The verdict in three sentences
Sending four vendors a two-page brief almost always produces quotes that range by a factor of 4, because each one imagines a different scope. A structured requirements specification of 15 to 30 pages narrows that gap to 1 to 1.5 and makes offers genuinely comparable. Having it written by a client-side consultant (an AMOA in French practice) costs SGD 3,000 to 9,000 in 2026 (about EUR 2,000 to 6,000), or 3% to 8% of a SGD 75,000 to 120,000 project.
Why quotes diverge so much
Take an example: an event equipment rental company in Singapore wants an app to manage bookings, stock and delivery runs. It sends a one-page brief to four vendors. A typical 2026 outcome:
| Vendor | Quote (SGD) | Implicit assumption |
|---|---|---|
| Local freelancer | 27,000 | Simple back office, no integrations, 1 role |
| Singapore web agency | 57,000 | Back office plus customer area, CSV accounting export |
| Regional IT services firm | 93,000 | ERP integration, delivery route planning, 4 roles |
| Product studio | 111,000 | All of the above plus driver mobile app and formal UAT |
| Max/min spread | x 4.1 | None of them is pricing the same product |
None of the four is wrong: the brief left room for four readings. The specification exists to close those doors before pricing. The same pattern shows up in France, where a comparable Nice project drew quotes from EUR 18,000 to 74,000.
The annotated template, section by section
Here is the structure we recommend, with the expected level of detail and indicative writing time.
| Section | Expected content | Note | Writing time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Context and goals | Problem, quantified goals, success metrics | Example: cut order preparation time by 40% | 0.5 day |
| 2. Roles and users | User profiles, headcount, permissions | 4 roles, 25 internal users, 600 customers | 0.5 day |
| 3. Prioritised user stories | As a..., I want..., so that... with MoSCoW | 30 to 60 stories, 60% Must | 2 to 4 days |
| 4. Volumes | Concurrent users, data, growth | 8,000 bookings a year, 50 concurrent users | 0.5 day |
| 5. Integrations | Systems, flow direction, frequency, available APIs | Xero, Stripe, Google Maps | 1 day |
| 6. Non-functional requirements | Performance, availability, security, accessibility | 99.5% uptime, pages under 2 s | 0.5 day |
| 7. PDPA and hosting | Personal data, retention, location | Singapore region hosting, purge after 3 years | 0.5 day |
| 8. Acceptance criteria | Test scenarios, acceptance thresholds | Every Must has a verifiable criterion | 1 day |
Sections 3, 5 and 8 do the most to narrow the gap between quotes. A user story without an acceptance criterion stays open to interpretation, and therefore to change requests mid-project.
Write it yourself or hire a consultant
An internal team can write the specification if it has already led a software project. Otherwise a client-side consultant brings method and neutrality.
| Option | 2026 cost (SGD) | Timeline | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal writing | SGD 0 billed, 6 to 10 internal days | 3 to 6 weeks | Gaps on integrations and acceptance |
| Freelance consultant | 3,000 to 5,000 | 2 to 3 weeks | Variable quality |
| Consulting firm | 6,000 to 9,000 | 2 to 4 weeks | Spec too heavy for a small project |
| Paid discovery with the chosen vendor | 4,500 to 12,000, often credited against build | 2 to 4 weeks | Less competition afterwards |
| No specification | SGD 0 | 0 | 1 to 4 spread, change requests of 20% to 50% |
Mini case study
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Sophie, project manager at an event rental company in Singapore, must choose between four offers ranging from SGD 27,000 to 111,000. She hires a consultant for SGD 5,700 and 2.5 weeks. The specification keeps 42 user stories and two integrations. The new quotes range from SGD 69,000 to 87,000, a spread of 1 to 1.26. She picks the SGD 73,500 offer. On her previous unscoped projects, change requests reached 35% of the initial budget. With a specification she aims for 10% at most. On SGD 73,500, that difference is SGD 18,375 of change requests avoided, for SGD 5,700 invested: a return of more than 3 to 1.
FAQ
How long should a specification be?
For an app of SGD 60,000 to 150,000, 15 to 30 pages is enough. Beyond 50 pages, vendors skim and the document loses its effect.
Should we impose a technology?
Only if your team must maintain it or your IT landscape requires it. Otherwise ask for a reasoned justification in each offer, which often reveals seniority.
How many vendors should we consult?
Three to four. Beyond that, analysing offers takes more than 4 to 5 days and serious vendors respond less when they know the field is crowded.
Should the specification state a budget?
Giving a range, for example SGD 65,000 to 90,000, improves answer quality. Vendors then propose a realistic scope instead of guessing.
How do we compare the offers?
With a scorecard out of 100: price 30%, understanding of the need 25%, method and testing 20%, references 15%, maintenance 10%.
Let's scope your project. Send us your brief, even incomplete: we will help turn it into a priceable specification and give you a budget and timeline estimate. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
