QuotedPartAnswers · Updated 2026-10-30
How do purchasing buyers compare machine shop quotes?
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A purchasing buyer usually compares more than the unit price: exact revision and quantity, included operations, delivery date, quality paperwork, payment terms, freight and supplier risk. Make those columns easy to find. Worked example: Supplier A is $92 each with 15-day delivery and $180 freight; Supplier B is $98 each with 8-day delivery and freight included for 20 pieces. A’s landed total is 20 × $92 + $180 = $2,020; B’s is 20 × $98 = $1,960, so B is $60 lower before any difference in scope.
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Build the buyer’s bid tab in your own quote
Put part number, revision, quantity, unit price, lot price, promised ship date, quote validity, material and finish near the top. Then state what is included: programming, setup, inspection, certificates, packaging, freight and outside processing. A buyer should not need to search an email thread to discover that your price excludes anodize.
Purchasing may score technical fit separately from commercial fit. If a tolerance, inspection method or material cert is an assumption, call it out and ask for confirmation. A clean exception is easier to compare than a low price that changes after the PO.
| Column | Supplier A | Supplier B |
|---|---|---|
| Unit price | $92 | $98 |
| Quantity | 20 | 20 |
| Freight | $180 included separately | Included |
| Landed total | $2,020 | $1,960 |
| Promised ship | 15 days | 8 days |
| Scope note | Anodize by others | Anodize included |
Explain a difference without attacking another shop
If your price is higher, name the real scope: a first-article report, a specified alloy, a controlled-data route or a firm delivery slot. Offer a second option only when it is operationally real, such as a longer lead time or a different quantity break. Do not claim what a competitor includes unless the buyer supplied that quote and you have permission to compare it.
In the example, Supplier B’s landed total is lower and its delivery is sooner, but the buyer still needs to confirm that “anodize included” meets the required type and cert. A bid tab that carries that question prevents a false win based on unmatched scope.
Make risk visible and easy to approve
State quote validity, material availability, outside-process lead time, inspection evidence and payment terms. If capacity is conditional on a PO by a date, say so. Buyers can approve a slightly higher total when the quote makes delivery and quality risk legible; they struggle when the price is low but the conditions are hidden.
Use one revision and one quantity per line. If you offer 10, 50 and 100 pieces, show each break and the setup allocation. A buyer can then choose a lot size without asking you to rebuild the quote.
What to do next
Read your last three lost or won quotes as if you were the buyer. Can you find scope, date, validity, terms and exclusions in under a minute? If not, change the layout and ask one buyer to test it. Clarity is a commercial advantage because it shortens the approval path.
Illustrative bid-tab assumptions
- • 20-piece order; Supplier A $92/unit plus $180 freight; Supplier B $98/unit with freight included.
- • Delivery and included anodize are stated scenarios, not market facts.
| Supplier | Calculation | Landed total |
|---|---|---|
| A | 20 × $92 + $180 | $2,020 |
| B | 20 × $98 | $1,960 |
| Difference | 2,020 − 1,960 | $60 |
Price one of your own parts
Drop a PDF drawing or a STEP file. QuotedPart reads the print, measures the model and prices it in seconds, on default shop rates you can change.
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