The lowest laboratory quotation is useful only if it covers the evidence you need. Two offers for the same product can include different methods, samples, accredited activities and reporting decisions. Compare the technical scope first, then compare the total cost of delivering the agreed work.
This guide is for buyers who already have a draft test brief. If you are starting from a product description, use the laboratory request checklist first. The comparison below helps turn provider responses into an order that both parties understand.
1. Give every laboratory the same baseline
Issue one version of the brief to all shortlisted laboratories. Identify the product or material, model and variants, target market, proposed references, intended report recipient and decision you need to make. Mark uncertain requirements as questions. Ask laboratories to list deviations and assumptions instead of silently changing the scope.
Request a short technical clarification before a fixed quotation if the method is unresolved. Buying a clearly defined scoping stage can be more useful than comparing firm prices based on different assumptions. Do not send confidential design files until an appropriate sharing arrangement is in place.
2. Build a like-for-like comparison
Copy the following headings into your purchasing record. Write “not confirmed” wherever an offer is silent; an empty box should not become an assumed inclusion.
| Comparison item | What the quotation should clarify |
|---|---|
| Method | Reference, part, edition, clauses, in-house procedures and agreed deviations. |
| Samples | Quantity, configuration, preparation, conditioning and who selects or collects them. |
| Scope of accreditation | Accredited activities, relevant location, exclusions and externally provided work. |
| Deliverable | Report contents, language, format, required results and any conformity statement. |
| Schedule | Start conditions, sample acceptance, test duration, report delivery and dependencies. |
| Total charges | Testing, preparation, fixtures, shipping, taxes, additional reports and other applicable costs. |
| Changes | Approval process and charges for extra samples, method changes, retesting or cancellation. |
Record the source of each answer: quotation paragraph, email or agreed meeting note. Ask the laboratory to incorporate material clarifications into the final order or agreed scope. A salesperson’s general capability statement does not resolve an omitted test.
3. Specify whether you need results or a pass/fail decision
A numerical result and a statement that a specification has been met are different deliverables. If you need a conformity statement, identify the specification and acceptance limits, and ask which decision rule applies. The rule describes how measurement uncertainty is considered when deciding conformity. Where the applicable standard or regulation already prescribes a rule, discuss that requirement explicitly.
Do not choose a rule merely because it produces a preferred outcome. Ask the laboratory to explain its practical effect, including how results close to a limit will be reported. UKAS LAB 48 provides guidance on decision rules and associated risks. ILAC’s guidance series also includes guidance on conformity statements and measurement uncertainty.
4. Check what “accredited report” means for this order
Ask the laboratory to map the quoted activities to its official accreditation scope and distinguish any work outside it. Confirm the identity and role of any other laboratory involved. A quotation headed with an accreditation logo does not by itself explain the status of each proposed result.
Use the laboratory’s current official schedule, not just its website. If recognition through the EA MLA matters to the receiving organisation, follow EA’s checks for reports and recognition. Ask the recipient about acceptance requirements before you order; do not treat accreditation as a guarantee that every recipient will accept every report.
5. Compare the complete job cost
Use a simple calculation: quoted base fee, plus known mandatory extras, plus shipping and applicable tax treatment. Keep conditional costs separate, with their trigger and approval rule. This avoids presenting a speculative retest charge as certain while making its potential effect visible.
For example, one offer may include sample preparation and a report in the required language; another may charge separately. Neither is automatically better. Ask about setup charges for each variant, sample return or disposal, storage, urgent scheduling and additional interpretation. Record currency, payment milestones and quotation validity without assuming a market-standard price.
6. Agree what happens if the plan changes
Set a contact who can authorise changes. Ask the laboratory to pause and request approval if the sample is unsuitable, a method cannot be applied as expected or extra work becomes necessary. Clarify whether a quoted deadline starts when the order is accepted, when suitable samples arrive or when preparation is complete.
Before accepting the report, check sample identities, methods, results, qualifications, agreed conformity statements and version details. Seek correction of administrative errors through the issuing laboratory. A test report supports a defined decision; it does not automatically establish complete product compliance. For EU product projects, see our CE marking and conformity assessment guide.
Need to identify possible providers before comparing quotations? Search reviewed laboratory records by activity, country and technical criteria. Results cover a limited dataset. Then send your brief directly to the laboratory and ask it to separate confirmed scope from assumptions and exclusions. Matching-count previews are free; the €10 email and CSV report is not available to buy yet. A selection report does not include a laboratory quotation.