CASE STUDY: Strategic Supplier Search
Assignment
A start-up medical device development company needed to find a critical supplier for a complex set of consumables associated with their new product. They contracted BMG to assist them with this search.
An important part of BMG’s stated charter was to prevent the large number of project stakeholders from extending the decision process and negatively impacting the project schedule.
Approach
BMG began by meeting with the project team and stakeholders… to define their role in a successful contract manufacturing partnership, and to uncover – in advance – their criteria for supplier selection. From this initial fact finding, we developed and gained client consensus on a decision model to be used for the selection process.
We also reviewed the design of the consumable product set with the design team, clarifying the documentation that would be needed to accompany the Request For Proposal (RFP) to communicate the unique properties of the design. At this point, we helped the client recognize that more than one supplier would be involved in the production of their consumable. Knowing this at this stage, we were able to design the proper groundwork into the proposal process.
BMG performed an industry survey to identify a list of potential suppliers, and executed pre-screening phone interviews, based on the client’s selection criteria, to develop a final slate of candidates to receive the RFP.
BMG designed and drafted the RFP document, and managed all aspects of the proposal process. We reviewed the proposals and applied the pre-agreed decision model to down-select to a limited number of companies to be considered in the final round of analysis.
BMG conducted due diligence site visits with these finalists, and incorporated the results of these preliminary site audits into the final supplier selection decision model.
Results
BMG prepared and delivered a formal presentation to the project team, project stakeholders and executive management. Our presentation included our decision model, and guided the extended group through the process of supplier selection. We were able to empower the group to agree upon supplier selection decisions by the conclusion of the presentation meeting.
The decision model and the template for the RFP documentation were included in our deliverables, and the process that we developed for them continues to be used by this client on other development projects.
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