Make the offers comparable before choosing
A lower total may describe less work, a different technical result or a different division of responsibility. It may also be a genuinely more efficient proposal. You cannot tell which until both offers answer the same brief.
Start with the version of the programme and venue plan sent to suppliers. Then compare functional results, included time and tasks. AVIXA's guidance on a statement of work identifies deliverables, responsibilities, assumptions and acceptance as important parts of defining an AV project. Read its explanation of scope documentation. The worksheet below applies that principle to an event quotation.
Copy this comparison worksheet
Add a column for each supplier. Use “included”, “excluded”, “optional” or “to confirm”, followed by the relevant quantity, hours or owner. A blank row is an unanswered question, not a free service.
| Comparison row | What each supplier should state |
|---|---|
| Brief reference | Programme version, venue plan and dates used for the offer |
| Required result | Audience areas, visible content, sound tasks and interactive functions covered |
| Equipment configuration | Quantity and relevant specification; approved substitution process; accessories |
| Signal and content | Players, control, switching, file preparation, test and content responsibility |
| Installation and removal | Tasks, access windows, crew roles and included work period |
| Rehearsal and live operation | Call times, roles, operating hours and programme changes covered |
| Logistics | Transport, unloading, parking, storage and return handling |
| Venue and third parties | Power, network, rigging or other services: included, separately quoted or client-provided |
| Recovery arrangements | Specific spare or alternative, where it is, and who implements the response |
| Exclusions and options | Each omitted or optional task and its effect on the intended result |
| Commercial basis | Currency, tax presentation, validity, payment schedule and agreed change process |
| Completion check | What is demonstrated, who accepts it and when the room is handed over |
Compare the outcome, then the hardware
Do not insist on matching model names if different designs meet the brief. Do ask how each proposal covers the same seats and content. Two LED screen proposals need a common description of viewing positions and actual display content before panel quantities become a useful comparison. Two sound proposals need the same programme and listening zones.
Conversely, do not accept “equivalent equipment” without understanding which properties matter. Ask the supplier to explain a substitution against the agreed result and identify any impact on layout, content or installation. Record the decision next to the quotation version.
Worked example: one conference, two scopes
Imagine a hypothetical one-day conference with setup the previous afternoon, a morning rehearsal, four presentation sessions and evening removal. Offer A lists screens, microphones and delivery. Offer B lists those functions plus installation, rehearsal operation and a technician during the sessions. There are no assumed prices in this example.
In the worksheet, A's installation and show operation remain “to confirm”; they do not become zero. Ask A to price the missing agreed duties or explicitly identify the organisation performing them. Ask B whether the quoted technician's hours cover the full programme and whether removal is separately staffed. Confirm the same content-testing scope for both.
Only after those answers can you compare an equipment-only route with an operated package. If you deliberately choose the first route, record the internal people, time and other purchases needed to deliver the remaining work. Those resources are part of your project, even if they do not appear on that supplier's invoice.
Normalise totals without inventing missing prices
Use the same currency and a clearly stated tax basis across the comparison, confirmed by the suppliers and your purchasing process. Separate the required base scope from optional additions. Add a missing item only when its amount has been quoted or otherwise confirmed; retain an unresolved marker until then.
Compare time in its actual form. “One day” might refer to equipment hire, a crew shift or the public programme. Ask for dates and call times. A late finish, an extra rehearsal or restricted loading access can change the work; ask how a change is documented and approved, without assuming any supplier's overtime or cancellation terms.
Questions that reveal meaningful differences
What required result does this line deliver?
Who performs each task that is not included?
Which venue information is still an assumption?
Does the team schedule cover setup, checks, opening and removal?
What must the organiser deliver, and by which deadline?
What changes in the result if an option is declined?
Common mistakes are comparing equipment subtotals against fully operated totals, treating exclusions as irrelevant and comparing different brief versions. A short clarification round can resolve all three without turning the quotation into a specification-writing contest.
Approve a clear revision
Ask each shortlisted supplier for a revised offer reflecting the agreed answers. Keep the functional scope, options, unresolved dependencies and responsible people beside the commercial total. Where relevant, compare installation and dismantling and technical support explicitly within the AV rental project.
Further reading
AVIXA: the role of a statement of work in AV projects explains why a clear scope remains useful through delivery and acceptance.