9 things you should do when inquiring and purchasing from suppliers

“Inquiry” is a necessary stage in the procurement workflow of procurement personnel. Generally, the following preparations are made when inquiring and purchasing:

1. Carry out procurement project analysis

Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the procurement project plan and procurement plan proposed by the procurement unit.

2. Develop a procurement plan and determine a list of procurement items

Demonstration and feasibility analysis of the procurement plan after analysis and demonstration. If necessary, conduct an on-site inspection of the procurement unit, formulate the final procurement plan, determine the final procurement item list, and clarify relevant technical and business requirements.

3. Compile the inquiry book

Combine the characteristics of the project and the analysis of the procurement plan to prepare a procurement inquiry.

4. Confirmation of the inquiry

After the preparation of the inquiry form is completed, it must be sent to the purchasing unit for review and confirmation and can be formally printed after being signed by the legal representative or authorized consignor of the purchasing group and stamped with the official seal.

5. invite suppliers.

Inviting suitable suppliers to participate in the quotation can be done in two ways: openly and limitedly.

6. conduct prequalification

The prequalification of suppliers is mainly to review relevant qualification documents and certifications, including necessary qualification review and professional qualification review. If a limited invitation method is adopted, prequalification is not required.

7. send out the inquiry.

Send out an inquiry form to the suppliers who have passed the qualification review and meet the project requirements.

8. Establish an inquiry group

The inquiry team is mainly responsible for the independent evaluation of the quotations provided by the suppliers by the provisions of the inquiry.

9. Preparation of evaluation methods and documents

Evaluation methods and documents are the relevant materials used by the inquiry group members in the evaluation process and the centralized purchasing agency in the process of determining the transaction, including evaluation standards, evaluation methods, and principles for determining the purchase.

Matters needing attention in purchasing inquiry

Shop around

The essence of the inquiry is to shop around, and it is more advantageous for suppliers to compare the guaranteed prices.

The inquiry group was established according to law.

The inquiry group is generally composed of representatives of the purchasing unit, representatives of the centralized purchasing agency, and relevant experts. The number of members is an odd number of three or more, and the number of experts should account for more than two-thirds.

Demand standards are in place.

When preparing for procurement, it involves requirements standards such as: “material number, quantity, quality,” etc., procurement analysis and procurement plan customization must be scientific and accurate.