Purchasing, Tendering and Supplier Selection Training Course

Duration 10 days 16 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Procurement Officers, Buyers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-P-066

Before you join: Participants should have basic experience of purchasing, supplier interaction, purchase orders, contracts or budget responsibility.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Purchasing and tendering decisions determine whether an organisation obtains the right goods, services and works at an acceptable cost, quality and risk level. Weak requirements, unclear evaluation criteria, poorly controlled bidder communications and incomplete due diligence can produce challengeable awards, cost overruns, supplier failure or contracts that do not meet operational need. Procurement professionals need a disciplined process that creates competition where appropriate, documents decisions and produces contracts that can be managed after award.

This course develops the methods used to plan and run effective purchasing and tendering processes. Participants analyse demand and spend, develop category strategies, write specifications and statements of work, select suitable sourcing routes, prepare tender documents and manage bidder communications. They build weighted evaluation models, assess total cost of ownership, conduct supplier due diligence, negotiate commercial terms and prepare award recommendations. The course also addresses contract mobilisation, supplier performance management, ethical conduct and audit-ready procurement records.

Teaching combines focused instructor briefings with cases, group analysis, tender simulations and structured application planning. Participants progressively create components of a sourcing and tender package during the first week, then test and strengthen those components through evaluation, negotiation and contract-management work in the second week. They leave with a reusable tender and supplier-selection pack containing a category plan, requirement documents, evaluation model, risk register and award recommendation.

The course suits procurement and supply professionals who already handle purchasing activity and now need greater confidence in formal sourcing, tendering and supplier selection. It is also relevant to technical, finance and operational staff who contribute requirements, evaluate bids or manage supplier contracts.

What you will be able to do

  • Analyse spend data using spend cubes, Pareto analysis and savings baselines
  • Develop category strategies using the Kraljic Matrix and supply market analysis
  • Write specifications, statements of work and service level agreements
  • Select appropriate sourcing routes and justify tender procedures
  • Construct tender documents, pricing schedules and bidder instructions
  • Apply weighted scoring models and total cost of ownership analysis
  • Conduct supplier due diligence, risk assessment and commercial negotiation planning
  • Prepare an audit-ready award recommendation and contract mobilisation plan

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Produce tender documents with clearer requirements, pricing schedules and evaluation criteria
  • Make supplier selection decisions supported by evidence and documented rationale
  • Identify cost, risk and performance implications beyond quoted purchase prices
  • Lead bidder clarifications and negotiations with defined commercial positions
  • Build an auditable sourcing record suitable for management approval

For your organisation

  • Improves consistency of purchasing, tendering and supplier selection decisions
  • Reduces avoidable cost through demand challenge and total cost analysis
  • Creates clearer competition controls and stronger procurement audit trails
  • Reduces supplier failure exposure through structured due diligence and risk treatment
  • Improves contract start-up through planned mobilisation and performance measures

Course modules

16 modules over 10 days

Participants can map a controlled purchasing process and assign decision responsibilities.

  • Procurement operating model mapped from demand intake to contract handover
  • Stakeholder roles assigned through a RACI for sourcing decisions
  • Purchase requisitions distinguished from purchase orders, contracts and framework agreements
  • Three-way matching links purchase orders, receipts and supplier invoices
  • Delegated authority limits and approval routes documented for spend commitments
  • Procurement ethics, conflicts declarations and audit trails built into workflows

Participants can convert business needs into measurable and testable procurement requirements.

  • Specification types compared: functional, performance, technical and outcome-based requirements
  • Demand challenge separates genuine need, preferred solutions and unnecessary scope
  • SMART requirements converted into measurable acceptance criteria and service levels
  • Stakeholder interviews expose constraints, interfaces, volumes and implementation dependencies
  • Demand aggregation identifies standardisation opportunities and suitable purchasing channels
  • Requirements traceability matrix connects business needs to tender evaluation criteria

Participants can analyse expenditure and establish a credible sourcing opportunity baseline.

  • Spend cube analysis classifies expenditure by supplier, category and business unit
  • Pareto analysis isolates high-value suppliers and recurring tail-spend transactions
  • Data cleansing rules resolve duplicate suppliers, inconsistent descriptions and missing classifications
  • Price, volume and compliance variance reveal addressable procurement opportunities
  • Category profiles combine demand data, market conditions and stakeholder priorities
  • Baseline savings calculations distinguish budget reductions, cost avoidance and cash benefits

Participants can select sourcing strategies based on category value, risk and market conditions.

  • Kraljic Matrix positions categories by profit impact and supply risk
  • Category strategy selects aggregation, standardisation, competition or supplier development actions
  • Make-buy analysis tests internal capability against external supply options
  • Market sounding gathers supplier intelligence without distorting subsequent competition
  • Supply market analysis examines capacity, entry barriers and cost drivers
  • Category plan sequences sourcing events, stakeholders, risks and benefits

Participants can prepare requirement documents that support competition and contract performance.

  • Statement of work defines deliverables, milestones, responsibilities and acceptance procedures
  • Service level agreements set response times, performance measures and remedies
  • Output specifications protect competition while retaining required business outcomes
  • Technical specifications control interfaces, standards, tolerances and testing requirements
  • Mandatory requirements separated from desirable features before market engagement
  • Change-control provisions govern scope amendments, approvals and price consequences

Participants can choose and justify sourcing routes suited to the requirement and market.

  • Request for information tests market capability before formal tender release
  • RFQ, RFP and ITT formats matched to requirement complexity
  • Open, restricted and negotiated procedures compared against competition needs
  • Framework agreements and call-off mechanisms matched to repeat demand
  • Single-source justification records urgency, exclusivity and risk mitigation
  • Sourcing route selection documented through value, risk and market evidence

Participants can assemble coherent tender packs that give bidders clear instructions.

  • Tender timetable sets publication, clarification, submission and award milestones
  • Instructions to bidders define format, validity, communications and deadlines
  • Pricing schedules separate unit rates, fixed fees and optional items
  • Draft terms allocate liabilities, insurance, warranties and intellectual property
  • Confidentiality requirements protect bidder information and procurement records
  • Tender pack quality checks confirm consistency between specifications and evaluation

Participants can establish fair, transparent and defensible bid evaluation arrangements.

  • Evaluation plan fixes criteria, weightings, evidence and evaluator responsibilities
  • Weighted scoring model translates requirements into defensible award decisions
  • Pass-fail criteria screen mandatory qualifications before qualitative scoring
  • Evaluation guidance distinguishes evidence-based scoring from personal preference
  • Conflict-of-interest declarations and confidentiality undertakings protect probity
  • Bid receipt controls preserve submission integrity, access restrictions and audit evidence

Participants can compare supplier offers using whole-life cost and commercial risk evidence.

  • Total Cost of Ownership captures acquisition, operation, maintenance and disposal costs
  • Should-cost models separate materials, labour, overheads, margin and logistics
  • Price adjustment formulas link indices, base dates and review periods
  • Life-cycle costing compares alternatives using assumptions, discount rates and usage profiles
  • Foreign exchange, duties and freight incorporated into landed-cost comparisons
  • Commercial evaluation identifies hidden cost drivers and pricing risks

Participants can assess supplier suitability and define proportionate risk controls.

  • Supplier due diligence reviews financial health, ownership, sanctions and references
  • Supply risk register records probability, impact, ownership and treatment actions
  • Business continuity evidence tested against disruption scenarios and recovery commitments
  • ESG screening examines labour practices, emissions, ethics and modern slavery
  • Cybersecurity requirements assess data access, incident reporting and subcontractor controls
  • Risk allocation aligns contractual remedies with party control and insurability

Participants can manage bidder interactions without compromising fairness or information control.

  • Clarification questions resolve ambiguities without changing the competition basis
  • Bidder conferences manage common information and documented responses
  • Addenda control specification changes, extensions and acknowledgement requirements
  • Communication protocol prevents unequal access and unauthorised supplier contact
  • Bid opening procedures record receipt times, attendees and submission status
  • Non-compliant tenders handled through predefined rules and documented decisions

Participants can evaluate bids consistently and prepare a supported award recommendation.

  • Individual scoring sheets capture evidence, rationale and evaluator comments
  • Consensus moderation reconciles scoring differences without averaging unsupported judgments
  • Price scoring formulas tested for proportionality, outliers and unintended incentives
  • Reference checks verify delivery history, capability claims and contract performance
  • Supplier presentations assessed against published criteria and controlled agendas
  • Award recommendation records scores, risks, approvals and value rationale

Participants can plan and conduct negotiations that protect value and manage risk.

  • BATNA analysis establishes walk-away positions and concession priorities
  • Negotiation planning separates positions, interests, issues and trading variables
  • Total value discussions address price, service, risk and payment terms
  • Concession log records conditional trades and protects negotiated value
  • Supplier negotiation tactics recognised: anchoring, bundling, deadlines and silence
  • Negotiation minutes convert agreements into clear contractual actions

Participants can complete award actions and prepare suppliers for an orderly contract start.

  • Contract formation checks authority, incorporated documents and precedence clauses
  • Award and regret letters communicate outcomes without disclosing protected information
  • Standstill periods and debriefing protocols managed under applicable procurement rules
  • Contract award checklist confirms approvals, signatures, securities and insurances
  • Mobilisation plan assigns implementation tasks, owners, dates and dependencies
  • Supplier onboarding establishes master data, contacts, invoicing and access requirements

Participants can establish controls that convert contract commitments into supplier performance.

  • Contract management plan sets governance meetings, reports and escalation routes
  • KPIs and service credits link supplier performance to contractual commitments
  • Supplier scorecards combine quality, delivery, cost, risk and improvement measures
  • Performance reviews distinguish operational issues from formal contractual nonconformance
  • Corrective action plans define root causes, deadlines and verification evidence
  • Benefits tracking validates savings, service improvements and realised demand reductions

Participants can build, review and present a complete tender and supplier-selection pack for approval.

  • Category opportunity and demand baseline establish the sourcing case
  • Specification, statement of work and service levels define supplier requirements
  • Chosen sourcing route reflects market evidence, value and procurement risk
  • Tender documents include instructions, pricing schedule, terms and timetable
  • Evaluation model combines mandatory checks, weighted criteria and price scoring
  • Risk register, award recommendation and mobilisation plan support approval

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Category strategy template
  2. Requirements traceability matrix
  3. Tender document checklist
  4. Weighted bid evaluation model
  5. Supplier due diligence checklist
  6. Contract mobilisation plan

Who should attend

  • Procurement Officers — need disciplined methods for formal sourcing and tendering
  • Buyers — need stronger supplier selection and commercial evaluation skills
  • Category Managers — need evidence-based category plans and sourcing strategies
  • Supply Chain Managers — need reliable supplier risk and performance controls
  • Contract Managers — need better handover from tender award to mobilisation
  • Technical Evaluators — need consistent scoring and defensible evaluation decisions

Skills and tools covered

Category strategyTender documentationBid evaluationSupplier due diligenceCommercial negotiationContract mobilisation

Tools and standards

Kraljic Matrix, Total Cost of Ownership, BATNA, ISO 20400

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings to introduce purchasing and tendering methods, followed by sector-relevant cases, group analysis and procurement simulations. Participants work with specifications, spend data, supplier submissions, pricing schedules and evaluation evidence. Facilitated discussions test judgement on sourcing routes, bidder communications, commercial risk and award decisions. Individual application planning helps participants adapt the methods to current categories, suppliers and internal approval requirements. Instructor feedback focuses on the quality, clarity and defensibility of procurement documents.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have basic experience of purchasing, supplier interaction, purchase orders, contracts or budget responsibility. They should understand their organisation's approval routes and be comfortable reading supplier quotations, specifications and commercial documents. Familiarity with spreadsheets is useful because cost comparisons and evaluation models are reviewed during the course. Prior tender-management experience is not required. Legal training, formal procurement qualifications, advanced finance knowledge and experience with a particular e-procurement system are not required.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

Participants should understand basic purchasing activity, supplier quotations or internal buying processes. They do not need prior tender-management experience, legal training or a procurement qualification.

Participants may bring a current category plan, specification, supplier issue or tender challenge, subject to their organisation's confidentiality rules. A laptop is useful for reviewing templates and working with cost and evaluation models.

It is designed for buyers, procurement officers, category managers, supply chain staff and contract managers with some purchasing experience. Technical evaluators and budget holders who contribute to supplier selection also benefit.

This course covers the full route from demand definition through tendering, supplier selection, award and mobilisation. Contract management and negotiation are included as linked stages, rather than treated as separate specialist subjects.

Participants can use the category plan, requirements matrix, tender checklist, evaluation model and risk register on current sourcing activity. The documents are designed for adaptation to internal policies, approval limits and sector rules.

Each training day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. The first week builds the sourcing case and tender pack; the second week focuses on evaluation, negotiation, award, mobilisation and the final capstone presentation.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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