The example requirement
For this exercise, assume the buyer needs two seal assemblies, two bearings, two gasket sets and two shaft sleeves for its fictional pump job. The sample descriptions deliberately differ. They are prompts for review, not approved material selections or a recommendation to use these parts in real equipment.
The current QuoteLens tool compares the union of offered lines. It does not load a separate buyer bill of materials, so keep the requirement beside the report and check for items omitted by every supplier.
| Supplier | Items | Tax | Delivery | Known total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harborline | 570.00 | 45.60 | 15.00 | 630.60 |
| Tideforge | 494.00 | 39.52 | 0.00 | 533.52 |
| Pelagic | 651.00 | Unknown | 95.00 | 746.00 · incomplete |
What the source lines reveal
Harborline offers four lines: 2 × 150.00, 2 × 65.00, 2 × 22.00 and 2 × 48.00. The CSV data records are 1–4 after the header. Its description specifies SiC / SiC seal faces, C3 bearing clearance, EPDM gasket material and duplex 2205 sleeves. These statements still need review against the buyer’s actual requirement.
Tideforge’s three data records are 2 × 135.00, 1 pair × 180.00 and 2 × 22.00. Its seal description says carbon / ceramic, its bearing clearance is not specified and its gasket material is missing. Shaft sleeves are excluded. The total is lower, but it does not buy the same described scope.
Pelagic’s four records are 2 × 165.00, 2 × 68.00, 3 × 25.00 and 2 × 55.00. The extra gasket set changes the supplied quantity. Its USD 95.00 delivery charge is explicit, while tax remains unknown and import duties and local taxes are excluded.
Why matching does not resolve the differences
The matching part identifiers deliberately make the seal and bearing rows line up. They do not resolve the conflicting seal descriptions or the bearing-unit mismatch. Preserve those flags and ask for supporting documents. Do not label the lowest known total as the recommended supplier.
The first clarification round
- Harborline: confirm the offered specifications against the required equipment documents, clarify the warranty start event and confirm the delivery milestone.
- Tideforge: explain the seal deviation, provide the complete bearing designation and pair contents, confirm the gasket material, and quote the missing sleeves if required. Clarify destination freight despite the zero delivery field.
- Pelagic: revise or explain the three gasket sets, state the missing tax information, and separate the seven working days from transit and destination costs.
Reproduce the comparison
Download the fictional source files from Templates & samples, or open the tool and choose “Try sample comparison.” Review each supplier, inspect the source text and confirm USD. Export the PDF or CSV with the unresolved issues still visible.
Check that the totals match the table above and that the report retains missing specifications, quantities, units and exclusions. The exercise is successful when another reviewer can trace the figures and questions to the sources. It does not end with an automatic award decision.