Two CRO quotes with the same study title are almost never the same study. This grid forces the assumptions into the open: what each bid includes, what it passes through, when it can start, and who owns the data. Fill it in during bid calls, export it for your team, and watch the cheapest headline stop looking cheapest. Everything stays in your browser.
| What to compare | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercials | |||
Total quoted price Headline number. Meaningless until the rows below match. | |||
Currency | |||
Quote valid until | |||
Payment schedule (upfront %, milestones) 30-50% at signature is common; 100% upfront is not. | |||
Change-order basis / rates The quiet budget killer. Get the rate card before signing. | |||
| Scope | |||
Scope: animals / samples / batch size Same study title, different group sizes = different study. | |||
What is included (in-life, analysis, QA, report) | |||
Pass-throughs excluded from the headline Animals, formulation analysis, shipping, archiving. Ask for estimates. | |||
Method development / validation included? A tox quote without bioanalysis is not a full tox quote. | |||
| Timeline | |||
Timeline (start slot, in-life, draft report) Cheapest bid with a 9-month slot may be the most expensive option. | |||
Draft report window after completion | |||
| Quality | |||
GLP/GMP status + last inspection | |||
Raw data and method ownership You own the data. If a bid says otherwise, that is a red flag. | |||
Audit rights / QA visibility | |||
Notes / gut read after the call | |||
Your entries stay in this browser only (nothing is uploaded), so the grid is safe for confidential quotes. Quotes posted through BioBridgeX arrive already structured on these axes, which is the point of the platform: one project posting, comparable quotes back.
Common questions
How do I compare CRO proposals apples to apples?
Normalize the assumptions before comparing prices: same group sizes and sample counts, method work included or excluded consistently, pass-throughs estimated on the same basis, and the same report deliverable. The grid's rows walk through each normalization step; two quotes only become comparable when every row matches.
Why do CRO quotes for the same study differ so much?
Three honest reasons: capacity pricing (a CRO with open slots prices lower), design assumptions (lean ICH minimum versus belt-and-suspenders), and geography (EU and Asia sites typically quote 20 to 40 percent below US pricing). A 2 to 3x spread between bids on the same protocol is normal, which is exactly why structured comparison pays.
What are pass-through costs in a CRO quote?
Costs billed at cost plus handling on top of the headline price: animal acquisition, dose formulation analysis, shipping, archiving, and sometimes bioanalysis. A $350K headline with $150K of pass-throughs is not cheaper than a $450K all-in quote. The grid has a dedicated row so no bid hides them.
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No. The grid lives entirely in your browser and saves to your browser's local storage so you can come back to it. Nothing you type reaches our servers, which makes it safe for confidential quotes.
Can I get quotes that arrive already comparable?
That is what BioBridgeX does: you post a project once with a defined scope, and vetted suppliers quote against the same structure, so the grid fills itself. Free for buyers; suppliers pay a 2 percent success fee only when awarded and paid.
The rest of the toolkit
Start with the IND Budget Calculator to know the published range before any bid arrives, write the request with the RFP Generator so quotes come back in the same structure, and score the finalists with the CRO Selection Scorecard. Cost context lives in the guides: GLP tox costs and GMP manufacturing costs.