FREE PROCUREMENT & PLANNING TOOL
AI Project Cost + Build-vs-Buy Planner.
Decide whether an AI project should be bought, configured, integrated or custom-built—then compare 12- and 36-month economics using your own quotes and engineering rates.
Describe what you are actually buying or building.
What makes this project easy—or expensive?
Are required records current, accessible and permissioned? Higher is better.
Could an existing product already cover most of the workflow? Higher means stronger off-the-shelf fit.
How different is this process from common industry workflows?
Consider confidential data, regulated decisions, financial actions and strict access controls.
Higher means the system is expected to take more actions without human approval.
How costly would downtime or incorrect actions be?
Higher means the business needs useful results quickly.
Compare real quotes—not internet averages.
Leave fields at zero if you do not have the number yet.
WHY TWO ANSWERS?
The cheapest option is not automatically the right architecture.
A software subscription may have the lowest visible cost but fit the workflow poorly. A custom build may appear strategically attractive but create maintenance, security and delivery obligations that the business is not prepared to own.
The planner therefore separates the strategic recommendation from the total-cost comparison. The recommendation uses project structure, system fit, uniqueness, integrations, data readiness, security, autonomy and reliability needs. The TCO calculation uses only the commercial values you enter.
Use vendor evidence before committing.
Run real workflows through vendor demos, ask for implementation scope in writing, clarify usage limits and exit/export rights, and test the highest-risk integration before signing a long contract or approving a custom build.
Know the approach, but not the requirements?
The next Decision Lab layer will turn the selected approach into a vendor-ready requirements and acceptance pack.