Exhibition stand · quotation comparison

Three quotes for one stand. The cheapest is not the one we recommend.

Pearl, Marcoms and Xenial were each briefed on the same round-table exhibition stand: a 5×3 m footprint, MDF construction, a branded back wall, LED cove lighting and two 55-inch touch screens. All three came back on official, TRN-bearing quotes at AED 20,890, 26,250 and 34,000 all-in. This tab covers what each price actually buys, where the three diverge, and what to close in writing before the PO. The separate 3D miniature is compared under its own tab.

The stand quotesall official & TRN-bearing

Ranked by cost · recommendation marked

Lowest · Best on price

Pearl Event Management

PEMS FZC · Umm Al Quwain
Quote QT060826-1 · 06 Aug 2026
TRN 100616901300003

Cost

AED19,895

VAT 5%994.75

Subtotal20,889.75

Baseline

Stand 5 × 3 × 2.9 m, the only quote with a stated height
MDF back wall, vinyl graphics + roller paint, horizontal 55" TV cut-out
MDF platform, black carpet, LED cove lighting at edging
2 × 55" touch screens + 2 laptops, line-itemised at 3,795
No furniture, no side wall, no counter

Recommended

Marcoms LLC

Dubai · Mohammad Al Shaikh
Ref MC/08/26/6809 · 04 Aug 2026
Tax ID 100310798200003

Cost

AED25,000

VAT 5%1,250.00

Subtotal26,250.00

+5,360 all-in vs Pearl

3D production in-house, the only vendor of the three who offers it
Used by us before, knows our brand standards and approval loop
5 × 3 m footprint, same as Xenial (confirmed verbally; not written on the quote)
MDF wall, Fenomastic paint finish, provision for branding graphics
Provision only for screens. The 65" reference is the known typo; scope is 2 × 55"
Screens not supplied and not priced, so the client provides content and hardware
No flooring, no furniture, no counter, no lighting line

+63% · Highest

Xenial Events

Sole Proprietorship LLC · Abu Dhabi
Quote QU-1256 · 10 Aug 2026
TRN 100608616700003

Cost

AED32,300

Discount−1,700.00

VAT 5%1,700.00

Subtotal34,000.00

+13,110 vs Pearl

Fullest build: 5×3 m flooring, 3×3 m side wall, 3.5×3 m back wall, counter
Cove lighting + LED strip in profile channel throughout, engraved pillars
Only quote with furniture: 6 chairs, 2 glass tables, bar stool, brochure stand
2 × touch screens plus a third 43" TV, DB and full cabling
Logistics at zero cost: transport, load/unload, install, dismantle, project management
100% advance payment and 100% cancellation charge post-confirmation

Included & priced Ambiguous / provision only Not included

Stand cost at a glancenet, AED

Net of VAT and discount

PearlPEMS

19,895

MarcomsMC/08/26

25,000

XenialQU-1256

32,300

Stand, line-by-line

As written in each quote

	Pearl 19,895 net	Marcoms 25,000 net	Xenial 32,300 net
Commercials
Net price	19,895.00	25,000.00	32,300.00
VAT 5%	994.75 Shown	1,250.00 Shown	1,700.00 Shown
Total incl. VAT	20,889.75	26,250.00	34,000.00
Line-item pricing	2 lines	1 line	4 lines, 1 priced
Payment terms	50% on contract signing, 50% on handover	50% on quote approval, 50% at mock-up date	100% in advance
Validity	14 days	30 days	14 days (exp. 24 Aug)
Lead time	Not stated	Not stated	15 to 20 days after PO + payment
TRN / tax ID	100616901300003	100310798200003	100608616700003
Cancellation exposure	Silent	80% of value	100% of value
Jurisdiction	Not stated	DIFC Courts, Dubai	Not stated
Structure
Stated footprint	5 × 3 × 2.9 m	5 × 3 m Verbal, not on quote	5 × 3 m floor, no height
Back wall	MDF, vinyl graphic + roller paint, 55" cut-out	MDF, Fenomastic paint, branding provision	MDF, Fenomastic, plotter sticker, LED strip. 1.5 m + 2 m × 3 m h
Side wall	No	No	3 × 3 m, MDF + LED
Flooring / platform	MDF + black carpet	No	MDF + carpet, 5 × 3 m
Counter	No	No	1 × 0.5 × 1 m, PU paint
Lighting	LED cove at platform edging	Not itemised	Cove + profile-channel LED throughout, engraved pillars
AV & power
Touch screens	2 × 55" supplied	Provision only	2 × supplied
Additional display	No	No	1 × 43" TV
Laptops	2 included	No	No
AV cost separated	3,795.00 Yes	No	No
Electrical / DB / cabling	Not stated	Not stated	DB + full cabling
Screen content	Client	Client	Client
Furniture & logistics
Seating	No	No	6 chairs + 1 bar stool
Tables	No	No	2 glass tables
Brochure stand	No	No	1
Transport / install / dismantle	Not stated	Included in T&Cs	Incl. at zero cost
3D production	No	In-house	No
Prior work with OI	None	Yes	None
Ownership	Not stated	Rental, all items	Not stated

Recommendation

Conditional on the terms below

Award to

Marcoms LLC, for the exhibition stand

AED 26,250

Stand only, incl. VAT

Known supplier

We have run events with Marcoms before. A supplier who already knows our brand standards, approval loop and delivery expectations carries far less execution risk than the cheapest bid from a vendor we have never briefed.

Same footprint as the top bid, for less

Marcoms hold the same 5 × 3 m footprint as Xenial at 26,250 all-in, which is 7,750 below Xenial's 34,000 and the middle price of the three. It is not the cheapest stand, but it is the most reasonable scope-to-price on the table.

One team for the whole project

Marcoms are also the recommended supplier for the container model on the 3D Miniature tab, so the stand and the model can run on one supplier we already know rather than being split across two.

Award the stand to Marcoms at 25,000 net (26,250 incl. VAT), and get the 5 × 3 m footprint in writing. Their quote is currently one line for a wall, which is too thin to hold a supplier to.

Settle the screens before signing. This is the one real commercial gap: Marcoms quote a provision, not a supply. Ask them to price 2 × 55" touch screens as a line item, or confirm we are supplying them. Budget 3,000 to 5,000 if it falls to us.

Get the missing scope priced: flooring, lighting as a line item, and a counter, so the build matches what Pearl and Xenial already itemise.

Negotiate the 80% cancellation clause down and clarify the rental-basis inspection liability. With the event date still TBC, an 80% exposure on a rental build is the sharpest edge in their terms.

Fix the 55-inch spec in writing. Their quote carries a 65-inch typo; confirm the scope is 2 × 55" so it cannot resurface later as a variation claim.

3D miniature · separate scope

A scale model of the container, priced three very different ways.

Alongside the stand, we asked for a 3D miniature of the container. Marcoms and Xenial quoted it next to their stand builds, and Raidy Printing came in late as a 3D-only supplier. None of the three is a firm, like-for-like number yet: the model sizes differ, a display case is not in every quote, and two of the three are ranges rather than fixed prices. This tab compares the models on their own, then shows why bundling the model with the stand changes the maths.

3D miniatureseparate scope

3 quotes · all approximate

Lowest · Recommended

Marcoms LLC

WhatsApp quote · +971 52 607 7585
50 cm scale model
Also quoting the stand

Cost

AED10,850

VAT 5%542.50

Subtotal11,392.50

Timeline20 to 30 days

Baseline

50 cm scale model of the container, painted finish
3 sides in acrylic, one side clear for viewing in
Inside detailing in resin 3D printing
Display case included, confirmed in writing for 1 piece
Lighting not considered, and design is our scope

Range · 2 options

Xenial Events

Email · Pramit Sethi
Size not stated
Also quoting the stand

Option 1

AED10 to 12k

Option 235,000 to 37,000

VAT 5%not stated

Timelineapprox. 1 month

Opt 1 comparable to Marcoms

Option 1: 3D printed model, MDF base podium with PU paint finish, glass top
Natural fibre print material, produced to an exact Pantone code
Option 2: polystyrene, resin, 3D prints, metal, clays, putties, polymer and sculpting
No model size stated on either option
Both figures are ranges, not fixed prices

Highest · 3D only

Raidy Printing

Late entry · not on the stand list
40 cm and 60 cm options
3D miniature only

60 cm

AED27,000

40 cm22,000

VAT 5%not stated

Timeline4 to 5 weeks

+16,150 vs Marcoms

Their team recommends the 60 cm, as there is too much internal detail for 40 cm
A 40 cm model at 22,000 is double Marcoms' price for a smaller model
No display case, podium or base mentioned
No materials, finish or Pantone detail given
Slowest of the three, and cannot build the stand

	Marcoms 10,850 net	Xenial 10 to 12k / 35 to 37k	Raidy 22k / 27k
Commercials
Quoted price	10,850.00	10,000 to 12,000 35,000 to 37,000	22,000 (40 cm) 27,000 (60 cm)
VAT position	+5% stated (542.50)	Not stated	Not stated
Total incl. VAT	11,392.50	10,500 to 12,600 est.	28,350 est. (60 cm)
Price firmness	Approximate	Range	Around
Timeline	20 to 30 days	Approx. 1 month	4 to 5 weeks
Model & build
Stated size	50 cm	Not stated	40 cm or 60 cm
Print method	Resin 3D printing, internal detail	3D print, natural fibre material	Opt 2 mix: resin, metal, clay, polymer
Enclosure	3 sides acrylic, 1 side clear	Not stated	Not mentioned
Display case / podium	Included, 1 pc	MDF podium + glass top	Not mentioned
Colour accuracy	Painted finish	Exact Pantone	Not stated
Lighting	Excluded	Not stated	Not stated
Design / artwork	Our scope	Our scope	Our scope
Can also build the stand	Yes	Yes	No, 3D only

Recommendation

The model, on its own scope

Award to

Marcoms LLC, for the 3D miniature

AED 11,392.50

50 cm model, incl. VAT

Lowest, with the fullest inclusions

At 10,850 net Marcoms are the cheapest of the three and the only one to confirm the display case in writing, with resin printing for the internal detail. Raidy's comparable model is more than double.

One team for the whole project

Marcoms also build the stand on the Exhibition Stand tab, so the model and the stand can run on one PO, one project manager and one delivery date rather than being split across two suppliers.

The bundled route is the cheapest

Awarding both scopes to Marcoms comes to 37,642.50 incl. VAT, roughly 6,045 below Pearl plus Raidy and about 6,500 below Xenial for the pair. Raidy can only do the model, not the stand.

Award the model to Marcoms at 10,850 net (11,392.50 incl. VAT), 50 cm, with the display case confirmed for one piece as quoted.

Convert the approximate price into a firm number. All three quotes are soft: Marcoms say approximate, Xenial give ranges, Raidy say around. Lock one fixed figure against a fixed size and finish before the PO.

Fix the size before re-pricing. 40, 50 and 60 cm are being compared as if interchangeable. Raidy's own team say 40 cm cannot hold the internal detail, so confirm 50 cm carries it with Marcoms.

Order it first. At 20 to 30 days the model is the long-lead item, not the stand, and with the event date still TBC it should be placed ahead of the build.

Video production · customer story series

One brief, three prices. The bid that reads best on paper costs the most.

Grit & Soul, Zobbzle Designs and ClickTribe Media all quoted against the same videographer brief for our customer and partner story series: 12 interviews, one 60-second reel each, delivered in three reframed ratios, with two major revision rounds and full rights. Their prices for that identical scope are AED 66,760, 120,000 and 134,500. This tab covers what each price covers, where each submission is silent on something the brief asked for, and the internal contradictions in the pricing.

The three submissionspriced against 12 subjects, UAE only

Ranked by cost · recommendation marked

Recommended

Grit & Soul Photography

For Commercial Photographs Production LLC
Proposal dated 14 Aug 2026
Shoot window Sept to Oct 2026

Total, 12 subjects

AED66,760

Per additional subject3,500

Implied average per subject5,563

Per finished reel (36 reels)1,854

Lowest · baseline

Half the price of the highest bid for the same 36 finished reels
Marginal rate of 3,500, well below its own average, so scaling to 15 subjects costs only 10,500 more
Strongest rights language of the three: assigns all copyright and IP in the deliverables and the raw footage, worldwide, perpetual, exclusive, royalty-free, irrevocable
Only submission to include a creative alignment meeting two weeks before the first shoot, and props for a unified setup across all sites
4K ProRes capture, separate backup audio, explicit reframed not cropped commitment on all three ratios
Crew stated as 1 to 3 people, an unpinned range. One person cannot light, mic, direct and shoot a C-level subject in a 90-minute window
70% payable before the first shoot day, and the remaining 30% at first cut, so we are fully paid out before final delivery
Retains a perpetual portfolio licence to use the films on its own website, social and demo reel, which the brief did not permit

+80% · Mid

Zobbzle Designs

Zubair Khawaja · Gmail contact, no entity stated
Quote ZD-2038 · 21 Aug 2026
Validity stated as both 60 and 30 days

Total, 12 subjects

AED120,000

Same deck, later slide108,000

Per additional subject10,000

Per finished reel (36 reels)3,333

+53,240 vs Grit & Soul

Best operational fit by a distance: 2 shoots per day and only 2 days notice to mobilise a crew
Only supplier to deliver per interview rather than in one batch: first cut 5 working days after each shoot, roughly 10 to 12 working days to final
Fullest crew and kit detail: 8 named roles including a DIT and a production assistant, matched Sony FX6 bodies, three-light setup
Only one to commit to the 15 minutes of B-roll the brief asked for, captured as an hour and cut down
Best commercial terms: 50/50 payment, net 30, and the mildest cancellation clause of the three. Travel itemised at a fixed 5,000 per GCC site
Second camera and 8-person crew are a scope the brief did not ask for. The rationale given is future recut flexibility, which is real, but it is what the price is buying
Quotes two different totals for the same scope, 120,000 and 108,000, on slides four pages apart
No legal entity, TRN or VAT position. A personal Gmail address on a six-figure engagement

+101% · Highest

ClickTribe Media LLC

Sharjah Media City Free Zone
Submitted 13 Aug 2026 · Hania ElSolh
VAT stated as not applicable

Total, 12 subjects

AED134,500

Per additional subject11,208

Implied average per subject11,208

Per finished reel (36 reels)3,736

+67,740 vs Grit & Soul

Most compliant document. It answers every rights, music, caption and subtitle clause in the brief in the brief's own words
Only one to offer a pre-shoot recce to check power, background and clearance ahead of the day
Named kit list and a 5-person crew: DOP, director, lighting technician and two videographers
Only supplier to state its VAT position, and the only registered free zone entity of the three
Worst scheduling fit: 1 interview per day and 7 business days notice, against a schedule set by executive availability
Nine exclusions, including crew security clearance and onsite idle time, both near-certain costs on this series, plus props and permits
No payment terms, no delivery turnaround, no quote validity anywhere in the document. Travel beyond the UAE is not priced at all

Stated and priced Stated but ambiguous Absent, excluded or contradictory

Cost at a glanceAED, 12 subjects, UAE only

As quoted · no VAT applied

Grit & Soul14 Aug 2026

66,760

ZobbzleZD-2038

120,000

ClickTribe13 Aug 2026

134,500

What the final count does to the total

Brief allows 10 to 15 subjects

	Grit & Soul 3,500 per subject	Zobbzle 10,000 per subject	ClickTribe 11,208 per subject
10 subjects	59,760	100,000	112,080
12 subjects, quoted	66,760	120,000	134,500
15 subjects	77,260	150,000	168,120
Gap at 15 vs lowest	Baseline	+72,740	+90,860

Brief compliance, line by line

Only what each document actually states

	Grit & Soul 66,760	Zobbzle 120,000	ClickTribe 134,500
Commercials
Total, 12 subjects	66,760.00	120,000 also 108,000	134,500.00
Per-subject rate	3,500 Below average	10,000	11,208
VAT position	Not stated	Not stated	Not applicable, free zone
Invoicing entity	Grit & Soul For Commercial Photographs Production LLC	None on document Personal name and Gmail only	ClickTribe Media LLC, Sharjah Media City Free Zone
Payment terms	70% before first shoot 30% at first cut	50 / 50 Balance on final delivery, net 30	Not stated
Cancellation terms	Not stated	30% of that shoot's rate under 24 hours, free above	Fee applies within 2 days, amount not stated
Quote validity	Not stated	60 days on cover, 30 in terms	Not stated
Travel beyond UAE	3,000 per trip	5,000 per site, itemised	Quoted separately later
Stated exclusions	None listed	Scope changes repriced	Nine, incl. clearance and idle time
Crew and capture
Crew on site	1 to 3 people, unpinned	8 named roles incl. DIT	5 people: DOP, director, lighting tech, 2 videographers
Cameras	Not specified	2 × Sony FX6 with primes	1 to 3: Sony FX3, FX5, Blackmagic Pyxis
Brief asked for single camera	Priced to brief	Two, with rationale	Up to three
4K capture, 1080 delivery	4K ProRes, Full HD out	4K package, 1080 delivery not stated	4K, delivered at 1080
Lighting detail	Included, no detail	Key, fill, rim. 20 to 30 min setup	Aputure 600D × 3
Audio with backup	Yes	Yes, dedicated recordist	Yes, parallel backup
B-roll, 15 min per site	Captured, no quantity	1 hour cut to 15 min	Separate pass, no quantity
Pre-shoot recce	Not offered	Not offered	Where access allows
Backup before leaving site	Not stated	DIT owns it, cloud or drive	Yes
Raw retained 12 months	Yes, on request	Yes, 1 year	At least 12 months
Post-production and delivery
Reframed, not cropped	Explicit	Versioned, wording not explicit	Explicit
Lower thirds, brand frames	Not mentioned	Graphics, brand frames not named	To OI specification
Burned-in captions on verticals	Captions, no split stated	Captions, no split stated	Explicit
Separate subtitle file, 16:9	Not mentioned	Not mentioned	Explicit
2 major rounds + technical pass	Yes, sign-off sequenced	Yes	Yes, sign-off sequenced
Music licence, perpetuity	Paid and global, perpetuity absent	Licensed, terms unstated	Worldwide, in perpetuity
Delivery turnaround	First cut 5 days from last shoot day, then 5 and 3	Per interview, 10 to 12 days each	Not stated
Rights, conduct and logistics
Ownership of deliverables	Full assignment of all IP	Full ownership	Full ownership
Raw footage handover	Assigned outright	Included in price	On request
No self-promo without approval	Retains portfolio licence	Confirmed	Confirmed
NDA covering all crew	No objection	Signed before any shoot	Every crew member
Max interviews per day	Not stated	2 per day	1 per day
Mobilisation notice	5 days minimum	2 days	7 business days
Conduct on live client premises	Not addressed	Addressed in detail	Addressed
Creative alignment meeting	2 weeks before shoot 1	Look and feel approval before first interview	Not offered
Unified setup and props	Props included for consistency	Consistency argued, props not named	Props excluded

Meets or exceeds the brief Partial or ambiguous Absent, excluded or contradictory

Recommendation

Award conditional on the terms below

Award to

Grit & Soul Photography, for the customer story series

AED 66,760

12 subjects · 67,740 below the highest bid

It priced the brief as written

The brief specified a single-camera setup per subject. Grit & Soul quoted that. Zobbzle and ClickTribe both quoted multi-camera crews of eight and five people, which is scope we did not ask for and a large part of what separates 66,760 from 134,500.

The gap is too large to justify

67,740 buys nothing in the other two submissions that a PO clause cannot secure here. In capability terms the difference comes down to a recce and a subtitle file, which does not justify what is effectively a second production budget.

Strongest rights position

It assigns all copyright and IP in both the deliverables and the raw footage, worldwide, perpetual, exclusive, royalty-free and irrevocable. The other two grant ownership of deliverables with raw footage handed over. This is the only outright assignment.

It scales in our favour

At 3,500 to add a subject, going to the top of the 10 to 15 range costs 10,500. The same move costs 30,000 with Zobbzle and 33,624 with ClickTribe, whose marginal rates are just their totals divided by twelve.

Series consistency is designed in

The only submission with a creative alignment meeting two weeks out and props carried across every site for a unified setup. The brief's core requirement is that twelve interviews read as one campaign, and this is the only quote that budgets for it.

No exclusions

Grit & Soul lists no exclusions at all. ClickTribe lists nine, two of which the brief makes near-certain. On a fixed-scope series, a quote with no carve-outs is worth more than a cheaper-looking one that reopens on the day.

Award to Grit & Soul at 66,760 for 12 subjects, conditional on the terms below being written into the PO. The recommendation rests on it being the only supplier that priced the brief rather than an enlarged version of it.

Pin the crew. The quote says 1 to 3 people. Fix a named minimum in writing at the quoted price: a director who runs the interview, a DOP, and a dedicated sound recordist. One person cannot light, mic, direct and shoot a C-level subject inside a 90-minute window.

Restructure the payment schedule. 70% before the first shoot and 30% at first cut means we are fully paid out before final delivery. Move to 40% on award, 40% at first cut of all twelve, 20% on final delivery of all three ratios.

Fix the delivery cadence per interview, not from the last shoot day. As written, nothing is reviewable until filming wraps two to four weeks in. Require the first cut within five working days of each individual shoot, matching what Zobbzle offered.

Add the three missing post-production items explicitly: lower thirds and brand frames to OI specification, burned-in captions on the vertical and portrait cuts, and a separate subtitle file for every horizontal master. All three are in the brief and none appear in this quote.

Get the music licence restated as worldwide in perpetuity, paid and organic. The quote covers paid ads and global distribution but never says perpetuity, and without it the films expire on us.

Narrow the portfolio licence. Their terms retain a perpetual right to publish the films on their own channels. The brief requires written approval first. Reduce it to case-by-case written consent, which also protects the featured clients.

Add the terms they left out: confirmed VAT position and whether 5% sits on top of 66,760, quote validity, a cancellation and reschedule clause, maximum interviews per day, and confirmation that footage is backed up before leaving each site.

Keep Zobbzle warm as the named alternative. If throughput turns out to matter more than price, ask them to confirm whether the real number is 120,000 or 108,000, and to produce a licensed entity with a TRN. Their two shoots a day, two days notice and per-interview delivery are genuinely the best operational fit in the set.