Three agencies respond to your event RFP. One has the boldest design. One is the cheapest. One presents a detailed plan with a slightly higher fee. Which one should win?
If your decision depends on the total at the bottom of the Excel file, you may be comparing different projects without realising it. The price is only meaningful when scope, assumptions, exclusions, risk and accountability are comparable.
First, make every bidder price the same event
Provide one controlled RFP containing the objective, audience, venue or location assumptions, event date, technical needs, programme, deliverables, approval process, insurance and safety expectations, and required post-event handover.
Include a clarification deadline. Share material answers with every bidder. If one agency prices a rehearsal and another does not, their totals are not directly comparable.
Ask bidders to separate base scope, options, provisional sums and exclusions. Provisional allowances should never be mistaken for confirmed costs.
A practical 100-point evaluation model
The following weighting is an illustrative client-side scorecard, not a universal procurement standard. Adjust it to your event and procurement policy before proposals are opened.
| Evaluation area | Points | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Scope completeness | 20 | All requested deliverables mapped and priced |
| Business-outcome fit | 15 | Creative approach supports the event objective |
| Technical feasibility | 15 | Drawings, production logic, venue constraints |
| Delivery timeline | 10 | Credible milestones and decision deadlines |
| Named project team | 10 | Actual roles, availability and reporting lines |
| Commercial transparency | 10 | Clear inclusions, exclusions and assumptions |
| Change-control method | 5 | Who requests, prices and approves variations |
| Risk and safety planning | 5 | Practical risks, owners and mitigation |
| Reporting and measurement | 5 | Progress rhythm and success metrics |
| Relevant evidence | 5 | Comparable case studies and references |
| Total | 100 | Compare like with like |
Score the technical submission first where procurement rules allow. Follow your organisation's applicable tender and commercial approval procedures.
The five red flags worth challenging
1. “Everything included.” Without a scope matrix, that promise is difficult to enforce.
2. A gorgeous render with no build logic. Ask what is structural, what is scenic, what needs approval and what has been assumed about the venue.
3. A suspiciously low AV line. Ask about screen processors, signal distribution, sound coverage, rehearsal hours, operators, spares, load-in and strike.
4. A senior team that disappears after award. Request an organisation chart showing the people who will actually deliver.
5. No process for late changes. A last-minute content or guest request should have a decision, programme impact and cost route—not a surprise invoice.
Run a short clarification workshop
Invite each finalist to walk through a realistic scenario: the keynote moves thirty minutes, a sponsor adds a branded activation and the venue reduces setup access. Who decides? What changes? What gets reported to the client, and when?
A strong response will distinguish approved scope from proposed variation and identify the critical path. A weak response will promise, “We will handle everything,” without explaining how.
The decision should stand up to a debrief
Save the approved scorecard, bidder clarifications, commercial comparison and appointment assumptions. Months later, your team should be able to explain why the selected proposal offered the strongest value—not simply the lowest headline cost.
In my work across event project management and strategic accounts, commercial clarity is a delivery tool. It helps the client make informed decisions while there is still time to change course.
For a deeper look at the supplier side, read the supplier control system. Need experienced leadership on a complex event brief? Start a conversation.