A fit-out proposal is a commercial and technical document. This guide lists what procurement teams should check so that proposals can be assessed consistently and clarified before an award.
What to check in a proposal
- Scope compliance: does it answer the scope you issued, item by item?
- Clear pricing: quantities, rates and what each line covers.
- Exclusions and assumptions: stated plainly and not buried.
- Programme: realistic, with key dates and dependencies.
- Subcontracting: which parts are self-performed and which are subcontracted.
- Variation control: how changes are priced and approved.
- Handover: records and warranties that will actually be provided.
Documents to request for the specific scope
The documents that matter depend on the work and the property. Typically they include the contractor licence for the activities involved, insurance where the building requires it and any registrations the property or authority asks for. Request what applies to your scope instead of a generic list.
How to assess exclusions
Compare exclusion lists across proposals. A long list is not wrong, but each excluded item needs an owner and a cost route elsewhere, otherwise it returns later as a variation.
Commercial terms to clarify
- Payment milestones and what triggers each.
- Validity of the proposal and price basis.
- Defects and warranty arrangements after handover.
Questions clients ask
How can proposals be compared consistently?
Issue one scope, collect clarifications in writing from every bidder and compare against a common checklist.
Which documents should be requested?
Those that apply to the scope and property, such as licences for the activities involved, insurance where required and any registrations the building or authority asks for.
How SADEED responds to procurement
SADEED provides scope-based proposals with assumptions, exclusions and programme stated openly, and answers clarification questions in writing.
Assessing a fit-out proposal?
Related guides
- How to Compare Two Fit-Out Quotations Fairly
- Choosing a Fit-Out Company in Dubai: Questions to Ask
- What Developers and Asset Owners Should Define Before Tendering Fit-Out Work
- Design & Build programme
- Request a site visit
Last reviewed: October 2026. This guide is general information; requirements vary by property, scope and authority.