Vendor Prequalification and Management Course

Duration 10 days 20 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Procurement Managers, Category Managers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-P-116

Before you join: Participants should understand basic procurement processes, including sourcing, tender evaluation, purchase orders and supplier contracts.

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

Supplier failure, weak due diligence and inconsistent onboarding can interrupt production, delay public programmes, expose organisations to fraud, and create avoidable compliance breaches. Procurement teams need a disciplined way to identify suitable suppliers, test their capability, verify evidence, approve decisions and manage performance after appointment. This is particularly important where supply markets are concentrated, spend is material, services are safety-critical, or contracts involve regulated goods, sensitive data or public funds.

This course teaches a structured vendor prequalification and management process from category requirements through market screening, qualification, onboarding, performance review, corrective action and supplier development. Participants apply supplier segmentation, Kraljic Portfolio Matrix, weighted evaluation models, financial due diligence, sanctions screening, ESG evidence assessment, audit planning and supplier scorecards. They learn how to build defensible qualification criteria, distinguish mandatory pass/fail requirements from scored criteria, document approval decisions and set proportionate controls for different supplier risk profiles.

Instruction combines short practitioner briefings, procurement cases, team analysis, supplier documentation review and decision simulations. Participants develop work throughout the course, beginning with a supplier qualification strategy and progressing through questionnaires, scoring tools, risk registers and performance measures. They leave with a complete vendor prequalification and management pack that can be adapted for their categories, governance requirements and supplier base. The course is delivered over 10 days, from 08:30 to 16:30, in classroom locations in more than 50 cities or through live online delivery. Participants receive a certificate of completion.

What you will be able to do

  • Design a risk-based vendor prequalification process for defined spend categories
  • Build weighted supplier evaluation criteria, pass/fail gates and approval thresholds
  • Assess supplier financial health using ratio analysis, credit evidence and warning indicators
  • Conduct proportionate supplier due diligence covering legal, ethical, ESG and operational risks
  • Create supplier questionnaires and evidence requirements aligned with category risk profiles
  • Apply supplier segmentation and scorecards to manage performance after appointment
  • Plan supplier audits, corrective action requests and improvement follow-up controls
  • Present a complete vendor prequalification and management pack for governance approval

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Produce defensible supplier approval recommendations supported by documented evidence
  • Identify financial, operational and compliance warning signs before supplier appointment
  • Build prequalification questionnaires suited to criticality and supplier risk
  • Run more structured supplier reviews using agreed scorecards and action logs
  • Strengthen credibility with finance, legal, quality and operational stakeholders

For your organisation

  • Reduce disruption exposure through earlier identification of supplier capability gaps
  • Improve consistency of supplier approval decisions across categories and business units
  • Create auditable records for due diligence, screening and governance approvals
  • Target supplier assurance effort toward high-risk and business-critical relationships
  • Improve supplier performance through clearer measures, reviews and corrective actions

Course modules

20 modules over 10 days

Participants can define the purpose, scope and governance of a vendor prequalification process.

  • Vendor prequalification objectives linked to continuity, compliance, quality and value
  • Distinguishing supplier selection, qualification, onboarding and performance management activities
  • Procurement lifecycle controls from market engagement through supplier exit
  • Risk-based qualification depth determined by spend, criticality and exposure
  • Three-lines model roles for procurement, business owners and assurance teams
  • Approval authorities, delegation limits and documented exception management

Participants can translate category needs into supplier capability and risk requirements.

  • Category requirement profiles covering technical, service, capacity and compliance needs
  • Criticality assessment using supply disruption, safety and customer impact criteria
  • Kraljic Portfolio Matrix for supplier positioning and assurance priorities
  • Supply chain mapping from tier-one vendors to critical subcontractors
  • Single-source dependency analysis using spend concentration and substitution options
  • Risk appetite statements translated into supplier qualification control levels

Participants can identify potential suppliers and screen markets before formal qualification.

  • Market mapping by supplier type, geography, ownership and capability
  • Long-list construction using trade sources, referrals and procurement records
  • Initial eligibility screening against mandatory procurement and legal requirements
  • Request for Information design for early supplier market intelligence
  • Conflict-of-interest declarations collected before supplier engagement decisions
  • Supplier diversity and local-content requirements incorporated into market screening

Participants can build a staged prequalification workflow with clear decision gates.

  • Stage-gate workflow from registration through approval, renewal and suspension
  • Mandatory pass-fail criteria separated from weighted evaluation criteria
  • Qualification tiers matched to supplier criticality and contract value
  • Prequalification validity periods based on risk and evidence expiry
  • Escalation routes for failed checks, exceptions and conditional approvals
  • Process maps assigning inputs, decisions, records and accountable owners

Participants can create supplier questionnaires that obtain relevant, verifiable qualification evidence.

  • Supplier questionnaires structured around eligibility, capability, risk and performance
  • Evidence schedules specifying certificates, policies, records and reference contacts
  • Question wording that tests controls rather than unsupported supplier claims
  • Conditional questions triggered by product type, location or data access
  • Declaration forms covering accuracy, conflicts, sanctions and ethical conduct
  • Response validation rules identifying incomplete, contradictory or expired evidence

Participants can develop transparent evaluation models for supplier prequalification decisions.

  • Weighted scoring models aligned with category requirements and risk priorities
  • Evaluation criteria definitions preventing assessor interpretation differences
  • Scoring anchors describing poor, acceptable, strong and exceptional evidence
  • Consensus scoring techniques for multi-disciplinary evaluation panels
  • Sensitivity testing for weight changes and close supplier rankings
  • Evaluation reports recording evidence, scores, rationale and recommendations

Participants can assess supplier financial capacity and identify material financial warning signs.

  • Financial due diligence scope matched to contract value and dependency
  • Income statement review for revenue trends, margins and operating losses
  • Balance sheet analysis of liquidity, debt, working capital and net assets
  • Current ratio, quick ratio and debt-to-equity ratio calculations
  • Cash flow indicators revealing refinancing pressure and payment difficulties
  • Credit reports, parent guarantees and financial security evidence assessment

Participants can specify and assess supplier legal, ethical and compliance evidence.

  • Corporate registration, beneficial ownership and authorised signatory verification
  • Sanctions, debarment and watchlist screening before supplier approval
  • Anti-bribery controls assessed against policy, training and reporting evidence
  • Data protection requirements for suppliers handling personal or confidential information
  • Modern slavery declarations and labour-practice evidence for relevant supply chains
  • Insurance certificates checked for coverage, exclusions, limits and expiry

Participants can assess supplier quality, safety and technical capability evidence.

  • ISO 9001 evidence assessed through scope, certification status and audit findings
  • Technical capability checks covering facilities, equipment, staff and process controls
  • Quality plans, inspection records and traceability arrangements evaluated
  • Health and safety evidence matched to site, service and contractor risks
  • Competence matrices verifying licences, training records and professional certifications
  • Product conformity documents reviewed for specifications, testing and approvals

Participants can incorporate proportionate ESG requirements into vendor prequalification decisions.

  • ISO 20400 principles applied to responsible procurement requirements
  • Environmental evidence covering emissions, waste, energy and hazardous materials
  • Human rights risk indicators assessed across supplier operations and subcontractors
  • Supplier codes of conduct translated into auditable questionnaire requirements
  • Carbon data quality tested through boundaries, methods and supporting records
  • ESG remediation plans evaluated against ownership, milestones and verification

Participants can assess operational resilience and supply continuity risks before approval.

  • Supplier capacity analysis using utilisation, lead times and production constraints
  • Business continuity plans reviewed for scenarios, recovery targets and testing
  • Geographic risk analysis covering political, climate and infrastructure exposures
  • Subcontractor dependency assessed through visibility, approvals and contingency arrangements
  • Failure Mode and Effects Analysis applied to supplier process risks
  • Risk registers documenting likelihood, impact, controls, owners and review dates

Participants can plan and conduct supplier audits that test prequalification evidence.

  • Audit objectives derived from supplier risk profiles and evidence gaps
  • Audit plans defining scope, timetable, interviewees and document samples
  • Opening meetings establishing purpose, confidentiality and site access arrangements
  • Process walkthroughs tracing controls from procedure through operating evidence
  • Sampling methods for records, batches, training files and maintenance logs
  • Audit findings classified by severity, evidence, requirement and consequence

Participants can make and document supplier approval decisions using defined governance controls.

  • Approval recommendations distinguishing approved, conditional, rejected and suspended statuses
  • Conditional approval plans specifying controls, deadlines and accountable owners
  • Decision papers presenting supplier evidence, residual risk and commercial implications
  • Governance committee packs structured for timely, defensible approval decisions
  • Segregation of duties between assessors, approvers and supplier relationship owners
  • Audit trails retained for questionnaire responses, scoring and approval records

Participants can control supplier onboarding after prequalification approval.

  • Onboarding checklists linking qualification approval to system activation requirements
  • Supplier master data controls for legal names, tax details and banking
  • Bank account verification procedures reducing payment diversion and fraud risks
  • Contract award conditions linked to outstanding qualification and mobilisation actions
  • Supplier communication packs explaining conduct, reporting and performance expectations
  • Renewal calendars tracking certificates, insurance, screenings and financial reviews

Participants can segment approved suppliers and assign appropriate management approaches.

  • Supplier segmentation using spend, criticality, risk and innovation potential
  • Relationship models ranging from transactional control to strategic collaboration
  • Account plans defining objectives, stakeholders, risks and development priorities
  • Supplier contact matrices establishing operational, commercial and executive forums
  • Governance cadence matched to supplier tier and service criticality
  • Supplier development priorities selected from performance and capability evidence

Participants can build supplier scorecards and conduct evidence-based performance reviews.

  • Supplier scorecards combining service, quality, cost, risk and compliance measures
  • Key performance indicators defined with formulas, sources and reporting frequency
  • Service-level agreement measures linked to contract obligations and remedies
  • Balanced scorecard weighting aligned with supplier segment and business priorities
  • Performance review agendas using trends, root causes and action status
  • Supplier self-assessments compared with buyer records and independent evidence

Participants can manage supplier nonconformance through corrective action and follow-up.

  • Nonconformance reports documenting requirement, evidence, impact and immediate containment
  • Five Whys and fishbone diagrams used for root-cause analysis
  • Corrective action requests defining actions, owners, dates and verification methods
  • Preventive actions addressing recurring failures and control weaknesses
  • Improvement plans monitored through milestones, evidence reviews and escalation
  • Supplier development interventions balanced against replacement and exit options

Participants can monitor approved suppliers and trigger proportionate requalification actions.

  • Continuous monitoring indicators covering financial distress, incidents and compliance changes
  • Supplier risk dashboards combining internal performance and external intelligence sources
  • Trigger events requiring rescreening, reassessment, suspension or escalation
  • Requalification reviews scheduled by risk tier, contract status and evidence expiry
  • Early-warning thresholds for deteriorating service, quality and financial health
  • Supplier exit plans addressing transition, records, access and continuity controls

Participants can define data, records and reports required for vendor management control.

  • Supplier information architecture linking records, documents, approvals and risk ratings
  • Data fields supporting segmentation, renewal tracking and management reporting
  • Document retention rules for qualification evidence and audit records
  • Dashboard design showing approval status, expiries, actions and supplier risk
  • Data quality checks for duplicate vendors, missing records and stale information
  • Management reports highlighting exceptions, trends, overdue actions and decisions

Participants can build, review and present a complete vendor prequalification and management pack for a defined supplier category.

  • Category risk profile defining supplier requirements, risk tiers and approval controls
  • Prequalification questionnaire with evidence schedule, declarations and screening requirements
  • Weighted evaluation model containing pass-fail gates and scoring anchors
  • Supplier due diligence assessment covering financial, compliance, operational and ESG risks
  • Onboarding, monitoring and renewal plan with scorecards and trigger events
  • Governance presentation defending supplier decisions, residual risks and improvement actions

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

What you take back to work

  1. Risk-based vendor prequalification process map
  2. Supplier questionnaire and evidence schedule template
  3. Weighted supplier evaluation scorecard
  4. Supplier due diligence risk register
  5. Supplier audit and corrective action checklist
  6. Vendor prequalification and management pack

Who should attend

  • Procurement Managers — responsible for supplier approval controls and sourcing governance
  • Category Managers — needing reliable qualification criteria before tendering or contracting
  • Supplier Relationship Managers — managing supplier performance, reviews and improvement actions
  • Strategic Sourcing Specialists — assessing bidders and documenting defensible award decisions
  • Supply Chain Managers — reducing continuity risks from critical suppliers and subcontractors
  • Contract Managers — monitoring supplier obligations after contract award

Skills and tools covered

Supplier due diligencePrequalification designFinancial risk assessmentSupplier performance managementAudit planningCorrective action control

Tools and standards

Kraljic Portfolio Matrix, ISO 9001, ISO 20400, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings to introduce methods, followed by procurement cases, document reviews, group analysis and decision simulations. Participants assess supplier submissions, compare qualification evidence, build scoring models and discuss approval decisions with competing risk and commercial considerations. Case material includes manufacturing, banking, public procurement, infrastructure and outsourced services. Application planning connects each method to participants’ own supplier categories, approval routes and reporting needs. Trainers provide structured feedback on working documents developed during the programme.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should understand basic procurement processes, including sourcing, tender evaluation, purchase orders and supplier contracts. Experience working with suppliers, preparing specifications, supporting bid evaluations or monitoring contract delivery is useful. Participants should be comfortable reading simple financial information and using spreadsheets for scoring or tracking. The course does not require prior audit qualifications, legal training, accounting certification, specialist ESG knowledge or experience with a particular procurement system. It is designed for professionals who already work with suppliers and need a more disciplined qualification and management method.

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 procurement activities and have some exposure to supplier, sourcing or contract work. Prior audit, accounting, legal or ESG qualifications are not required.

Participants should bring a laptop if possible, together with non-confidential examples of supplier categories, approval forms or performance measures they use. Course materials and templates are provided.

The course suits procurement managers, category managers, sourcing specialists, supplier relationship managers, supply chain managers and contract managers. It is intended for professionals who influence supplier approval or manage suppliers after appointment.

Sourcing courses focus on market engagement, tendering and award. This course concentrates on supplier suitability, due diligence, qualification evidence, onboarding controls, performance monitoring and requalification.

Participants develop questionnaires, risk registers, scorecards and approval materials that can be adapted for their supplier categories. The methods support both new supplier approval and review of existing suppliers.

The first part establishes qualification design, criteria, evidence and due diligence methods. The later modules focus on audits, onboarding, performance, corrective action, monitoring and a final capstone presentation; each training day runs 08:30 to 16:30 with about 6.5 contact hours.

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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