A supplier bidding on a public tender in Addis Ababa collects three quotes for latex examination gloves and finds a wide spread for what looks like the same box of 100. Look closer and the gloves are not the same: one is 0.08 mm at the palm, another 0.12 mm; one is released at AQL 2.5, another at 1.5; one price is FOB an Indian port, another CIF Djibouti. This guide shows what changes the examination gloves price per box, and how to compare wholesale quotes so the bid is priced on the glove the tender actually asks for.
A tender for "examination gloves, box of 100" can be answered with gloves that differ in thickness, length, AQL and powder. Here is what actually moves the examination gloves price, and how a bidder in Ethiopia lines up quotes from India before pricing the bid.
Examination gloves are the highest-volume line in most hospital tenders, so a small difference per box becomes a large one across a contract. That is also why the cheapest quote deserves the most checking: thinner latex, a shorter cuff or a looser inspection level all lower the price, and all show up later as tears, rejected lots or a failed technical evaluation.
The price per box moves mainly with the amount of latex in each glove (palm thickness and length), the finish (lightly powdered or powder-free), the AQL the lots are released at, the protein level, the packing and the order quantity. The Incoterm and the route to Ethiopia then decide what the box costs by the time it is delivered. The table lists what to put in writing so every quote describes the same glove.
| What changes the price | Why it moves the price | What to ask for in the quote |
|---|---|---|
| Palm thickness | More latex per glove means more raw material | Single-wall palm thickness in mm (e.g. 0.10 to 0.14 mm) |
| Glove length | A longer cuff uses more latex | Minimum length in mm (e.g. 240 mm) |
| Powdered or powder-free | Powder-free needs a polymer coating or chlorination step | The finish for each line of the tender |
| AQL for pinholes | A tighter AQL rejects more gloves at inspection | Release AQL per lot (e.g. 1.5) and the test report |
| Protein level | Low-protein latex needs extra leaching | Extractable protein (e.g. under 50 µg/g) and the test method |
| Packing | Box count, carton size and printing | Pieces per box, boxes per carton, private label or not |
| Incoterm and route | FOB stops at the Indian port; CIF includes sea freight to Djibouti | The same Incoterm and named port on every quote |
Weigh a full box from each sample. One hundred latex examination gloves at 0.10 mm and at 0.14 mm do not weigh the same, and the scale tells you in ten seconds what a spec sheet can hide. If a cheap quote's box is noticeably lighter than the others, ask for the thickness test report before you put that glove in your bid.
Put every quote on one sheet, one row per glove, and convert each to a price per box of 100 on the same Incoterm. Then check each line against the tender's technical specification, not against the other quotes:
Medical devices imported into Ethiopia are regulated by the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority, and public tenders, including those run by the Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Supply Service, usually ask for registration or import permission and full product documents. Rules change, so verify the current requirements with EFDA and the tender documents before you quote.
The bid we lost was not lost on price. Our glove was cheaper because it was shorter, and the evaluation committee measured it.
Latex prices change between production runs, so request a current quotation for each tender rather than reusing an old figure. Our minimum order for latex examination gloves is 100,000 pieces, packed 100 pieces per dispenser box and 10 boxes per master carton (1,000 pieces per carton), and production usually takes 12 to 18 days after the order is confirmed.
Most sea cargo for Ethiopia arrives through Djibouti and then travels inland by rail or road, so agree early who arranges and pays for that leg. A CIF Djibouti price and a delivered Addis Ababa price are different numbers, and a bid priced on the wrong one can lose its margin on the inland transport alone.
Ambidextrous medical-grade natural rubber latex examination gloves offering exceptional tactile sensitivity and high elasticity, available in light powdered and polymer-coated powder-free options. Container consignments dispatched from Port Mundra & Port Nhava Sheva, with certificates and test reports shared with every quotation.
It depends on the palm thickness, length, finish, AQL, protein level, packing and order size, and latex costs change between production runs, so request a current quotation. Compare quotes per box of 100 on the same Incoterm and destination, and check that each describes the same glove.
Most of the gap comes from the glove itself: thinner latex, a shorter cuff, a looser AQL or a powdered finish all lower the price. Ask each supplier for the palm thickness, length, AQL and test reports in writing before comparing prices.
Our minimum is 100,000 pieces, packed 100 pieces per box and 1,000 pieces per master carton, with sizes XS to XL in one order. Other exporters set their own minimums, so check each quote.
Shortlist examination gloves manufacturers in India that make the glove your tender specifies, hold ISO 13485 in the factory's own name and can show EN 455 or ASTM D3578 test reports per lot. Then compare quotes per box on the same Incoterm, and check the documents EFDA and the tender require.
Medical gloves imported into Ethiopia generally fall under the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority's medical device rules, and public tenders usually ask for registration or import permission. Requirements change, so confirm the current guidance with EFDA before bidding.
Regulator, registration steps, import duty by HS code and sea freight for the markets in this article.
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