Patent ID: 8224729

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for calculating comparison values for evaluating a transaction, the method comprising: receiving, by a computer, at least one request for quote, wherein the request for quote includes a product specification data set that identifies one or more items; receiving, by a computer, a plurality of price data sets, wherein each price data set identifies one or more items based on the product specification data set, each price data set including at least a parameter value and a price for the one or more items in the price data set, and wherein at least one price data set identifies an item having a different parameter value as compared to the item in another price data set; generating, by a computer, a comparison value for each price data set by: determining a price total from the price data set; for each of the one or more items in the price data set: obtaining metric data from at least one source, wherein the metric data includes a comparable price that is indicative of a market price for the item; and based on the comparable price for the item, determining a market price total for the item; calculating a summed market price total for the price data set by summing the market price totals for each of the one or more items in the price data set; and generating the comparison value by comparing the price total determined from the price data set to the summed market price total; and communicating, by a computer, the comparison value to at least one output.