A vague request gets a vague quote and a surprise invoice. This template gives you a structured block to paste into an RFQ, covering study parameters, modules, change orders, fees and exit terms, plus a note on how to compare the replies.
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What this template is for
How to use it
First, fill in the study parameters from your protocol synopsis; the numbers need not be final, but should be your best estimate and marked as such. Second, send the same block to every vendor on your shortlist, and ask for the reply in the same section order. Third, require line-item pricing, with the assumptions each vendor made written next to the number. Fourth, normalise: convert every reply to total cost over your scenario, including likely changes, before comparing.
The template is deliberately neutral. It suits quotes for full-service builds and for self-serve platforms alike, which is where the two models diverge: a full-service reply should have a build fee and a change-order rate card, while a self-serve reply should have a subscription structure and say plainly what the vendor does and does not do. For the model choice, see self-serve vs full-service EDC.
The template
Copy the left column into your RFQ and complete the brackets. The right column explains why each line is there.
| Paste into your RFQ | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| 1. Study: [title], phase [1/2/3], design [open label/blinded/randomised], countries [list], planned start [date], enrolment period [months], follow-up per participant [months]. | Drives months live and participant-months, the base of most pricing. |
| 2. Participants: planned [N], screen failure rate [%], expected dropouts [%]. State whether screened-but-not-enrolled participants count as billable. | Defines who is billed and from when. |
| 3. Sites and users: [N] sites, [N] total users, of which [N] are read-only monitors or auditors. Roles required: [PI, coordinator, monitor, data manager, statistician, unblinded]. | Some vendors price per site or per seat; roles also affect blinding set-up. |
| 4. Build scope: [N] visits, [N] unique forms, approx. [N] fields, [N] repeating sections (e.g. adverse events, medications, labs), [N] edit checks, [N] calculated fields. Attach the schedule of assessments. | The basis for any build fee or service hours. |
| 5. Modules: EDC; eConsent [yes/no]; ePRO or diaries [yes/no, schedule]; randomisation [simple/stratified/blinded]; drug supply [yes/no]; eTMF [yes/no]; CTMS [yes/no]; integrations [list, e.g. lab or device feed]. | Modules are often separate licences or add-ons; list each so none is omitted. |
| 6. Data standards and outputs: export formats [CSV/Excel/SAS/SDTM], Define-XML [yes/no], interim exports [N], database lock [date]. | Confirms outputs are included, not billed per export. |
| 7. Validation and compliance: Part 11 controls, audit trail export, vendor validation documentation, support for sponsor audit, hosting region [EU/US]. | Validation packs, audit support and region choice may carry fees. |
| 8. Change control: provide your rate card for changes before and after go-live, turnaround times, who validates a change, and whether amendments are included up to [N]. | The largest source of cost growth after signing. |
| 9. Support and training: channels, hours, response times, onboarding, training sessions included, named contact. | Support tiers are often priced separately. |
| 10. Fees: list separately setup, licence/subscription, per-participant, per-site, per-user, hosting, validation, storage, extra environments, interim analyses, archive. State all minimum terms and escalators. | Forces line items rather than a lump sum. |
| 11. Close-out: database lock support, final export with codebook and audit trail, archive period and fee, certified copies, return or deletion of data on exit. | Exit costs are often missing from the first quote. |
| 12. Contract: term, notice period, auto-renewal, termination for convenience, data ownership, subcontractors, breach notification. | Terms affect cost more than a small price difference. |
Adapt the brackets to your protocol. Add anything your sponsor or funder requires, such as a vendor security questionnaire.
Copyable block
Use this compact block when a vendor portal or email will not take a table. Replace every bracket.
Please quote the following EDC study. Reply with line-item pricing and list every assumption beside the number.
Build the study in the free sandbox and read the published rates on the pricing page. You will know what a reasonable reply looks like. No credit card, pay only once you go live.
How Capture answers
Capture publishes its price structure, so most of the template can be answered from the pricing page and the product pages. Where the site does not publish a figure, it says so instead of guessing.
| Line item | Basis | Qty | Unit | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core subscription (1 live study) | months live | 7 | $1,000 | $7,000 |
| Per-participant fee | participant-months | 180 | $50 | $9,000 |
| Study setup by the Capture team | one-off | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ePRO and eConsent modules | included in Core | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Direct costs | $16,000 | |||
| Total | $16,000 | |||
Reading the replies
Copy this into a spreadsheet and fill one column per vendor.
| Line | Vendor A | Vendor B | Vendor C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup or build fee | |||
| Subscription or licence (months live x rate) | |||
| Per-participant charges (participant-months x rate) | |||
| Per-site, per-user and module charges | |||
| Hosting, storage, validation, extra environments | |||
| Expected change orders (your estimate x rate card) | |||
| Support and training | |||
| Close-out, archive and export | |||
| Total over scenario | |||
| Assumptions the vendor made |
Compare the total, then the assumptions. A low total with five assumptions in the vendor's favour is not a low price.
Red flags
A reply with a single lump sum and no assumptions has not answered the request. A reply that omits change orders probably has a rate card you have not seen. A quote that prices "standard" validation but leaves your sponsor audit out is only half priced. A contract with a long minimum term and an auto-renewal, combined with no export clause, makes leaving expensive. Read more on these patterns in hidden EDC fees, and compare structures in the EDC pricing guide.
For sizing your own scenario, use the worksheets for 100 participants, 500 participants or 1,000 participants, and the per-patient pricing guide.
Study phase and design, enrolment and follow-up length, participants, sites and users, forms and visits, modules needed, outputs, validation and hosting needs, change-control terms, close-out and exit requirements. The template on this page covers each.
An RFQ asks for a price on a defined scope. An RFP also asks vendors to propose approaches and answer capability questions, with scoring. This page is the RFQ; see the EDC RFP template for the longer evaluation.
Amendments are the usual source of cost growth after signing. A rate card and turnaround time up front lets you model them before you choose a vendor.
Hosting, validation documentation, extra environments, interim exports, sponsor audit support, archive and data export on exit. List each in the request so the vendor has to answer.
The pricing page lists study setup by the Capture team at $0 on Core. It shows no per-site fee or per-seat licence. Confirm the terms for your tier in writing.
Core and Full Platform list rates are on the pricing page. Rates above 100 participants are lower but not published, and Enterprise is custom.
Three to five is usually enough to compare structures without drowning in replies. Send the identical block to each.
Keep exploring
EDC RFP template
The longer evaluation with scoring.
Hidden EDC fees
Where quotes grow after signing.
EDC procurement checklist
Steps from shortlist to contract.
EDC cost for a 500-patient trial
Worked at list rates.
EDC cost for a 1,000-patient trial
Large-scale cost drivers.
Pricing
Capture's published rates.
Build in the free sandbox with every feature, then compare. No credit card, and you pay only once you go live.