A quotation request contains an ambiguous requirement that could materially change the proposed work or price.
The useful bits
- Customer’s original requirement
- Two plausible scope interpretations
- A useful reply defines the intended deliverable and the boundary that affects the quotation.
Before you write
Use this example when a quotation request contains an ambiguous requirement that could materially change the proposed work or price. Gather the details below so the recipient can act without asking you to reconstruct the situation.
- Customer’s original requirement
- Two plausible scope interpretations
- Person who can clarify the intended outcome
An email you can adapt
The subject “Scope clarification before your quote” identifies the request. Replace each bracketed field with a checked detail and remove any sentence that does not describe your situation.
Subject: Scope clarification before your quote Hi [name], Before preparing the quote for [request], could you clarify whether you need [option A] or [option B]? The difference affects [practical implication], so we do not want to price the wrong scope. Please also confirm [necessary boundary]. We will prepare the proposal after checking your answer and will label any remaining assumptions clearly. No work or charge is being authorized by this clarification email. Best, [sender]
Check the boundary
Ask about the specific ambiguity instead of sending a long questionnaire unrelated to the requested outcome.
What a useful reply should settle
A useful reply defines the intended deliverable and the boundary that affects the quotation.
Reflect the clarified requirement in the proposal so the customer can verify it before accepting.
About this guide
Prepared with AI assistance for the BITTU Mail editorial library. Check important details against your original messages and current account settings. Product access depends on your role, plan and provisioning state. Provider interfaces and requirements can change.
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