What is a Price Mirror?
A Price Mirror (Preisspiegel) is a tabular compilation and comparison of all bid prices received in a procurement procedure. It serves for systematic price review and bid comparison.
Structure
The price mirror is typically presented in table format with individual positions as rows, bidders as columns, unit prices and total prices per position, and overall bid totals per bidder.
Functions
- Price comparison: Direct comparability of unit prices across all bidders
- Outlier detection: Identification of unusually high or low prices
- Mixed calculation detection: Revealing strategic price shifts between positions
- Speculation detection: When bidders over-price certain positions and under-price others
- Claims risk assessment: Low unit prices may indicate later claims
Abnormally Low Tenders
The price mirror is the central tool for identifying abnormally low tenders. If a total price deviates significantly from the average, the authority must request clarification.
Confidentiality
The price mirror contains sensitive business data and is strictly confidential. Bidders generally have no right to inspect the complete price mirror, though limited access may be granted in review proceedings.
Practical Tip
Bidders should calculate precisely per position and avoid mixed calculations. A transparent pricing approach protects against clarification requests and bid exclusion.