UBP GUIDE / UBP
Several quotations are useful only when you can see what each supplier included in the response. This guide shows how to put terms on a common basis, separate confirmed details from assumptions, and prepare precise follow-up questions.
Discuss your requestSend each prospective supplier the same version of the request: item identifier, standard or drawing revision, material, dimensions, tolerances, quantity, and packaging or document requirements. Mark which characteristics are mandatory and where alternatives may be proposed. Record any deviation as a separate line instead of treating the offers as equivalent.
For each response, record the item name and identifier, offered specification, quantity, unit of measure, pack configuration, currency and price basis if stated, quotation validity, stated lead time, and payment terms. Normalize units and pack quantities while retaining the supplier's original wording for checking. Do not compare unit prices alone when the bundle, packaging, or quantity differs.
Mark each field as confirmed in writing, conditionally offered, missing, or requiring verification. Track origin, documents, samples, traceability, inspection, availability, and route separately; none should be treated as confirmed unless the supplier explicitly says so. Ask for missing information instead of filling gaps with assumptions.
If you need a delivered-cost estimate, list the confirmed goods price and each known component separately: packaging, freight, insurance, duties, taxes, brokerage, or other services. Record who supplied each figure, its date, and currency; keep estimates and assumptions separate from firm quotations. Duties, taxes, exchange rates, logistics, and product admissibility depend on the specific code, country, date, and transaction terms and need review by the responsible specialist.
For gaps, prepare a short list: does the offered item meet each mandatory characteristic; what is included in the price; when do the terms expire; what quantity and schedule are confirmed; what records can be provided; is a sample available; and what packaging and dispatch terms are assumed? Ask every respondent the same questions and note the date and version of each reply.
A comparison table does not choose a winner automatically. Weigh compliance with mandatory requirements, deviations, completeness of evidence, commercial terms, and unknown risks against your purchasing criteria. Record what must be checked before ordering, who owns the check, and what written evidence is sufficient. A sample, inspection, certificate, origin, final price, or timing is established only when separately agreed for the specific transaction.
Prepare your request
Item, request version, and specification in the response
Mandatory characteristics and every deviation
Quantity, unit of measure, and units per pack
Currency, price basis, and quotation validity
Packaging, labeling, and included services
Confirmed timing and payment terms
Documents, samples, traceability, and their status
Known additional costs, source, and date of each figure
Open questions, owner, and required confirmation
This guide explains a comparison method. It does not confirm any supplier, price, availability, records, route, customs clearance, or product quality. Commercial and regulatory terms must be checked for the specific item, parties, and destination country.
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Have a specification and supplier responses? Describe what needs clarification; UBP can consider a sourcing and coordination inquiry within an agreed project scope.
