Procurement
Comparing suppliers beyond price
Assess specification fit, quality, documents, capacity, lead time, service, and total cost.
Supplier comparison is fairer when criteria and evidence are defined before proposals arrive. Unit price is only one part of supply risk.
Decisions to align
Use these prompts to begin the conversation. Adjust the depth of review to your organization’s risk, scale, and requirements.
- Specification fit and sample results under realistic use conditions.
- Quality systems, documents, traceability, and change control.
- Capacity, MOQ, lead time, schedule, delivery, and disruption plans.
- Technical response, communication, commercial terms, and total cost.
Working evidence to retain
Concise records help the team understand earlier decisions, control changes, and review outcomes without relying on memory.
- A criteria matrix with weight or importance.
- Evidence supporting each score rather than meeting impressions.
- Price, logistics, inventory, inspection, and risk assumptions.
- Decision rationale and conditions for the next supplier review.