Paired in groups of 2-3, students collaborate with your company to identify purchasing/sourcing needs and deliver actionable recommendations through thorough research and analysis.

Category Analysis and Supplier Selection reports that students can complete may include, but are not limited to:

• Clearly communicate how overall category demand and supply affect price and availability/risk
• Identify an initial supplier pool
• Develop a supplier selection scorecard
• Identify the one/two of the best suppliers
• Suggest approaches for managing the suppliers

Students will research and report on:

Purchase/spend Categories - Classifying purchases based on the economic significance and purchasing complexity of the products

Supplier Description - Basic demographics, location, revenue, employees, etc.

Supplier Evaluation - Students will analyze and evaluate the supplier with criteria deemed as important to your business in the selection process. They will also be able to describe the financial health and evaluate the trends noted in the supplier's finances that may affect the supplier's future financial stability.

1. What does each unit cost, on-time delivery record, defect rate
2. Does the supplier run lean, six-sigma programs?
3. Is the supplier a leader in corporate social responsibility?
4. Does the supplier have the capacity/scale to meet your needs?
5. Can the supplier fulfill orders from multiple plants/stocking points around the world?

Finally, the students can provide a recommendation about if the supplier is a viable option and provide a grade or score on the aforementioned supplier so you can make the most informed decisions when moving forward.