MIMO field notes · Procurement · · MIMO editorial team
Two quotes with similar totals can cover different work. Before choosing a supplier, place each offer against the same approved scope and identify what is missing, different or still uncertain.
Reconcile the products first
Check model, material, dimensions and quantity against the brief. Confirm whether a quoted alternative has been identified and approved. A lower-priced product that does not fit the room is not a like-for-like saving.
Separate optional items from required items. If one supplier includes decorative accessories and another does not, compare the essentials first, then decide whether the additions are useful.
Normalize service scope
List freight, delivery location, assembly, packaging removal and old-furniture removal as separate rows. Record whether each is included, excluded or needs another quote. Do not insert zero for an unknown cost.
| Quote difference | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Curbside versus room delivery | Who moves the goods inside? |
| Assembly unclear | Who completes and checks it? |
| Quantity differs | Which approved rooms or units are covered? |
| Availability uncertain | What date and allocation can be confirmed? |
Compare terms that affect execution
Check quote validity, payment arrangements, change conditions and the supplier’s actual warranty or return information. Ask how damaged or missing items are reported. Keep stock confirmation and delivery scheduling separate; available goods can still lack a suitable access appointment.
Send specific clarification questions rather than asking each supplier to “match the other quote.” Matching a total without matching the work does not solve the comparison.
Summarize the final difference as products, services, timing and unresolved risks. The authorized buyer can then decide which offer fits the project. A normalized comparison is useful even if the preferred supplier is not the cheapest, because the record shows what was purchased and why rather than treating an unexplained total as the entire decision.
Sources & useful references
- MIMO RFQ Builder — Quantity and project-request preparation
- MIMO procurement support — Project quotation and supplier-scope planning
Published by MIMO. Planning examples describe hypothetical situations, not completed client projects. Directory information is a starting point; current terms require confirmation with the property or provider.
Continue with a related decision
Furniture landed cost: build the project budget around delivery
A furniture substitution checklist before you say yes
Vendor portals and supplier contacts serve different purposes