Start with the job, not the model
A bot that answers public FAQ questions has a different scope from an assistant that accesses authenticated customer records. List the intended users, channels, languages, and actions. Mark the tasks that require a person’s approval. These decisions make quotes easier to compare.
Separate setup and operating costs
Setup can include conversation design, content cleanup, integrations, evaluation, and deployment. Recurring costs may include model usage, hosting, search storage, channel fees, maintenance, and human support. Ask what is included, which charges come from third parties, and what happens when usage increases.
Prepare the information a supplier needs
Share representative questions, the approved source material, expected traffic, your support platform, and escalation rules. Include language requirements and the type of data involved. Do not assume that a longer document collection is ready to use without checking its accuracy and permissions.
Agree acceptance criteria before launch
Evaluate answers against a reviewed set of questions. Include missing information, ambiguous wording, and requests outside the intended scope. Track successful resolutions, handovers, and cost per conversation. Techneed scopes projects after discovery; this guide is not a price quote or a savings guarantee.