The decision: Compare the full commitment behind each quote.
Examine the situation
Two suppliers can quote very different amounts for what appears to be the same ordering portal. One may include data cleanup, integration, exception handling and support; another may price only the visible interface. The totals alone do not tell the founder which commitment is smaller.
A way to work through it
Ask each provider to show the user journey covered, assumptions, exclusions, integrations, ownership of data and content, security and accessibility work, testing, training, support and change process. Separate one-off build cost from recurring operating cost and internal team effort. Compare options on the same scope and note what remains uncertain.
Follow the example
Fictional teaching example. A lower quote assumes the distributor will provide accurate stock data through an existing API. The business has no reliable update process. The missing work belongs somewhere, even if it does not appear on the supplier’s invoice.
Try it with your team
Take one proposal and mark every item as included, excluded or unclear. Add the decisions and inputs your team must provide. Ask the supplier to clarify the top three cost or schedule drivers.
What this does not establish
A short lesson cannot estimate a project. The purpose is to make comparison fairer and expose ownership, not to declare a normal price.
Output: a comparable scope and cost boundary.