The difference between two quotes is usually scope, not price. These 12 questions make proposals genuinely comparable.
You have three quotes. One is 30% cheaper than the others. The natural reflex is to take it — and in corporate events that is the most common mistake.
Because the difference between quotes is almost never "the same work at a different price". The difference is in scope, and scope is invisible unless it is written down. The 12 questions below make proposals genuinely comparable.
Operations and staffing
1. How many staff will be on site?
This is the most critical question and the item most often cut. Ask for numbers: instructors, guides, marshals and an operations lead. "We will have enough people" is not a commitment.
Reference ratios: 4–8 participants per instructor in a training format, 8–12 in an experience format, 6–8 in a beginner ski group, and one guide plus one sweeper per pace group in cycling.
2. Will certified first aid staff be present?
They should be at any event involving physical activity. Clarify whether they are certified or whether "one of our team knows first aid".
3. Who is my single point of contact on the day?
The most common problem in large events is not knowing who to tell when something goes wrong. Ask for a name and a phone number.
Scope and inclusions
4. Are consumables included?
Paintballs, airsoft BBs, kart laps, bowling games. Priced separately, these can push the total well above expectations. Ask "how many per person are included?"
5. Is equipment hire included, and which equipment?
Helmets, life jackets, rackets, bikes, ski sets. Also ask about size ranges — particularly in skiing and cycling, the wrong size is the most common reason a participant abandons the day.
6. Who pays for transport?
"Participants arrange their own travel" is the sentence that quietly breaks a budget. For out-of-town events, transport can be 20–40% of total cost.
7. What does catering cover?
Lunch only, or refreshments too? Are drinks included? Are dietary requirements (vegetarian, gluten-free, halal) catered for? And does the venue allow outside food — a condition that changes the plan if discovered late.
Risk and liability
8. What happens if weather forces a cancellation?
For outdoor events the answer must be written into the contract. Is there a right to an alternative date? Is the deposit refunded or converted to credit? Who decides, and when?
9. Is there an indoor or land-based alternative programme?
A good organising team presents a plan B at the quote stage. If they start thinking about it when asked, that plan does not exist.
10. Is personal accident cover included?
If it is, it should be written in the quote with its scope and limit. If not, plan a daily policy based on the participant list. Standard policies can exclude some sports (skiing, climbing, water sports).
11. Will health declarations be collected from participants?
There should be a process for heart conditions, pregnancy, recent surgery and physical limitations. If this data is collected it must be handled in line with data protection rules — who collects it, where it is stored and when it is deleted.
Payment and contract
12. How do payment terms, cancellation and headcount changes work?
Three separate matters, all of which should be in writing:
- Payment: Deposit percentage and balance due date
- Cancellation: What refund applies up to which date
- Headcount changes: How many days in advance numbers can be updated and what happens if they fall
The last point matters most: in corporate events it is normal for 10–20% of registrations not to show up. Without a "final numbers" date in the contract, you pay for the people who did not come.
Bonus: what should not be in a quote
If a proposal says "all inclusive" but does not list line by line what is included, that is not value — it is ambiguity. A good quote is itemised and also states what is not included.
How to use these questions
Rather than asking them one by one over email, attach a short list to your request for proposal. That does two things: it makes answers comparable, and it shows the other side they are dealing with a serious buyer. In practice, companies that send this list receive more detailed and more realistic quotes.
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