Procurement toolkit

Short original guides — free, no account needed.

• Compare quotes like-for-like

  Two cleaning or lifeguard quotes are only comparable when scope, staffing model, VAT treatment and contract term match. Here's how to line them up.

• Coverage vs headcount

  A post is a position that must be covered; a headcount is people. Confusing the two is the most common way rosters get underpriced.

• RFQ inclusions checklist

  Send providers a specification that forces comparable answers. Tick each item into your RFQ.

• Reading a savings estimate

  A 'saving' is a difference between two numbers. Whether it means anything depends on the baseline and on what each number covers.

• Contract term & escalation questions

  Longer terms can trade price for commitment. Ask these before signing a 12, 24 or 36-month facility contract.

Ready to price a real service? Loading… — cleaning, lifeguards and security staff. Security uses manually entered deployed units.