The verdict in three sentences
When a Dublin SME receives quotes ranging from EUR 15,000 to EUR 90,000 (excluding VAT) for the same web application, each supplier has simply imagined a different project. A 10 to 25 page specification, written as user stories and prioritised with the MoSCoW method, brings the ratio between the lowest and highest offer down from 3x to 1.5x. It takes 2 to 4 weeks to write, alone with the template below or with a scoping workshop of EUR 1,500 to 5,000.
Why your quotes vary by 1 to 6
A one-page brief like "an app to manage our customers and quotes" leaves each agency to guess the rest: number of roles, integrations, data volume, hosting requirements. The EUR 15,000 agency priced a prototype, the EUR 90,000 one priced a full platform with connectors. The table below shows the effect of a specification on tenders we observed in 2025 and 2026 with Irish SMEs.
| Indicator | One-page brief | Structured specification |
|---|---|---|
| Gap between lowest and highest quote | 3 to 6 times | 1.3 to 1.5 times |
| Supplier questions before pricing | 15 to 40 | 3 to 8 |
| Time to receive quotes | 3 to 6 weeks | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Change requests during the project | 20 to 40% of budget | 5 to 10% |
| Average delivery delay | 40 to 80% | 10 to 20% |
| Comparability of offers | poor | line by line |
The template: 9 sections, 10 to 25 pages
A useful specification is not a novel. It must let a developer price each feature and let the managing director say no to what is not a priority.
| Section | Expected content | Pages |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Context and goals | Business, current problem, 3 quantified success metrics | 1 to 2 |
| 2. Users and roles | Profiles, number of users, permissions per role | 1 to 2 |
| 3. Journeys and user stories | "As a sales rep, I want… so that…", 20 to 60 stories | 4 to 10 |
| 4. MoSCoW prioritisation | Must, Should, Could, Won't for each story | 1 |
| 5. Data and volumes | Entities, current and 3-year volumes, legacy data import | 1 to 2 |
| 6. Integrations | Accounting, CRM, email, payments, existing APIs | 1 to 2 |
| 7. Technical requirements | EU hosting, GDPR, backups, browsers, accessibility | 1 to 2 |
| 8. Wireframes or sketches | Key screens, even hand-drawn | 1 to 3 |
| 9. Budget, timeline, selection criteria | Range, target date, scoring grid for offers | 1 |
Section 9 often surprises directors: stating a budget range does not weaken your negotiation, it prevents off-target offers. A scoring grid (price 40%, understanding of the need 25%, references 20%, maintenance 15%) makes comparison objective.
Writing user stories and prioritising with MoSCoW
A user story describes a need from the user's point of view, with a testable acceptance criterion. Example: "As a technical sales rep, I want to generate a PDF quote from the customer record so that I can send it in under 2 minutes. Criterion: the PDF includes the logo, VAT and payment terms."
MoSCoW ranks each story as Must have (essential at launch), Should have (important, release 2), Could have (nice to have) and Won't have (excluded this time). Rule of thumb: Musts should not exceed 60% of total effort, or the first release slips. On a typical SME project, this lets you launch a first version for EUR 25,000 to 40,000 instead of funding everything at once.
Mini case study
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Aoife, managing director of a 35-person solar panel installer near Dublin, receives four quotes for a job tracking application: EUR 15,000, 32,000, 58,000 and 90,000. She pays for a two-day scoping workshop at EUR 3,200, which produces an 18-page specification and 42 user stories, 24 of them Musts. New tender: EUR 38,000, 46,000 and 52,000, a ratio of 1.37. She picks the EUR 46,000 offer. Final change requests reach EUR 3,500, against the usual 25 to 35%, so about EUR 13,000 avoided. The workshop paid for itself four times over.
FAQ
Can I write the specification myself?
Yes, with the template above, allow 25 to 40 hours of internal work over 2 to 4 weeks. Have sections 6 and 7 reviewed by someone technical.
How much does a scoping workshop cost?
Between EUR 1,500 and 5,000 for 1 to 3 days of workshops and writing the document. Some agencies deduct it from the project if you hire them.
How many suppliers should receive the specification?
Three to five. Beyond that, the time spent analysing offers exceeds the benefit; below three, you have no basis for comparison.
Should we impose a technology?
Only if you have an in-house team who will maintain the code. Otherwise, ask suppliers to justify their choice over 5 years, maintenance included.
Is the specification frozen?
No, it sets the scope of the first release. Changes then follow a simple process: estimate, written approval, schedule update.
Let's scope your project. Send us your brief or current quotes, and we will propose a scoping workshop of EUR 1,500 to 5,000 and a tender-ready specification in 2 to 4 weeks. 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.
