STEP 1: Write down your ideas about what you want from a supplier

It is worth spending time understanding your requirements and what you want out of your relationship with a supplier.  You will find the Free to Use 'Form of Offer' a helpful aid when specifying your requirements.

STEP 2: Choose a Unique Reference Number

Each time you inform suppliers about your requirements you need to ensure they respond to these against a Unique Reference Number you create, and the email address you used when registering as a user on this site.

The use of unique reference numbers enables you to use the site more than once: for different goods and services you wish to source. 

TIP: Most customers use the item to be purchased and the closing date date for responses.  For example, for someone purchasing consulting on the 1st of April 2008 the unique reference number could be consulting01042008. 

STEP 3: Let suppliers know what you are doing, and review their responses

Before sending your requirements to a group of suppliers, speak to them!  All suppliers are reluctant to receive unsolicited enquiries. 

Discuss your requirements with them: this may help you improve your specification of requirements. 

TIP: An example of Specification of Requirements is shown below.  You may choose to copy this text into an email, complete the missing details (shown with an X) and send it to the suppliers you wish to quote via this site.

_________

Dear X,

Following on from our conversation, please find below our specification of requirements.

What we want: X
Where we would like it delivered: X
Why we need it: X
When we want it delivered: X
How we would prefer it to be delivered:  X
 

We would like your organisation to respond to our requirements via the Form of Offer web site.  It is our expectation that using this service will speed up our decision making.  The form we are using to collate responses to our requirements can be found at:

http://www.formofoffer.com/Free_to_Use.htm (if the Form of Offer team have created a  bespoke online form for you, please replace this web address with the one provided)

When responding to our requirements you must include the following in your response :

1. The unique enquiry reference number: X see above for guidance.

2. The email address we used to register on the Form of Offer site: X.

3. A unique security phrase, or reference number, which you have created that relates to the offer you propose via the site.

If you have any questions with respect to our enquiry please contact me at: X

The deadline for responding to this enquiry via the Form of Offer web site is X

A copy of your response will be sent to you via email.  Please check it and confirm by email that it forms the extent of your offer.

Please accept our thanks for considering our requirements.  We look forward to reviewing your response.

Yours sincerely

_________