Compare bids and responses
See where bids are compared for each request type: priced bids in the AI Scoring tab, and RFI questionnaire answers in the side-by-side Compare matrix.
What you'll learn
- Know where bids are compared for each request type
- Read the RFI response comparison matrix
- Use score, shortlist, and questionnaire answers to decide
- Move from comparison to the award
Opening bids one at a time means holding the first in your head while you read the third. By the time you have seen them all, the differences have blurred. VEXORS keeps bids side by side so differences are visible at a glance rather than reconstructed from memory, and where that comparison lives depends on the kind of request you ran.
Why this matters
The goal of comparison is not the lowest number. It is the bid that delivers the best value across the dimensions that matter to your decision. For priced requests, that comparison is built into AI Scoring, which ranks bids on a like-for-like basis. For requests that gather information rather than prices, the Compare matrix lines up every supplier's answers so you can read across without switching views.
Where bids are compared
| Request type | Where you compare | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| RFQ or RFP | The AI Scoring tab | Bids ranked with an overall score, commercial and questionnaire sub-scores, and a recommendation. Covered in Review bids and AI Scoring. |
| RFI | The Compare tab | A side-by-side matrix of every supplier's questionnaire answers, one column per supplier. |
The Review bids and AI Scoring guide covers running and reading AI Scoring for RFQ and RFP requests in full. This page focuses on the RFI Compare matrix.
The RFI Compare matrix
The Compare tab appears on an RFI once at least two suppliers have responded and the request has reached its evaluation stage. It puts the questionnaire answers side by side so you can judge capability and fit across suppliers. If you later run AI Scoring on the responses, the Compare tab is replaced by the scored view.
Open the Compare tab
Open your RFI and select the Compare tab. The matrix loads with one column per supplier and one row per questionnaire question. Each supplier column shows the company name, country, a score where one exists, and a Shortlist toggle. Suppliers are ordered with the strongest responses first; you never see a supplier's email.
Read across each question
Each cell shows how well a supplier's answer matches what you were looking for, coloured for quick scanning: a strong match, a partial match, or a weak or absent one. Read across a row to see who stands out on the criteria that matter most, and down a column to see where a single supplier is consistently strong or thin.
The questionnaire rows are usually where the real decision lives. Two suppliers can look similar overall yet answer very differently on compliance, experience, or lead time.
Shortlist as you go
Use the Shortlist toggle in any supplier's column to mark the ones worth a closer look. Shortlisting works on the full set of responses, not just the columns shown, so a large RFI stays manageable while you narrow it down.
When there are more responses than fit on screen, the matrix shows the top responses by score and notes how many more exist. Shortlist, eligibility, and award decisions always use the full set.
How it connects to the rest of the journey
Comparison sits before the decision. For an RFQ or RFP, run AI Scoring to rank the bids, then open a bid to read its detail before you commit. For an RFI, use the Compare matrix to narrow the field, then convert the RFI to an RFP to take the strongest suppliers forward into pricing. The award itself is made from the Bids or AI Scoring tab — there is no award action in the Compare matrix.
What good looks like
- Focus on the questions where suppliers actually differ. If everyone answers a question the same way, that row is not where your decision is made.
- Treat the colour as a prompt, not a verdict. Open a response that looks strong to confirm the answer holds up before you shortlist it.
- Shortlist while you read rather than after. Narrowing as you go is faster than re-reading the whole matrix at the end.
- For an RFI, carry the strongest suppliers into an RFP rather than starting over — converting keeps your work and their context.
Next steps
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