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Freight Carrier RFQ Bid Comparison Worksheet

Carrier bids rarely arrive in the same format. One quotes a flat rate, another a lower base rate with heavy fuel and accessorial charges. This worksheet puts each bid on the same footing by calculating the all-in cost per shipment and the annual cost for each lane.

Download:
LaneCarrierModeBase rate per shipmentFuel surcharge % (%)Accessorials per shipmentTransit daysShipments per monthAll-in cost per shipmentAnnual cost
$388
$139,824
$390
$140,530
$3,180
$305,280
$2,514
$241,344
$548
$78,970
Total annual cost (all rows)
$905,947
Lowest all-in cost per shipment
$388
Average all-in cost per shipment
$1,404
Bids compared
5

Compare bids within the same lane and mode only. The total row adds every bid, so for a budget total keep only the winning bid per lane. Add rows for each carrier and lane you are evaluating.

Lane volumes from your ERP

Optional: a short review of how shipment history could feed carrier bid analysis automatically.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use this worksheet

Add one row per carrier per lane. Enter the base rate, the fuel surcharge percentage, an estimate of accessorial charges per shipment and your expected monthly shipment volume. The worksheet computes the all-in cost and the annualized spend automatically. Sort or scan by lane and pick the lowest annual cost that also meets your transit and service needs. Export to Excel to share with procurement or to attach to the award decision.

The formula behind the numbers

All-in cost per shipment is the base rate multiplied by one plus the fuel surcharge percentage, plus accessorials. Annual cost multiplies that by shipments per month and twelve. The method is deliberately simple so every stakeholder can check it by hand. It does not model weight breaks, minimum charges or tiered fuel tables, so for LTL with heavily varying weights compute an average rate per shipment from historical data first.

Reading the results

The cheapest base rate is not always the cheapest bid. In the sample data, the second Houston to Dallas carrier has a lower base rate but higher fuel and accessorials, so the gap narrows. Look beyond price too.

  • Transit days and reliability on the lane
  • Claims history and liability terms
  • Capacity commitments and tender acceptance rates
  • Accessorial schedules such as liftgate, residential and detention
  • Fuel surcharge table basis and update frequency

Common mistakes

Bid comparisons go wrong in predictable ways.

  • Comparing a flat all-in quote with a base rate that excludes fuel
  • Ignoring accessorials that your freight triggers every time
  • Using volumes that do not match last year's actuals
  • Awarding on price alone without a service check

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an all-in freight cost?

The total expected charge for a shipment: base rate, fuel surcharge and the accessorial fees that usually apply. It makes quotes from different carriers comparable on the same basis.

How do I estimate accessorials?

Review the last six to twelve months of freight invoices for the lane and calculate the average accessorial charge per shipment. Use that figure for every bidder so the comparison is fair.

Should I always pick the lowest annual cost?

Not necessarily. Weigh transit time, on-time performance, claims handling and capacity. A slightly more expensive carrier that delivers reliably can cost less overall once failures and expediting are counted.

Can I use this for ocean or air?

Yes, as a rough comparison, if you convert each quote into a cost per shipment including surcharges. For detailed ocean quotes with many origin and destination charges, build the all-in figure first and enter it as the base rate.

If your freight history sits in ERP shipment and invoice tables, we can help pull real lane volumes and accessorial rates to feed bid analysis.

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