Compare every tender line against your bill of quantities.
Use your BOQ as the baseline. QuantDoc maps each priced line from each tenderer to it, flags quantity and unit differences, keeps unpriced and excluded lines visible as unknowns, and records every conversion it makes.
One quote, line by line against the BOQ
25% covered- 30 × Power pointsPartial
Quotes 28 of the required 30 each(s).
- 20 × LED light fittingsAlternative
Size (600x600) stated by one supplier only.
- 1 × Distribution boardCovered
- Testing and certificationExcluded
Excluded: "Testing and certification excluded"
Evaluated cost: unknown until every omission is priced or adjusted
Where BOQ comparisons go wrong
A bill of quantities exists so that every tenderer prices the same thing. In practice the priced BOQs and quotes that come back drift from it. One tenderer re-measures and prices 165 m³ instead of 180 m³. Another prices cart-away by the tonne when the BOQ is in cubic metres. A third leaves the drainage section blank, or adds a note at the end that excludes it. Totals added up from those documents aren’t comparable until every one of those differences is dealt with.
Dealing with them by hand means reconciling each tender line back to the BOQ item, which is exactly the work that gets rushed at tender close. QuantDoc does the reconciliation line by line, keeps the reference to the page and line or sheet and row of each figure, and leaves the judgement calls, such as which density to use or whether to accept a re-measure, visible and in your hands.
Worked illustration: re-measures, units and a blank section
An earthworks and drainage BOQ with three lines, priced by two tenderers. Tenderer B re-measured the excavation, priced cart-away per tonne and left the stormwater line blank.
BOQ: E1 excavate to level 180 m³ · E2 cart away and tip 180 m³ · D1 100mm uPVC stormwater 42 m
Tenderer A (ex GST)
E1 180 m³ × $28.00 = $5,040.00
E2 180 m³ × $65.00 = $11,700.00
D1 42 m × $85.00 = $3,570.00
Total = $20,310.00
Tenderer B (ex GST)
E1 165 m³ × $26.00 = $4,290.00 different quantity
levelled: (180 − 165) m³ × $26.00 = $390.00 → $4,680.00
E2 300 t × $38.00 = $11,400.00 unit differs from BOQ (t vs m³)
your density assumption 1.8 t/m³: 180 m³ × 1.8 = 324 t
levelled: 324 t × $38.00 = $12,312.00
D1 blank → missing, cost unknown
Levelled known total = $4,680.00 + $12,312.00 = $16,992.00
Break-even for B’s stormwater = $20,310.00 − $16,992.00 = $3,318.00
Same check at 1.6 t/m³: 288 t × $38.00 = $10,944.00 → break-even $4,686.00The last line is the important one. A cross-dimension conversion is only as good as the assumption behind it, so QuantDoc never makes one silently. Without a density, Tenderer B’s cart-away row stays a conditional match and the levelled total isn’t presented as final.
Engine example: unit and GST normalisation
The same normalisation rules apply to every line the engine compares. Here, one supplier prices in tonnes ex GST and the other in kilograms inc GST with freight “TBA”. These figures come from the QuantDoc engine.
Example data · calculated by the QuantDoc engine
Tonnes vs kilograms, ex vs inc GST, freight to be advised
What was quoted
- Supplier A: 10 t of 20mm crushed aggregate at $120.00/t ex GST, plus freight $300.00 ex GST.
- Supplier B: 10,000 kg of 20mm crushed aggregate at $0.125/kg inc GST ($1,250.00), freight "TBA".
INCOMPLETE — Supplier A is the lowest fully-priced quote, but Supplier B has unknown costs. No overall winner can be declared yet.
- Supplier B is only cheaper than Supplier A overall if its delivery costs less than $363.64.
Line-by-line matching (2 items)
| Item | Supplier | Match | Normalised rate (ex GST) | Amount (ex GST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20mm crushed aggregate | Supplier A | Exact equivalent | $120.00 / tonne | $1,200.00 |
| Supplier B | Comparable with adjustment | $113.64 / tonne | $1,136.36 | |
| Freight to site | Supplier A | Exact equivalent | $300.00 / each | $300.00 |
| Supplier B | Conditional match | — | Unknown |
| Supplier | As quoted (ex GST) | Like-for-like | Complete scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier A | $1,500.00 | $1,200.00 | $1,500.00 |
| Supplier B | Unknown (unpriced line) | $1,136.36 | Incomplete (delivery unknown) |
Adjustments recorded
- Supplier B: 20mm crushed aggregate: 10000 kilogram(s) = 10 tonne(s)
- Supplier B: 20mm crushed aggregate: GST removed from 1250.00 inc GST → 1136.36 ex GST
3 flags raised · 4 clarification questions drafted
- Supplier B: delivery price to be advised
- Supplier B: unpriced item
- Supplier B: match needs confirmation
10,000 kg converts exactly to 10 t, and $1,250.00 inc GST becomes $1,136.36 ex GST ($1,250.00 ÷ 1.1). Supplier B is lower on the material alone, but its freight is unknown, so the comparison is incomplete and the break-even freight cost is shown instead of a winner.
What the BOQ comparison shows
Line-by-line status
Covered, partially covered, missing, excluded, alternative or different quantity for each BOQ line and each tenderer.Grouped by trade
When your BOQ has a trade or cost code column, the levelling matrix is grouped and subtotalled by it.Quantity differences
Tendered quantities that differ from the BOQ are shown with the levelling adjustment at the tenderer’s own rate.Recorded conversions
Exact conversions within a dimension; cross-dimension conversions only with your stated density, pack size or time assumption.Unknowns kept visible
Blank, TBA and excluded lines are never zero. Break-even thresholds show which gaps could change the ranking.Exports
The levelled comparison exports to Excel, PDF or CSV with source references for each figure.
BOQ baselines are included in the Professional and Business plans. QuantDoc doesn’t measure drawings or check rates against external pricing sources; it reconciles the documents you provide against the quantities you set.
Frequently asked questions
What columns does my bill of quantities need?
Description, quantity and unit for each line, in a CSV or Excel (.xlsx) file. A trade or cost code column is optional; when it is present, the comparison is grouped by trade.
How large can the BOQ be?
Baseline size is set per plan: up to 300 lines on Professional and 1,000 lines on Business per comparison.
What happens when a tenderer prices in a different unit from the BOQ?
Units in the same dimension, such as kg and t, mm and m, or m² rates, are converted exactly. Converting across dimensions, such as m³ to tonnes, needs an assumption you state, such as a density. The assumption is recorded and the converted figures are marked as estimated.
Can a lump-sum quote be compared against a BOQ?
It can be compared on its total, and any BOQ lines the quote’s inclusions or exclusions refer to are marked accordingly. Lines that can’t be confirmed from the lump sum are shown as uncertain or missing so you can ask the tenderer to break the price down.
Does QuantDoc check BOQ quantities against drawings?
No. QuantDoc doesn’t measure drawings. It takes your BOQ quantities as the baseline and shows where tenderers’ quantities differ from it, so you can find out why.
Related
- Tender levellingStatuses, break-evens and the levelling matrix.
- Comparing a BOQ against quotesA practical guide with worked examples.
- Construction quote comparisonProvisional sums, missing items and exclusions.
- QuantDoc for estimatorsTrade package levelling and scope gaps.
- GST-inclusive vs exclusive quotesThe formulas, and how mixed quotes are handled.
- PricingPlans in US dollars, billed monthly.
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