Pricing Schedule

A pricing schedule is the buyer's structured pricing template. By requiring all bidders to submit prices in the same format, it allows the contracting authority to compare financial proposals on a like-for-like basis and calculate a consistent price score for each submission. Departing from the required format, adding unsolicited rows, or leaving cells blank are common causes of financial proposal non-compliance that disqualify otherwise strong bids.

What is a pricing schedule?

A pricing schedule is a pre-formatted document provided by the contracting authority as part of the tender pack. It defines the pricing items, units of measurement, and structure that bidders must use when submitting their financial proposal. Typical formats include:

Bill of quantities. Used in construction and civil engineering contracts. Lists individual work items, quantities, and units. Bidders enter a rate for each item; the system or evaluator calculates the total. The bill of quantities methodology is common in European public works contracts.

Schedule of rates. A price list for activities that will be called off as required, without fixed quantities. Common in maintenance, professional services, and framework contracts where volumes are variable.

Day rate or resource rate schedule. Lists staff grades or role types and requires a daily, hourly, or monthly rate per person. Used in professional services, consulting, and staffing contracts.

Lump sum schedule. Breaks the total contract into defined phases, deliverables, or milestones, with a lump sum price against each. Used in project-based contracts where the scope is well-defined.

Lifecycle cost model. For contracts evaluated on whole-life cost under Article 68 of Directive 2014/24/EU, the pricing schedule may extend beyond purchase cost to include installation, maintenance, energy, and disposal costs over a specified period.

Contracting authorities often lock the format and formulas in the pricing schedule spreadsheet. Bidders enter only the permitted cells. Changing the structure, unlocking formulas, or submitting a reformatted version is a frequent non-compliance ground. If the pricing schedule has an error or the format is unclear, the correct approach is to raise a bidder clarification question rather than make unilateral adjustments.

The pricing schedule is submitted separately from or alongside the technical proposal and other quality sections. Some buyers require the financial proposal to be submitted in a sealed electronic envelope within the same portal submission, to be opened only after quality evaluation is complete. This "enveloping" process prevents price information from influencing quality scores.

Why pricing schedules matter for bidders

The pricing schedule is a mandatory compliance document. Failure to complete it in the required format is one of the most preventable causes of tender disqualification. Before preparing the financial proposal, the bid manager should read the pricing schedule instructions in full and confirm which cells are required, what currency and units are expected, whether VAT should be included or excluded, and whether totals auto-calculate or must be manually entered.

The pricing schedule also forces discipline on costing: every rate or lump sum entered must be supportable. Rates that cannot be justified as commercially viable expose the organisation to an abnormally low tender challenge, while rates that are materially above market give away price marks.

Example

A Portuguese IT infrastructure supplier receives a pricing schedule for a multi-year managed services contract published by a Spanish government agency. The schedule is an Excel workbook with five tabs: a summary tab, a breakdown by service tower, a staffing rate card, a travel and expenses schedule, and a software licence schedule. The supplier completes all five tabs, verifies that the summary tab totals match the detailed breakdowns, checks that all currency formatting is in euros, and confirms that VAT is excluded as specified in the instructions. The completed schedule is uploaded as a PDF and the original Excel file, as required by the portal instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add rows to a pricing schedule?

Generally no, unless the schedule explicitly provides for it. Adding rows changes the structure that the authority uses to compare bids. If the scope requires items not in the schedule, raise a bidder clarification question before submission.

What if I need to make pricing assumptions?

Where assumptions are necessary, state them clearly in a covering note or assumptions section, if one is provided. Do not embed assumptions within cells in ways that alter the structure. Assumptions that are not flagged become contract disputes when the buyer's expectation differs from the supplier's intention.

Should the pricing schedule be consistent with the technical proposal?

Yes, absolutely. The technical proposal describes the resources and approach; the pricing schedule must reflect the cost of those resources. An evaluator who finds that the technical proposal commits to a named specialist team but the pricing schedule does not include the cost of those specialists will question both the pricing and the credibility of the technical commitment.