Which comparison basis should be retained?
Use the issued RFQ scope, evaluation basis and permitted treatment of alternatives. In US federal simplified acquisitions, FAR 13.106-2(a)(2) states that offers are evaluated on the basis established in the solicitation. That context-specific requirement is not a universal rule governing every private equipment purchase.
The worksheet below is an original engineering procurement aid. It does not decide whether an alternative is contractually permitted or technically equivalent. This guide is not legal advice.
Sources: US Acquisition.gov: FAR 13.106-2: Evaluation of quotations or offers
Which columns keep an alternative visible?
Assign a stable offer ID to each version. Preserve the original supplier document and avoid overwriting the base price with a number from a different configuration.
| Field | Base offer row | Alternative row |
|---|---|---|
| Offer identity | Supplier, quote and revision | Separate alternative ID and revision |
| Requested scope | Response against issued RFQ | Exact difference from requested scope |
| Price and basis | Quoted currency, exclusions and terms | Own quoted amount and basis |
| Technical status | Evidence and reviewer decision | Equivalence question and authorised owner |
| Commercial status | Requested terms and deviations | Alternative-specific terms and decision |
| Comparison treatment | Approved evaluation basis | Included, held or excluded with reason |
| Adjustment | Explicit approved calculation if applicable | No invented allowance to force comparability |
What does a misleading price comparison look like?
Illustrative example. A fictional switchboard supplier offers Base B for 100 illustrative price units and Alternative A for 90. Alternative A excludes a required monitoring interface. The difference is 10 units, but the register cannot describe that difference as a saving on equivalent scope while the interface treatment remains unresolved.
Keep both rows and record the missing interface. Ask for the required clarification or an authorised evaluation decision. Do not add an unsupported 10-unit allowance to the alternative simply to make its total match the base.
If the supplier later prices the interface, retain the earlier alternative and enter the revised offer. Check whether the revision also changes another condition. A single price response may not close every technical or commercial deviation.
How should the evaluation decision be recorded?
Reference the actual technical disposition and authorised comparison basis. Where an alternative is held, state what evidence is missing and who owns the response. A blank approval cell should not be interpreted as acceptance.
Keep quote validity, delivery terms and exclusions attached to the relevant offer version. Do not borrow a favourable term from the base offer when the alternative has different wording.
Engineering sign-off is performed only by the registered engineer on the job. The procurement owner decides the authorised commercial process. This register makes differences reviewable; it does not select equipment or guarantee tender compliance.
Common questions
What else should the bid team know?
Can the cheapest alternative replace the base row?
No. Preserve both configurations and record the authorised evaluation treatment.
Should missing scope receive an estimated adjustment?
Only through an evidenced, authorised method. Do not invent a price to force equivalence.
Does a supplier's equivalent label close technical review?
No. Retain the supporting evidence and the responsible reviewer's decision.
Primary sources
- FAR 13.106-2: Evaluation of quotations or offersUS Acquisition.gov