How to read an IT proposal when technology is not your field

Most IT proposals are judged on price, because price is the only line the reader feels qualified to compare. The rest is written for other technologists. This is how to read it anyway.

Ask what is excluded before you ask what is included

Every proposal lists what it covers. Few list what it does not. Projects, new sites, hardware, after-hours work and anything described as "out of scope" are where the second invoice comes from. Ask for the exclusions in writing, on one page.

Response time is not resolution time

A promise to respond within fifteen minutes says nothing about when the problem is solved. Ask for both figures, and ask how they are measured. A provider that reports resolution times, and shares the report every quarter, has nothing to hide.

Find out who owns the backups

Ask three questions. Where are the backups held? When were they last restored, not merely checked? Who is accountable if a restore fails? If the answers are vague, the rest of the proposal matters less than you think.

Look for the person, not the portal

A ticketing portal is a tool, not a relationship. Ask who will know your business by name, how often you will see them, and whether they will tell you what should change before you ask.

Read the exit terms first

The clause that matters most is the one about leaving: notice period, who owns the documentation, the passwords and the licences, and what the handover costs. A confident provider makes leaving straightforward.

Understand what drives the price

Prices move with headcount, sites, devices and the state of your existing equipment. A proposal that quotes a flat figure without asking about these has not looked closely enough at your business.

A practical step: send any proposal, ours included, back with these six questions attached. The quality of the answers tells you most of what you need to know.