What good looks like
A documented supplier decision based on current price, availability, lead time, freight, terms, and specification fit.
Have these details ready
- Defined items, quantities, specifications, and need-by date
- Approved vendor records and contacts
- Job, warehouse, or replenishment context
Run the workflow
-
Define the request
List exact item, manufacturer/acceptable equal, quantity, unit, delivery location, need-by date, and required warranty or documentation.
-
Choose vendors
Select qualified vendors that can meet the category, geography, compliance, and account requirements.
-
Send one comparable RFQ
Use the same scope and response deadline for each vendor. Call out freight, tax, alternates, backorders, and validity requirements.
-
Record responses
Enter quoted price, availability, lead time, freight, terms, alternate specifications, and expiration without reducing the decision to unit price alone.
-
Select and hand off
Document the chosen response and reason, obtain approval when policy requires it, then create or update the purchase order with the accepted terms.
Check your work
Do not call the workflow complete until these statements are true.
- Vendors priced the same requested scope
- Selection rationale is visible
- The purchase order matches the accepted response
If something does not look right
A vendor proposes an alternate
Have the estimator or technical owner confirm specification fit before treating it as comparable.
Only one vendor responds
Document the attempt and urgency, then follow the company's single-source approval policy.