A larger supplier may have more resources and systems to respond when something goes wrong, while a smaller supplier may offer a closer relationship.
Use basic checks to inform your decision before engaging an agency. Read online reviews, ask for references and contact other businesses it works with. You can search the Australian Business Register to check whether the business is registered; the Personal Property Securities Register can show whether goods a supplier is providing are being used as security for a debt.
If an agency will access your systems, data or confidential information, consider whether additional checks are appropriate. Record the checks you made and any resulting concerns alongside your proposal comparison, so the selection decision reflects both the offer and the supplier’s suitability.
Distinguish a quote from an estimate
Check whether the price in a proposal is a quote or only an estimate. An estimate is a rough guide that may be subject to change, while a quote is prepared from the job’s specifications and sets out a price and terms. If you are relying on a particular price, clarify its status rather than treating an estimate as a fixed offer.
A quote may form part of a legally binding contract if you proceed. Keep the accepted written offer and any clarifications together, and make sure the document reflects the scope and terms you compared before deciding.
Quote vs Estimate: Key Differences
- Pros of a QuoteFixed price based on specifications; can form part of a legally binding contract
- Cons of a QuoteMay be subject to change if scope evolves without formal amendment
- Pros of an EstimateUseful for initial planning and budgeting when full details are unavailable
- Cons of an EstimateNot guaranteed; may vary significantly with final specifications
Resolve gaps and decide
Ask questions tied to the actual wording: “Does the fee include landing-page copy?” or “Who implements the tracking change?” Keep the answer with the proposal. If it materially changes the offer, obtain a revised written version and assess it consistently with the other candidates. For a formal tender, follow its stated clarification and evaluation process.
Set aside offers that fail a genuine requirement. Hold an unclear offer for clarification where the process allows it; an unanswered question is not itself proof that the agency cannot deliver. Compare the remaining offers on fit, delivery confidence, client effort, risk and total cost.
Record why the preferred offer fits, what was confirmed in writing and what must be settled before engagement. If none is suitable, revise the request or define a narrower first stage.
Resolving Gaps and Making a Decision
- Clarify ambiguous pointsAsk specific questions like 'Does the fee include landing-page copy?'
- Request revised offersIf answers materially change the proposal, obtain a new written version
- Reject non-compliant offersSet aside proposals that fail essential requirements
- Compare remaining optionsOn fit, delivery confidence, client effort, risk and total cost
- Document decision rationaleRecord why the preferred offer fits and what remains to be settled
In this guide
- Comparing deliverables rather than proposal lengthTurn proposal language into a deliverable matrix. Check the form, extent, completion conditions and owners of each output.
- Spotting assumptions hidden in an agency quoteFind volume, client-work, cost and tax assumptions in an agency quote, then resolve material gaps in writing.
- Building a shortlist scorecard from agreed requirementsCreate an agency shortlist scorecard with essential gates, evidence-based criteria and a clear way to handle unknowns.
