How to compare managed IT proposals like for like

Step 1: build a scope grid

List every service you need down the side and each provider across the top. Mark each cell Included, Extra (with price), or Not offered.

Service	Provider A	Provider B	Provider C
Helpdesk (remote) during business hours
Out-of-hours cover and how it is charged
Onsite visits per month, per site
Monitoring and alerting
Patching (OS and third-party apps)
Endpoint protection / EDR
Email security
Microsoft 365 administration and security baseline
Backup monitoring and restore tests
Firewall and network management
Starters and leavers
Asset and licence register
Monthly report and quarterly review
Onboarding / transition

Anything marked "Extra" goes into step 2 as a cost. Anything "Not offered" that you need is either a separate supplier cost or a reason to drop the proposal.

Step 2: convert pricing to one basis and total it

Pricing model	How to convert	Watch for
Per user per month	Users x rate x months in term	Definition of a user; shared mailboxes and part-timers
Per device per month	Devices x rate x months	Servers and network devices priced differently
Per site or fixed fee	Fee x months	Caps on users or hours inside the fixed fee
Block of hours	Your expected hours x rate	Expiry of unused hours; minimum billing units

Then add: the "Extra" items from step 1, onboarding fees, a realistic allowance for projects you know are coming, and annual price increase terms. Use the same project allowance for every provider so it does not distort the result.

Step 3: score with a weighted matrix

Agree weights with the decision makers before opening the proposals. An example weighting (adjust to your priorities):

Criterion	Example weight	What a high score looks like
Scope fit	20%	Covers everything in your grid with few extras
Service levels	15%	Written response and resolution per priority, reported monthly
Security	15%	Clear security duties, tooling named, incident notification defined
Total cost over term	20%	Lowest normalised total from step 2
Track record and references	10%	Verifiable reviews and references from similar companies
Onboarding plan	10%	Written transition plan with dates and owners
Exit and ownership terms	10%	Documentation and admin access handed over; tenant in your name

Score each criterion 1 to 5, multiply by the weight and add up. If two proposals finish close, ask both for a call with the engineer who would run your account.

Red flags in a proposal

• "Unlimited support" with no list of what is covered.
• No written SLA, or response measured by auto-reply.
• Cover promises without saying who does the work, in which hours, and how it is charged.
• Your Microsoft tenant, domains or licences to be held in the provider's name.
• Long auto-renewing terms with no exit or handover clause.
• Claims you cannot verify: ask for references and public reviews.

Before you sign

• Confirm the user and device counts the price is based on.
• Get the scope grid from step 1 attached to the contract as a schedule.
• Read the SLA against our IT SLA buyer's guide.
• Plan the handover with our switching guide.

Where Missan helps

We will happily be one of the proposals you compare. Missan holds 4.6★ from 200+ Google reviews, has delivered 10,000+ projects since 2004, and many clients have been with us for more than a decade. Our proposals list scope, exclusions, SLAs and exit terms line by line, and support runs during business hours, with agreed out-of-hours cover. See managed IT services or how switching works.

Related Missan services

• Managed IT services
• How to choose an IT partner in the UAE
• Questions to ask an MSP
• Managed IT pricing estimator
• How switching to Missan works

Frequently asked questions

Why do managed IT quotes vary so much?

Because they rarely cover the same thing. One may include security tools, onsite visits and backup checks; another may price those as extras. Some quote per user, some per device, some per site. Normalise the scope first, then compare the price.

Should we just pick the lowest quote?

Only after normalising scope and adding likely out-of-scope and project costs over the contract term. The lowest monthly fee often has the most exclusions.

How many proposals should we compare?

Two to four is usually enough to see the range. More than that tends to slow the decision without adding information.

What should we weight most in a scoring matrix?

That depends on your business, but scope and service levels, security, and exit terms usually deserve more weight than small price differences. Decide the weights before you open the proposals, so they are not bent to fit a favourite.

Will Missan help us compare quotes, including competitors'?

We will give you our own proposal in a format that is easy to compare, with scope, exclusions, SLAs and exit terms written out. Use the matrix on this page to compare it fairly with others.

This guide is general information for planning, not legal or tax advice. Regulations and deadlines change; confirm the current position with the official source linked in the text and with your own advisers. Last reviewed 28/10/2026.