Single Source Qualification

The decision to use a single source in lieu of multiple sources is one of the most important actions in which a buyer can participate. It must be based on a careful and sometimes painstaking analysis of potential suppliers and their capability to produce the product to specifications. The decision involves an assessment of the risks of single sourcing as compared with multiple sourcing by not only the buyer, but by a team of supplier qualifiers who individually and collectively evaluate the potential supplier. The article explores eight areas to be considered in evaluating a potential single source, along with those attributes to seek in the single source.