01
Audit the source documents before sending them out
Check that item codes and quantities agree across the BOQ, room schedule, plans and elevations. Conflicts should become a clarification list rather than supplier assumptions.
Mark the document revision and date. Suppliers should know which files are current and which visual references are illustrative only.
- Check duplicated or missing item codes.
- Confirm drawing scale and stated dimensions.
- Identify provisional quantities and site-dependent dimensions.
- Separate design notes from purchasing specifications.
02
Create category-specific supplier packages
A supplier should receive only the relevant drawings and schedules, together with the project information needed to understand interfaces. This reduces unrelated questions and helps clarify responsibility between packages.
The master sourcing plan still tracks every package, supplier, quotation status, approval and target date.
| Sourcing field | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Item code | Connects all records | L01 pendant light |
| Quantity and location | Defines price and delivery scope | 12 units, dining and stair void |
| Specification | Makes offers comparable | Brushed brass, 2700K, stated dimensions |
| Included accessories | Prevents omitted cost | Driver, canopy, suspension cable |
| Approval requirement | Defines release condition | Finish sample and shop drawing |
| Packing and destination | Affects protection and freight | Export carton for delivery to project country |
03
Issue a normalized RFQ
Every shortlisted supplier should price the same fields and clearly identify deviations. A normalized RFQ is more useful than collecting supplier-designed quotations with different assumptions.
Do not force suppliers to hide differences. Ask them to state alternatives, exclusions, MOQ, tooling, sample, packing, payment and lead-time conditions separately.
- Use the same currency and Incoterm basis for comparison.
- Separate unit price from tooling, samples and packing.
- Request a deviation list.
- Set a quotation validity date and named revision.
04
Build approvals into the sourcing plan
Quotation approval is not production approval. Custom furniture, cabinetry, stone layouts and other technical products may need drawings, samples or prototypes after commercial selection.
The sourcing plan should state the approval owner and the trigger for deposit, production, inspection and final release.
05
Maintain one revision and decision register
Changes must be traceable across the BOQ, drawing, quotation and order. A dated decision register helps prevent a supplier from producing against an outdated drawing or an unapproved alternative.
VELA can coordinate the purchasing record, but the client and appointed professionals retain final authority for design, engineering, local compliance and commercial approval.
Buyer questions
Frequently asked questions
Can a factory quote directly from CAD?
It may provide an initial estimate, but a reliable quotation also needs quantities, materials, finishes, hardware, packing and scope boundaries.
What if the BOQ and drawings conflict?
Record the conflict and obtain a controlled clarification before final comparison or ordering. Do not let each supplier choose its own interpretation.
Should every supplier receive the complete project file?
Not necessarily. Issue the relevant package while preserving enough interface information for the supplier to understand its scope.
What is a quotation deviation list?
It records where the supplier’s offer differs from the requested specification, quantity, accessory, packing, term or responsibility.
Who approves supplier shop drawings?
The buyer or authorized design and technical representatives should approve them. A sourcing agent can coordinate records but should not assume design authority.