Send each bidder the same revision of a short comparison sheet. A lower unit price is not comparable when one offer covers raw sheets and another includes cut panels and trims. Record every substitution and exclusion alongside the price instead of treating the total as a complete scope description.
| Record | What to make explicit |
|---|---|
| Sample reference | Assign the physical sample an ID and record the selected face, texture and edge treatment. Note who reviewed it and whether the decision covers appearance only or also a separately reviewed specification. |
| Product and substitutions | Require the quoted model, construction, thickness and finish to match the comparison sheet. Put proposed alternatives in a separate column with their differences; do not let a new material inherit the original sample approval. |
| Quantity and unit | Distinguish full-sheet quantity, finished panel quantity, area and trim length. State whether quoted area means nominal sheet area or agreed finished coverage, and show cutting waste or spare quantities as separate assumptions to confirm. |
| Included work | Separate panels, cutting, edge finishing, openings, trims, sample charges and packing. Ask each bidder to mark items as included, separately priced or excluded rather than filling an unknown with zero. |
| Commercial conditions | Record quotation validity, payment proposal, delivery basis, production prerequisites and the stated lead-time trigger. Keep freight, duties, local installation and any inspection service visibly separate unless the offer expressly includes them. |
Take this into your next conversation.
- Every offer references the same sample and drawing revision.
- Area, pieces and trim length are not mixed in one quantity field.
- Alternatives, exclusions and unknowns remain visible.
- Appearance approval is not presented as production approval.