Suggested internal effort: 3–6 person-days plus supplier response time; assumption only. Issue a common request for information to a small shortlist suited to the required role. Ask candidates to distinguish what they do themselves, subcontract and exclude.
Ask a representative for evidence of relevant completed business and an explanation of the mandate. Ask a delivery platform for onboarding, entitlement and payment mechanics. Ask a preparation firm for task-level work, acceptance tests and change-control triggers. A legal practice should identify the proposed team and scope of opinion or drafting. Do not score a rights administration tool as if it promises buyer introductions.
Use this quote table:
| Cost component | Required clarification |
|---|---|
| Retainer / project fee | Deliverables, payment dates, cancellation and refund terms |
| Commission | Base, collection trigger, exclusions, tail and recoupment |
| Preparation | Units, rates, sample assumptions, rework and acceptance |
| Delivery | Hosting, update effort, support, usage charges and minimums |
| Legal / compliance | Matters covered, exclusions and additional-work trigger |
| Third-party / contributor amounts | Who owes them, calculation and settlement timing |
Seek permissioned references and redacted corroboration, not confidential documents the supplier is not entitled to disclose. Record who reviewed each item and its relevance. Completion condition: the sponsor understands the net proposal, evidence gaps, conflicts and exit rights. Refer to the separate scorecard for structured assessment; a numerical score is not certification.