L4M8 Procurement and Supply in Practice Questions and Answers

Fraud occurs when a person acts deliberately to secure monies from another party through dishonest method. Within the supply chain of an organization, fraud can represent itself in the following ways:

1. Kickbacks: e.g. (commission given to a bribe taker for service perform)

2. Corrupt influence (e.g ordering more than what is required)

3. Collusion: (group of suppliers working together to submit multiple bids and split profit.

4. Bid Rigging (a contract is informally agreed with a chosen supplier prior to the official process

5. invoicing fraud

6. Substitution (submitting products that are below the required quality

7. False claims (files false document)

Case Study

A series of news stories reporting events such as the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in 2013 have drawn attention to the poor conditions in garment factories across India and South East Asia. Human rights groups have long be critical of the excessive hours and poor wages workers are forced to endure, as well as the abuse they receive from supervisor. With consumers becoming increasingly aware of these conditions, more pressure is being put on global brands and retailers to ensure their supply chains are fair and ethical.

Certain areas have been notorious for the mistreatment of workers. In India’s textile valley’, young women are been bound into contracts where they work for two to three years, in exchange for a lump sum of money that they can then put towards a dowry. This is known as the ‘Sumangali [a married woman] Thittam’ scheme. These women are forced to live in hostels under restrictions that prevent them from moving, and are denied the opportunity to improve their living conditions. Retailers including Walmart and H & M are known to source garments from factories in the ‘textile valley’.

Reports by organizations including the Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA), Central Combodia, Global Labor Justice, Sedane Labour Resource Centre (LIPS) Indonesia, and Society for Labour and Development (SLD) India have exposed unethically run factories that supply garments to H & M, Gap and Walmart. However, retailers will continue to benefit from expensive labour until mounting customers pressure causes them to change.

During the sourcing stage of the procurement cycle, the procurement professional needs to identify and select suppliers to fulfill the business needs. Supplier selection involves evaluating suppliers against predetermine criteria to assess their suitability in working with the buying organization. Suppliers can be evaluated according to Carter’s 10Cs which are as follows: (1) Competency (2) capacity (3) consistency (4) control (5) cost (6) commitment (7) cash (8) Clean (9) culture (10) communication.

Procurement professionals can decide to evaluate and select suppliers based on the overall strategy and the business objectives. After that, it most suitable suppliers receive the documentation (Invitation to tender/ request for quotation).

A business case is a document containing the justification and the commercial benefits achievable for a potential project or an identified need, for example, the purchase of a capital equipment, con-struction of an additional warehouse or procuring more innovative software to replace the current on in use.

The essence of the business case is to obtain support and get buy-in from senior management.

In order to gain authority to apply whole life asset management a business case will need to be created and presented. A developed business case will cover the following element.

1) Introduction: Outline of what the business case is all about

2) Objective: Explanation of what the business case desired outcome is.

3) Approach that will be undertaken

4) List of resources required

5) Benefits of achieving the objective

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A cross-function Team is the involvement of all departments that are in an organization to contribute knowledge, skills and innovation towards adding value to achieving the organization’s strategic goal. Example, procurement, maintenance, marketing, finance, human resources working together in procurement activity to come up with the best strategy or selecting the supplier that best suit the organization.

When working in a cross-functional team, members of the organization give support by believing in the end goal, assist during difficult time, help troubleshoot any issue, providing the required resources and sharing information

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Working cross-functionally is the involvement of all departments involved in an organization to contribute knowledge, skills and innovation towards adding value of achieving the organization’s strategic goal. All functions may include; procurement, maintenance, marketing, finance, human resources working together in procurement activity to come up with the best strategy or selecting the supplier that best suit the organization.

When working cross functionally, members of the organization gives support by believing in the end goal, assist during difficult time, help troubleshoot any issue, providing the required resources and sharing information.

Terms are the right and duties agreed between parties which are then documented in contract. Terms can be implied or expressed.

Implied terms are always present in a contract and are set by national laws; implied terms do not have to be written or verbally agreed : they always exist, for example sales of Gods Act, good being fit for purpose, Negligence ,confidence , whereas expressed terms are negotiated and agreed rather than being automatically included, express terms are agreed between, parties negotiating the contract. For example; payment terms, specification, delivery details and quantities.

Quality is fitness for purpose. It is important that quality is investigated by procurement professionals before forming relationship with potential supplies.

If quality is not investigated before selecting supplier the organization might stand the risk of facing the following disadvantages;

Reputational Damages

Cost of Rework

Cost of Downtime

Cost of Material

Cost of being stocked with the wrong supplier

Cost of being stocked in a project that may not come to an end at the forecasted time.

How buyer can choose a supplier with a good quality culture is first by defining the quality of the product or services to be carried out .Having knowledge of the product or service quality, supplies can rightly select and evaluated supplier with total quality management (TQM) in their system, ISO 9001 accreditation. TQM includes everyone in the organization with knowledge on the required quality; there would be little or no rejection/reworks. Thus is an added value to the organization.

Carter’s 10cs is a detailed mechanism that procurement professional uses to evaluate potential supplier. What the procurement professional should consider in supplier are the following 10 things.

1) Competency 2) capacity 3) Cost 4) Cash 5) Clean 6) Consistency 7) Control 8) Culture 9) Com-mitment 10) Communication.

After all the due diligence is carried out, before awarding contract to the best supplier, sometimes procurement professionals find themselves in some problem solving situation; this might have been emanated from supplier facing a financial challenge or problems from external environment. Responding to this might require an amendment or an addendum, depending on the case in hand.

An amendment is for a physical change in the existing contract for example; if a contract contains a negotiated and agreed fixed price for the period of the contract but unexpected market forces such as an economic down turn or force majeure occur, the supplier may have to request an amendment order to continue to make a profit.

An addendum is when an additional document is added to the existing contract for example, If a contract have a schedule of rates and the market forces prices up, an addendum can be added to an existing contract with a revised schedule. Once accepted, the addendum becomes part of the con-tract. Addendum are physically used when the forecasted cost of a project rises and approval is needed to increase the contract spend.

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Disposal of an asset is the final stage in the decommissioning process of a fixed asset.

When a fixed asset reaches the end of its useful or cost effective life time within an organization, the decision is made as to whether it should be removed from the premises or disposed off.

If the asset is truly at the end of its life, no longer fit for purpose, not cost effective to repair and is not able to be exchanged, then disposal is the only option; there are two options for disposal;

1) Take the asset to land fill site

2) Taking the asset to a recycling plant.

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The abuse of power within the supply chain can be linked to corruption. If individuals with seniority favor one supplier over another, they can exercise their power to award the contract to whoever they wish. According to CIPS code of conduct, this is not acceptable.

According to French and Raven, there are five types of power (Legitimate power, Reward, Expert, Referent and Coercive), and these powers can most likely be used in corruption.

Modern slavery is against ethical and responsible sourcing. Modern slavery is one of the areas to understudy for procurement professionals to carry out ethical and responsible sourcing and this is recognized in five ways.

1. Human trafficking: The process of seeking, recruiting, transporting and exploiting individuals to work against their will. Often human trafficking includes violence, deception, and coercion.

2. Bonded labour (debt bondage): This is an individual’s promise to provide service through ex-ploitation as repayment, or part thereof, of a dept or other obligation.

3. Forced labour: Work that people are forced to do with the treat of punishment if it is not carried out.

4. Children labour: The exploitative and illegal employment of children.

5. Domestic slavery: Individuals exploited through working in private households for little or no money in return for living accommodation

The public sector uses tenders a lot more in the working environment than private sector.

An offer is created when one party communicates to another or to multiple parties that they wish to enter into a legal binding agreement in accordance with the terms stated, for example; a company in promotion advertising for buyers to buy one and get one free, an offer is a buying organization communicating to a supplier to supply X number of goods and be paid x amount upon delivery at company premises, an offer is when a football club proposes to pay X amount to a player if agrees to play for them for a month. An offer can be legally banded if accepted, whereas invitation to treat does not. An invitation to treat is just an invitation from one party to another to begin negotiations with the intention of creating an offer. If an offer is made without stating terms, this becomes an invitation to treat, for example, an invitation to treat is when a pharmacy displays a drug in its shelf. An invitation to treat can be linked to a request a buyer send to suppliers asking them for specific information.

Though strong due diligence procurement professionals can assess which suppliers or potential suppliers appear to meet the criteria associated with ethical practice.

Prior to the contract being awarded, strong due diligence can save the organization from the following cost:

1) Cost of reputation

2) Environmental damage

3) Stakeholders dissatisfaction,

4) poor quality and rework

5) Breach of contract

6) Ethical concerns

Holding excessive inventory can reduce the impact of extended lead time. i.e. by saving the buying organization from downtime, reputation loss, and also it can generate revenue for the organization if there is a sudden increase in demand.

4. Examine FIVE methods OrganiBake could use to monitor suppliers’ performance against Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles. (25 marks)

OrganiBake currently relies on a basic supplier self-assessment questionnaire, but this is no longer enough as the business grows and faces greater ESG risks. To protect its brand reputation and manage risks such as water use, pesticide runoff and unfair labour practices, OrganiBake needs stronger and more proactive supplier monitoring methods. CIPS defines supplier performance management as assessing supplier activities against agreed KPIs and managing supplier performance, while ISO 20400 provides guidance on integrating sustainability into procurement. ( cips.org )

1. Supplier audits and site visits

One effective method is to carry out regular supplier audits and on-site inspections . These can be announced or unannounced and allow OrganiBake to check whether suppliers are actually following ESG requirements in practice, rather than simply claiming compliance on paper. For grain suppliers, audits could review water management, chemical handling and environmental controls. For packaging suppliers, audits could examine working conditions, pay practices, health and safety, and management controls. This method is stronger than a questionnaire because it provides direct evidence and helps verify whether policies are being implemented properly. OECD due diligence guidance highlights supplier assessments and monitoring mechanisms as part of responsible supply chain management. ( OECD )

2. ESG KPIs and supplier scorecards

A second method is to introduce measurable ESG key performance indicators (KPIs) and use supplier scorecards. OrganiBake could track indicators such as water consumption, pesticide incidents, waste levels, carbon emissions, employee turnover, accident rates, wage compliance, audit closure rates and ethics breaches. These KPIs should be reported regularly and reviewed in supplier performance meetings. This gives OrganiBake a structured way to compare suppliers, identify weak performance early and measure improvement over time. It is particularly useful because the business is scaling up and needs transparent, consistent communication with suppliers. CIPS recognises supplier performance monitoring against agreed KPIs, and ISO 20400 supports the use of criteria and performance measures in sustainable procurement. ( cips.org )

3. Contractual ESG requirements with regular reporting

A third method is to include clear ESG clauses in contracts and require periodic evidence-based reporting from suppliers. For example, OrganiBake could require suppliers to comply with a supplier code of conduct, labour standards, anti-corruption expectations, environmental controls and corrective action obligations. Suppliers could then be required to submit supporting data, certificates, payroll evidence, water-use records or environmental reports at agreed intervals. This strengthens monitoring because ESG performance becomes a contractual obligation rather than a voluntary statement. It also gives OrganiBake leverage if a supplier fails to meet expected standards. OECD guidance emphasises corrective action plans and due diligence measures, while practice examples under the UN Global Compact show ESG requirements being embedded into sourcing and reporting processes. ( OECD )

4. Third-party verification and external assurance

A fourth method is to use independent third-party verification . This could involve external auditors, certification bodies or recognised ESG rating platforms to assess supplier performance more objectively. This is valuable because self-reported information can sometimes be incomplete or biased. Independent review can improve credibility, especially where OrganiBake faces scrutiny from environmental groups and reputational risk from consumers. External assurance is particularly useful for high-risk areas such as environmental claims, labour standards and governance controls. Examples reported through the UN Global Compact show selected sustainability KPIs being externally assured, demonstrating how third-party validation can strengthen confidence in reported ESG performance. ( cop.unglobalcompact.org )

5. Grievance mechanisms, stakeholder feedback and ongoing risk monitoring

A fifth method is to establish grievance channels and continuous risk monitoring . This means OrganiBake should not depend only on supplier-submitted data; it should also collect information from workers, local communities, NGOs, industry alerts and media screening. For example, if there are allegations of low wages or pesticide runoff, the company should have a process for receiving complaints, investigating them and requiring corrective action. This method is useful because some ESG problems, especially labour abuse or environmental harm, may not be visible in formal reports. OECD due diligence materials identify grievance mechanisms, stakeholder engagement and early-warning systems as important elements of supply chain monitoring and evaluation. ( OECD )

Conclusion

In conclusion, OrganiBake should move beyond basic self-assessment questionnaires and adopt a broader ESG monitoring system. The five main methods are supplier audits and site visits, ESG KPIs and scorecards, contractual ESG reporting requirements, third-party verification, and grievance plus ongoing risk monitoring . Together, these methods would give OrganiBake more reliable information, help manage reputational and supply chain risks, and support the company’s commitment to ethical and sustainable growth. ( cips.org )

The purpose of the tendering process is to invite potential suppliers to bid to supply a product or service to the buying organization. Then buying organization select suitable suppliers, award con-tract and manage. The process is selected mostly when the need is a large or complex project or the law mandates it or it is in the company’s policies to do so. The stages of the tendering process includes;

Stage 1: decide which style of tender to use. There are four types of tendering used within pro-curement and this include; 1) open 2) Restricted 3) Negotiated 4) Competitive Dialogue

Stage 2: Prepare invitation to tender (ITT): this stage is to prepare the document that will be made available to potential supplier. It should contain everything potential bidders will need to know to fully understand the need and to prepare and send a suitable RESPONSE it may likely in-clude; open letter, company details, overview of a project, evaluation criteria, submission date and so on.

Stage 3: send ITT: With fairness, transparency and equality, buyer will provide the documents to all potential suppliers at the same time and also provide exactly the same information/documents to all suppliers. If after receiving the ITT and some suppliers seek clarifications on anything in the documentation, buyers must give same response to identical questions to keep the process transparent and fair. Also, the response to each query to all bidders in the process.

Failure to this may result in bidders who feel disadvantaged or discriminated in any form to submit a legal challenge. Supplier submitting a Legal challenge may cause delay in the process and eventually increase administrative cost for the buyer.

Stage 4: Buying organization receives responses to the Invitation to tender from suppliers (bids). Suppliers must adhere to the bid submission dead line included in the invitation to tender document. Any bid that arrives after the deadline must be left out of the process, or else this may result to other suppliers legally challenging the process.

Stage 5: Evaluate bid. The buying organization can now evaluate the bids based on the criteria in the ITT document. It is always thorough that cross-functional team evaluates the bids to guarantee complete fairness and ensure that the chosen bid is fit for purpose. In evaluating the bids, the cross-functional team will consider the bids in the following areas; supplier organization, ethics, price, sustainability, quality, payment, disposal, service level, location, warranty and risk.

Stage 6: Award contract and give feedback hence the buying organization wards the contract to the winning supplier. This can take place by a formal communication like a letter or an e-mail.

Stage 7: Contract management. Contracts must be evaluated against the criteria in the invitation to tender.

The reasons why these stages must be followed includes;

1. Knowing the right TYPE of tender to use, reduces administration cost, for example, deciding to do restricted tendering to reduce the interest that are going to be sent in have already cut down on administrative cost.

2. The supplier can know what exactly the buyer’s intentions are by developing description and the required specification.

3. To ensure that objectives of resorting to use the tendering style and the tendering process is achieved

4. To ensure that the organization generates added value by going through the stages.

5. To ensure that there are none unethical issues like fraud, bribes etc are not part of the system.

6. To ensure that the tendering process becomes transparent to all suppliers. These stages must be followed for transparency and fairness. Just like in stage 3: buyer send out the ITT to potential suppliers at the same time and providing them same information. Failure to this and bidders who feel disadvantaged or discriminated in any form may submit a legal challenge. Supplier submitting a Legal challenge may cause delay in the process and eventually increase administrative cost for the buyer.

If a supplier is accredited or is a member of an association that promotes good ethical conduct, a statement to this effect is likely to be featured on its company documentation. This could be in a form of letters after the organization name or the authorized use of logo.

Accreditation information should be verified by procurement professionals either asking organiza-tion for certification to prove membership or accreditation or checking on a professional register.

Below are associated bodies that form some industries.

1. ISO 14001 – for quality management

2. CIPS – for procurement and Supply

3. Red Tractor – NGO Registered in the UK, promoting human right

4. Amnesty International – human right

5. Carbon Trust – For Carbon neutral status.

3. Explain the elements that Lucie should include in her analysis based on whole-life asset management. (25 marks)

Whole-life asset management means evaluating the total cost and value of an asset over its full life , not just the initial purchase price. CIPS explains this as whole-life costing / total cost of ownership , covering acquisition, usage and end-of-life costs. ISO 55000 also states that asset management should consider assets over their life cycles to realise value for the organisation.

In Water Works’ case, Lucie should include the following elements in her analysis of purchasing the 200 vehicles.

1. Initial acquisition costs

Lucie should first calculate the purchase price of the vehicles. This includes not only the price of each vehicle, but also delivery charges, registration, taxes, any fit-out requirements, signage, tracking systems and initial insurance. This is important because the capital cost will be high for a fleet of 200 vehicles, so the business case must show the full upfront investment rather than just the list price. CIPS notes that whole-life costing includes purchase price and acquisition cost .

2. Operating and running costs

A major element is the cost of operating the vehicles during their working life. Lucie should estimate fuel or energy costs, servicing, maintenance, repairs, tyres, road tax and insurance. This is especially relevant because the case states that some current vehicles are several years old and running costs are increasing . Therefore, Lucie should compare the likely running costs of new vehicles with the current hired fleet to show whether ownership offers better long-term value. CIPS identifies usage cost as a core part of total cost of ownership.

3. Reliability and performance

Lucie should assess how reliable the vehicles are expected to be over time. The case already mentions several breakdowns causing operational issues on Water Works sites. Therefore, her analysis should include the likely cost of breakdowns, lost productivity, missed site visits, delays to operations and possible emergency replacement vehicles. This is important because a cheaper vehicle may not represent best value if it is unreliable and disrupts service delivery. Whole-life asset management is about the value delivered over the asset life, not only cost. ISO guidance emphasises value, risk and outcomes across the lifecycle.

4. Maintenance strategy and support arrangements

Lucie should include how the vehicles will be maintained once purchased. For example, she should assess whether servicing will be outsourced, managed through manufacturer warranties, or supported by local garages across the ten regional offices. She should also consider the availability of spare parts and support response times. This matters because purchasing the fleet transfers more responsibility for asset upkeep to Water Works compared with hiring.

5. Asset life and replacement cycle

Another important element is the expected useful life of the vehicles. Lucie should estimate how long the vehicles will remain economically and operationally effective before replacement is needed. This should include mileage, intensity of use, operating conditions and likely deterioration. Since Water Works operates across ten regional offices, some vehicles may experience heavier use than others. A whole-life analysis should therefore include assumptions on replacement timing and fleet renewal planning.

6. Residual value and disposal value

Lucie should include the likely residual value of the vehicles at the end of their useful life. If Water Works owns the vehicles, they may be sold, traded in or auctioned. This means the organisation may recover some value at the end of the asset life. She should also include any disposal costs, such as decommissioning, collection, administration or environmentally compliant disposal. CIPS notes that whole-life costing includes end-of-life cost .

7. Financing and cost of capital

Although capital funds are available, Lucie should still consider the financial impact of tying up funds in vehicle ownership. The analysis should show whether using capital for vehicles represents best value compared with other strategic uses of funds. She may also include depreciation and the effect on budgets over time. This is important because purchasing assets creates a different financial commitment from hiring them.

8. Specification and fitness for purpose

Lucie should review whether the chosen vehicles meet operational needs. This includes vehicle size, load capacity, durability, fuel efficiency, suitability for site conditions and any specialist requirements for water service operations. A whole-life approach requires the asset to be fit for purpose, because a poor specification can increase maintenance costs and reduce operational value later in the lifecycle.

9. Risk analysis

Lucie should include risks associated with ownership. These may include unexpected repair costs, changes in fuel prices, asset obsolescence, poor resale values, non-availability of parts and the risk that operational needs change during the asset life. She should compare these ownership risks with the risks under hiring arrangements. ISO 55000 highlights that asset management should consider risks and opportunities throughout the lifecycle .

10. Sustainability and regulatory factors

As a regulated public authority, Water Works should also consider environmental and regulatory issues. Lucie’s analysis should include emissions, fuel efficiency, possible transition to lower-emission vehicles, compliance requirements and disposal obligations. This is relevant because public sector organisations are expected to consider long-term environmental impact as well as cost.

11. Whole-life comparison against hiring

Finally, Lucie should compare the total whole-life cost of buying against the alternatives of extending the current hire contract or re-tendering for hired vehicles . This comparison should include all acquisition, usage, maintenance and end-of-life costs, as well as service reliability and operational value. CIPS describes whole-life costing as an end-to-end cost estimate to support procurement decisions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Lucie’s whole-life asset management analysis should not focus only on the purchase price of the vehicles. It should include acquisition costs, operating costs, maintenance, reliability, useful life, replacement cycle, residual value, disposal costs, finance implications, specification, risk and sustainability considerations . By analysing all these elements, Lucie can show whether purchasing the fleet gives Water Works better long-term value than continuing to hire vehicles. This is the main purpose of whole-life asset management.

Factors that contribute towards value for clothe gum in a fashion firm;

1) How much money does the gum cost?

2) How much is the benefits of using the clothe gum?

3) Does customers prefer clothe gum at the bottom of their garment?

4) Is the clothe gum difficult to use?

5) Does the clothe gum beautifies the fabric when placed properly?

6) Does it give a better finishing?

7) Is it ethical to use?

8) Is it from a sustainable source?

9) is it environmental friendly?

10) Does using clothe gum suggest innovation in fashion?

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Contract performance review and continuous improvement is the stage 11 of the CIPS procurement and supply cycle.

In order to effectively manage supplier performance and contractual obligations, the suppliers per-formance against key performance indicators (KPI) should be reviewed regularly. This KPI should have been agreed doing the post contract award negotiation. In addition to review KPIs suppliers and the procurement team should work towards continuous improvement. This is a continuous ef-fort to improve product or services within an organization. This may involve improving quality, reducing waste in the supply chain and focusing on innovation. It is an ongoing process that works toward perfection.

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Damages are ‘sum of money that the supplier pays if it fails to carry out its contractual obligation.

When creating terms for damages in the contract, it should be considered that Damages are categorized into two types (liquidated and un-liquidated). And which or if both are applicable to the contract in hand.

Liquidate Damages are fixed amount of money agreed between the parties that is payable if a contract is breached. For example, knowing that supplier not being able to install a device properly in a power transformer may destroy the device and going ahead to include a fee in the contract if the device was destroyed.

Un-liquidated damages are unfixed amount of money. It is used when the amount of money that will compensate the injured party cannot be known in advance. A court decides the amount when the damages occur. For example, knowing that supplier not being able to install a device properly in a power transformer may destroy the device, other appliances and equipment unknown, cause the buyer delay in the process and reputational damage as in customer dissatisfaction. Yet, unquantifiable as both parties are unable to fix a fee in advance on the damages and leaving it to the court to decide the damage if it may occur.

Trade war is an economic conflict where countries make it difficult for global trading to happen. Trade wars can make importing products to a country very expensive. A recent example is the US-China trade war; prices were raised on us-built vehicles exported to China. This affected consumer the most as there was an upshot of price.

A cross-function Team is the involvement of all departments that are in an organization to contribute knowledge, skills and innovation towards adding value to achieving the organization’s strategic goal. Example, procurement, maintenance, marketing, finance, human resources working together in procurement activity to come up with the best strategy or selecting the supplier that best suit the organization.

When working in a cross-functional team, members of the organization give support by believing in the end goal, assist during difficult time, help troubleshoot any issue, providing the required resources and sharing information

Organizational culture is made up of behaviors, traits, values and beliefs and these differ signifi-cantly across the globe. Gestures that may be positive in one country can be highly offensive in another. This culture could mean; for example, individualistic/collectivistic, masculine/feminine, uncertainty avoidance, power distance, Time perspective, indulgence/restraint.

When negotiating and forming contracts within the extended supply chain, it is important that the culture of the suppliers is understood to be compatible with the buying organization or else their might be loss of reputation, time, money material and equipment.

Also, being not aware of what is an acceptable ethically behavior in global sourcing can cost a buying organization. In some countries, bribery and kickbacks are a standard part of doing business. If procurement professional is not aware of the fact that some countries methods of doing business involves or expect kickbacks, for example, this could be costly to the organization and cancel out any savings that had originally been seen.

Cost of poor quality and rework: if the product or service quality is poor the organization may not satisfy it customers and this can lead to a loss of reputation in the market. For example, a residential building construction company contracting a supplier that supply would require home owners to reinstall a new door within three months. The organization would spend more funds in carrying out rework.

More administrative cost in contract management: an organization will have to manage it sup-pliers and the contracts to ensure they are delivering what they were contracted to do. A poor con-tract management is a waste in the process of delivery that can lead to loss of money. Also, to cor-rect this would cost the organizations administrative cost.

Bonded labour and forced labour are among the five types of modern slavery which is against ethical and responsible sourcing.

Bonded labour also known as debt bondage, this is an individual’s promise to provide services through exploitation as repayment, or part of them, of a debt or other obligation whereas forced labour is work that people are forced to do with the heat of punishment if it is not carried out.

At the early stages In procurement and supply cycle, buyers begin segmenting current supplies in the categories, depending on their level of integration into the organization. To help get this done, the buyer may use the Kraljic portfolio matrix. The kraljic portfolio matrix segment suppliers into four categories, which are;

1) Routine 2) Bottleneck 3) Leverage 4)strategic supplier

The current ratio is one of the two was to determine organizations liquidity (how quickly its assets can be converted into cash)

A current ratio of 1 shows that the organization has enough assets to repay (cover) it liability

Buyers can be encouraged to deal with these suppliers after if they considered proven and strong in other areas.

Influencing is the capacity to be able to change behavior or opinions, either consciously or subconsciously.

As outlined by Yukl and falbets work from 1990 influencing can relate to corruption within procurement in these six ways.

1)A party can be assertive (forceful, directive, using deadlines),

2) Ingratiating i.e. using charm and flattery.

3) Exchange-Trading favors,

4) Upward appeal (requesting input for senior management not only that influencing can come as

5) Coalition; team members uniting for support.

5) Rational persuasion, i.e. bringing in logic and facts for clarification

Structured procurement policies, processes and procedures are the formal rules and methods that guide how an organisation purchases goods and services. According to CIPS, procurement policy sets out the principles for how procurement should be conducted, while procurement procedures explain how tasks should be carried out in practice. CIPS also emphasises that procurement should be managed across the whole procurement cycle, from identifying needs through sourcing, contracting and supplier management.

At Nexar Consulting, procurement is currently informal, ad hoc and unpredictable. This has led to concerns about wasted time, wasted resources and poor alignment with strategic objectives. As Nexar is growing rapidly and buying more recruitment services, research, software, hardware and specialist subcontractor services, structured procurement would give the business greater control and consistency. However, although the benefits are significant, there are also some limitations that the board should consider before implementation.

Benefit 1: Improved cost control and spend visibility

One major benefit of structured procurement at Nexar would be improved control over expenditure . At present, the case states that expenditure is unpredictable and that sourcing activity is inefficient. This suggests that departments may be buying independently, without common approval routes, supplier frameworks, budget controls or spend analysis.

If Nexar introduces formal procurement policies and procedures, purchases would follow an agreed process. For example, there could be standard requisition approvals, competitive quotation thresholds, preferred supplier lists and contract management controls. This would allow the organisation to monitor what is being bought, from whom, at what price and for what purpose. CIPS explains that spend analysis improves spend visibility, compliance and control, and helps organisations identify risks and opportunities while directing expenditure to where it adds value.

This would be especially valuable for Nexar because its spending has increased in several categories, including technology, recruitment and subcontractors. Structured procurement would make it easier to:

reduce duplicate purchasing

consolidate spend with fewer suppliers

negotiate better prices and terms

control maverick or off-contract spend

support budgeting and forecasting.

In analysis, this benefit is not only about saving money in the short term. It also supports better financial planning and stronger resource allocation. Since the financial analyst has already highlighted waste, a structured procurement system would help convert procurement from a reactive administrative activity into a value-adding business function. Therefore, improved spend visibility and cost control would directly support Nexar’s strategic objective of operating more efficiently as it grows.

Benefit 2: Greater process efficiency and consistency across the organisation

A second benefit is that structured procurement would create standardisation and consistency in how purchasing decisions are made. Nexar’s current system is described as ad hoc, and colleagues appear to focus mainly on their own individual objectives. This can cause fragmented buying, unclear responsibilities and inconsistent supplier selection.

With structured policies and procedures, all departments would follow the same procurement route. CIPS notes that the procurement team oversees the steps of the procurement cycle, including market analysis, sourcing, negotiation, contracting and supplier relationship management. A defined cycle creates a more reliable and professional method for acquiring goods and services.

For Nexar, this could improve efficiency in several ways:

staff would know exactly how to raise a purchasing need

standard documents and templates could reduce errors and delays

procurement lead times could become more predictable

roles and responsibilities would be clearer

procurement decisions would be easier to audit and review.

This matters because Nexar operates across several sectors, including defence, aerospace, agriculture and education. These are varied and potentially complex markets, so inconsistent purchasing methods could lead to confusion, poor supplier choices or service disruption. By implementing formal processes, the company would develop a repeatable method that improves internal coordination.

From an analytical perspective, consistency is important because it reduces waste caused by rework, unclear communication and duplication of effort. Informal procurement may appear flexible, but in a growing business it often becomes inefficient because each team reinvents the process. In contrast, a structured approach creates organisational discipline. As a result, Nexar would likely achieve faster and more reliable procurement outcomes, particularly as purchase volumes continue to rise.

Benefit 3: Better risk management, compliance and alignment with strategic objectives

A third key benefit is that structured procurement would improve risk management and governance . CIPS states that procurement must identify, minimise and manage risks within the supply chain, including supply risk, demand risk, process risk and control risk.

At Nexar, the current informal approach creates several risks:

poor supplier due diligence

inconsistent contract terms

weak data security or technology purchasing decisions

overdependence on unsuitable subcontractors

lack of accountability over spending decisions.

These risks are especially relevant because Nexar buys software, hardware infrastructure and specialist subcontracted services. In sectors such as defence and aerospace, procurement errors can have significant operational, legal and reputational consequences. Structured procedures would help ensure that suppliers are assessed properly, approvals are documented, contracts are reviewed, and procurement decisions are aligned with company policy.

Structured procurement would also help Nexar link procurement activity to corporate strategy. The case states that current inefficiencies prevent the company from meeting its strategic objectives effectively and efficiently. With a procurement team following recognised frameworks such as those promoted by CIPS, purchasing decisions would be more likely to support business goals such as growth, quality, service continuity and responsible use of resources. CIPS recognises procurement as a contributor to organisational value-added strategies, not just a transactional function.

This benefit is significant because risk management and strategic alignment are often more valuable than simple price savings. A business may save money through informal buying in the short term, but if it suffers supplier failure, poor-quality services or non-compliant contracts, the long-term cost can be much higher. Therefore, structured procurement would strengthen governance at Nexar and help the board make more informed, controlled and strategic decisions.

Limitation 1: Implementation costs and resource requirements

Despite these benefits, one limitation is that introducing structured procurement will require time, money and organisational resources . The financial analyst is proposing a dedicated procurement team, which means recruitment or redeployment costs, training costs, systems development and the creation of policies, procedures and templates.

For a rapidly growing company like Nexar, this may be seen as a burden in the short term. The board may worry that the business must invest in new people, new systems and change management before savings are realised. There may also be indirect costs, such as the time spent by managers attending training, adapting to new approval processes and working with procurement specialists.

This limitation is important because the benefits of structured procurement are often medium- to long-term, whereas the implementation costs are immediate. In other words, Nexar may have to absorb upfront expenditure before improved control and savings become visible. Some colleagues may therefore resist the proposal if they see it as extra bureaucracy without instant benefit.

However, this limitation should be analysed carefully. Although implementation costs are real, they should be compared against the existing waste identified by the financial analyst. If current informal procurement is already causing inefficient spending and missed strategic objectives, then the cost of doing nothing may be higher than the cost of implementing formal procurement. Even so, the short-term investment remains a genuine limitation that the board must consider.

Limitation 2: Possible resistance to change and reduced flexibility

A second limitation is that structured procurement can be viewed as bureaucratic and less flexible , particularly by staff who are used to informal buying. In the case, colleagues currently focus on their individual goals, and some believe the informal approach has advantages, even though no formal data supports this. This suggests there may be cultural resistance to central control.

When policies and procedures are introduced, employees may feel that:

purchasing takes longer due to approvals

they lose autonomy over supplier choice

procurement rules do not reflect urgent operational needs

innovation is restricted by standardisation.

This is a realistic limitation for Nexar because consultancy businesses often value speed, specialist knowledge and responsiveness. For example, a project manager may want to appoint a niche subcontractor quickly to meet a client deadline. If the new process is overly rigid, stakeholders may feel frustrated and may try to bypass the rules. This could reduce internal support for procurement and create conflict between departments and the new procurement team.

From an analytical point of view, the issue is not that structured procurement is inherently bad, but that poorly designed controls can slow decision-making. The challenge for Nexar would be to design policies that balance governance with commercial agility. For example, low-value routine purchases could follow a simplified process, while high-risk or high-value purchases require more formal control. Therefore, reduced flexibility is a limitation, especially during implementation, unless the procedures are proportionate and stakeholder needs are considered.

Conclusion

Overall, implementing structured procurement policies, processes and procedures at Nexar Consulting would bring major advantages. The three main benefits are better cost control and spend visibility , greater efficiency and consistency , and stronger risk management and strategic alignment . These benefits directly address the problems identified in the case, particularly unpredictable spending, inefficiency and failure to support organisational objectives. CIPS guidance supports the view that procurement should operate through a defined cycle, with clear policies, procedures, risk controls and spend analysis to add value across the organisation.

However, two limitations must also be recognised. These are the cost and resource burden of implementation and the risk of resistance or reduced flexibility . Even so, these limitations are manageable if Nexar introduces procurement in a phased and proportionate way, supported by leadership and stakeholder engagement.

In conclusion, the benefits are likely to outweigh the limitations. For a rapidly expanding organisation such as Nexar, structured procurement would provide a more professional, controlled and strategic approach to purchasing, helping the business achieve its objectives more effectively.

When an organization want to purchase an asset, it considers the depreciation and deterioration in the whole life of the asset and how it will be manage.

Depreciation is the reduction in value of a tangible and a fixed asset over time. The purpose of calculating the depreciation of the asset is to give the organization a fair and current view of what the asset is worth at a particular time. Depreciation is a way of converting the cost of an asset into an expense over a period of time. Depreciation is a permanent feature listed against an asset throughout its life time and it based on wear and tear, reduction in performance and reduction in value.

Deterioration is the process of something becoming lower in quality or performance. The longer the asset can last without deteriorating the better value the asset represents.

Organizations which display good behavior create a positive social impact. The com-munity in which they are based and to which they supply will benefit from the following.

1. High employment

2. Fair wages

3. low pollution

4. sustainable resources

5. Engagement and movement with local organization

When the procurement professional is setting key performance indicator (KPI) where which the supplier performance will be monitored and managed. The KPI is expected to be SMART. SMART is an acronym that is used to set KPI and specification.

S - specific ,

M - measurable,

A - achievable,

R - relevant, and

T - timebound.

Once the need has been understood, defined, justified and authorized, the next stages are to analyze and test the market. Analyzing and testing the market includes looking at the following

1. STEEPLE analysis

2. SWOT analysis

3. Porter’s five forces

4. Level of suppliers competition

5. Supply and demand

6. Push and pull

7. Supplier segmentation

8. Product life cycle

9. Ansoff matrix

10. Early supplier involvement

11. Make or buy

12. Offshoring

1. Porter’s five forces: The use of porter’s five forces helps the procurement professional to understand the level of competition within the marketplace. Whether it is a monopoly, oligopoly, imperfect or perfect market. Knowing these will equip the organization to better negotiate a favorable price.

2. Supply and Demand: the procurement professional must also think about supply and demand as part of their market analysis when they receive a requisition. This economic factor has a significant effect on the prices charged and on the cost incurred.

3. Supplier segmentation: in this the procurement professional start to form an opinion of potential suppliers.. They can segment current suppliers into four categories, depending on their level of integration into an organization. This can help to inform the procurement professional of which type of supplier relationship that would be most appropriate.

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Terms are the right and duties agreed which are then documented in a contract. Five types of con-tract terms that a procurement professional should create with a supplier when forming an agree-ment includes;

Price term is when the buying organization wants to protect its budged and spending, it include price terms in the contract, for the buyer to buy goods or services in response to a need they some-time enshrine a bespoke specification in the contract.

Payment Term is to specify when and how the buyer will pay the supplier. The buyer may include a payment term in the contract.

Warrantee is when the buyer requires a promise from the supplier that the product or service will meet the specified need in the contract.

Time is of the essence term is included in the contract to detail when a product or service should be delivered and explains the potential losses of business if time is not observed.

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It would be rare to find a supplier who does not emit any form of pollution. However, part of ethical and responsible sourcing is to make effort to reduce impact of population on the planets. Pollution can be factory emission, Noise, smell, Transportation De-velopment, waste disposal. Transportation is a major cause of pollution. The carbon dioxide emitted from vehicles contributes greatly to air contamination. Yet it is better to use sea freight rather than air because it has a smaller impact on the environment.

When reviewing supplier’s response the procurement professional should consider the right quantity of product or service that has to be ordered at anytime as against the price to decide how to gain the best cost.

Factors to consider include the following

(1)Cost of inventory

(2) cost of insurance

(3) cost of transportation.

These three should be considered against price.

Note: Incoterms are versatile and procurement professionals should understand how they are ap-plied and what point the risk transfers from being the supplier’s responsibility to being the buyer’s responsibility. It is important to consult the ICC for the most recent definitions, but in the following questions (101-111) you can understand the rules.

Note: sharpen your knowledge on INCOTERMS. Please consider the following Objective Re-sponse questions

When evaluating offers, it is important to remember that the best price may not be the lowest. To ascertain that; the total cost of Acquisition TCA (the cost a buyer bears for placing orders and re-ceiving a product from a supplier) should be uncovered and compare against offers received. Things to consider that might make up the total cost of acquisition are;

1) logistics and handling costs

2) Cost of requisition

3) Rework

4) stock cost

5) Delay

6) Inspection

7) customer services

8) consumables

9) Training & support

2(a) Outline the financial data that can be used in the process of supplier selection. (10 marks)

When selecting a supplier, the buyer should assess financial data to judge whether the supplier is financially stable and capable of delivering the contract.

One key source is the balance sheet , which shows the supplier’s assets, liabilities and overall financial position at a point in time. This helps the buyer assess net worth, debt levels and short-term financial strength.

Second , the income statement or profit and loss account shows revenue, costs and profit over a period. This helps the buyer understand whether the supplier is profitable and commercially sustainable.

Third , the cash flow statement is important because it shows whether the supplier is generating enough cash to fund operations and meet obligations. A profitable business can still fail if it has weak cash flow.

Fourth , buyers can use the annual report , including directors’ comments and risk disclosures, to understand broader business performance and future outlook.

Fifth , buyers often calculate financial ratios such as:

liquidity ratios like the current ratio and quick ratio

profitability ratios such as net profit margin

gearing ratios to assess dependence on borrowing.

Finally , the buyer may review financial trends over time and use independent credit reports or external financial checks from trusted sources.

Overall, these data sources help the buyer decide whether the supplier is financially strong enough to perform the contract.

2(b) Explain THREE potential concerns for a buying organisation of selecting a supplier that has a current ratio of 0.67:1. (15 marks)

A current ratio of 0.67:1 means the supplier has only £0.67 of current assets for every £1 of current liabilities . This suggests weak short-term liquidity and creates several concerns for the buyer.

1. Difficulty meeting short-term obligations

The first concern is that the supplier may struggle to pay short-term debts such as wages, bills, subcontractors or software costs. If liabilities are higher than current assets, the supplier may face cash pressure. For the buyer, this raises concerns about whether the supplier can operate reliably throughout the contract.

2. Risk of poor performance or service disruption

A weak current ratio may mean the supplier has limited working capital to support day-to-day operations. In an IT services contract, this could affect staffing, maintenance, upgrades or continuity of service. For a local government department, any disruption could be serious because public services may depend on the supplier’s performance.

3. Greater financial fragility

The third concern is that the supplier may rely too heavily on overdrafts, loans or faster customer payments to survive. This makes the supplier more financially vulnerable. If costs rise or cash inflows slow down, the supplier may experience serious financial difficulty or even fail during the contract.

In conclusion, a current ratio of 0.67:1 is a warning sign because it suggests weak liquidity. It does not automatically mean the supplier should be rejected, but the buying organisation should carry out further financial checks before awarding the contract.

Retention of title (ROT) states when ownership transfers from supplier to buyer.

The retention of title terms also referred to as the Romalpa clause, which is related to a legal case from 1976 between Aluminum industries Vaassen BV and Romalpa Aluminum LTD

When organization has made the decision about which option is best for sourcing the asset, it can then begin to work on the whole life asset management strategy.

Whole life asset management is the process of evaluating the total price and all associated costs of a product to make an informed decision as to which option will provide the organization with the best value for money. This strategy is only under taken for large-value procurements because; 1) It takes considerable time (2) It involves many stakeholders and require numerous resources; If whole life asset management were conducted on every purchase it would not create value for the organization and that may tie up valuable resources.

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Factors that contribute towards value for clothe gum in a fashion firm;

1) How much money does the gum cost?

2) How much is the benefits of using the clothe gum?

3) Does customers prefer clothe gum at the bottom of their garment?

4) Is the clothe gum difficult to use?

5) Does the clothe gum beautifies the fabric when placed properly?

6) Does it give a better finishing?

7) Is it ethical to use?

8) Is it from a sustainable source?

9) is it environmental friendly?

10) Does using clothe gum suggest innovation in fashion?

The procurement cycle is the heart of purchasing, sourcing and supplying and should be followed in day-to-day practice in the industry. The procurement cycle has thirteen stages. Contract award is stage 9, and the stages after the contract award are;

Stage 10: ware house, logistic and receipt

Stage 11: Contract performance review and continuous improvement

Stage 12: SRM/SCM and contract management

Stage 13: Asset management, lessons learned, end of life.

Supply chain involves a network of individuals, organizations, technology activities and resources to make sure goods or services flow along the chain. If one point fails, every part further along the chain fails.

Fullpower projects (a flour manufacturer) supply chain begins with producers (raw materials, wheat farmers), suppliers, manufactures, distributors, retailers and end users (customer).

Fullpower projects supply chain falls within the primary sector (producers of wheat), the secondary sector include the manufacturing (those that converts the wheat the suppliers brings into flour) and tertiary sector (the distributor those that takes the wheat to the end users).

A new buy is the purchase of goods and services by an organization or an individual for its first time. For example a transport organization for the very first time contracting the purchase of a Lorry out to an external supplier. In situations like this, it is advisable to start the procurement cycle from the very first stage. Which is understanding the need and developing high level specification.

Modified re-buy is the purchase of goods or services that an organization has bought before there was a need but with changes to the specification or supplier or quantity or quality. In carrying out modified re-buy, procurement professional should start from the very first stage of the procurement cycle to justify the added need and follow through. Not in all cases that buyer would have to start from understanding the need. In a situation where the changes required is a change of supplier, the organization will start from its preferred suppliers list and contract the next ranking supplier as the case may be.

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Though strong due diligence procurement professionals can assess which suppliers or potential suppliers appear to meet the criteria associated with ethical practice.

Prior to the contract being awarded, strong due diligence can save the organization from the following cost:

1) Cost of reputation

2) Environmental damage

3) Stakeholders dissatisfaction,

4) poor quality and rework

5) Breach of contract

6) Ethical concerns

Responsible and ethical sourcing promotes working with suppliers who want to have a positive effect on the environment or at least minimize the damage they cause. Suppliers can make effort to reduce their impact on the planet through reducing the pollution, taking steps to recycle or reuse products can improve on supplier’s impact on the environment, also supplier can consider sustainability as another environmental factor. Suppliers with strong values on ethics will have a programme to return anything taken from nature in the form of replanting or replacing

A code of ethics is a set of morals and principle set out by an organization to state what it deems to be acceptable conduct and behavior

An ethical code of practice is a continually changing and developing document with society changing and different suppliers coming to market, the document has to remain current

Suppliers should continually monitor their codes of ethics to ensure that;

1. They are looking after the interest of the supply chain

2. That potential customers can be reassured that they are conforming to the required regulation, e.g. ISO 14001.

Ethical code of conduct should be constantly monitored and updated in accordance with the changes organization faces. This include 1) Define (2) prevent (3) detect (4) reprove (5) evaluate.

Responsible and ethical sourcing promotes working with suppliers who want to have a positive effect on the environment or at least minimize the damage they cause. Suppliers can make effort to reduce their impact on the planet through reducing the pollution, taking steps to recycle or reuse products can improve on supplier’s impact on the environment, also supplier can consider sustainability as another environmental factor. Suppliers with strong values on ethics will have a programme to return anything taken from nature in the form of replanting or replacing.

Human rights are the statutory ways in which individual expects to and should be treated. Ethical and responsible sourcing includes the protection of human rights, not violating it.

When young women are being bound into contracts where they work for two to three years, they are not being granted the right to freedom from slavery.

Forcing these women to live in hostels under restrictions that prevent them from moving and are denied the opportunity to improve on their living condition is a violation of their right to life, liberty and personal security, also, their freedom from torture and degrading treatment is being violated.

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Case Study

A series of news stories reporting events such as the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in 2013 have drawn attention to the poor conditions in garment factories across India and South East Asia. Human rights groups have long be critical of the excessive hours and poor wages workers are forced to endure, as well as the abuse they receive from supervisor. With consumers becoming increasingly aware of these conditions, more pressure is being put on global brands and retailers to ensure their supply chains are fair and ethical.

Certain areas have been notorious for the mistreatment of workers. In India’s textile valley’, young women are been bound into contracts where they work for two to three years, in exchange for a lump sum of money that they can then put towards a dowry. This is known as the ‘Sumangali [a married woman] Thittam’ scheme. These women are forced to live in hostels under restrictions that prevent them from moving, and are denied the opportunity to improve their living conditions. Retailers including Walmart and H & M are known to source garments from factories in the ‘textile valley’.

Reports by organizations including the Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA), Central Combodia, Global Labor Justice, Sedane Labour Resource Centre (LIPS) Indonesia, and Society for Labour and Development (SLD) India have exposed unethically run factories that supply garments to H & M, Gap and Walmart. However, retailers will continue to benefit from expensive labour until mounting customers pressure causes them to change.