Which supplier should we award the contract to?
Supplier decisions get stuck on price against risk. The lowest bid is easy to defend in a spreadsheet and hard to defend six months later when shipments slip. A weighted supplier selection matrix is the standard way procurement teams settle that argument.
The team agrees the criteria and weights before the bids are opened, scores each bid against them, and documents the result. Publishing the weights in the request for proposal keeps the process fair and easy to audit.
Open the tool with this question filled in. Two to five minutes, no account.
Start this decisionWhat should you weigh?
Five factors cover most versions of this decision. Rename them, drop the ones that do not apply, and add your own. Phrase each so a higher score is always better.
- Quality
- Defect rates, certifications, and samples you have tested.
- Competitive price
- Unit price at your volume, plus freight, duties and payment terms.
- On-time delivery
- Lead time, and their record of meeting it.
- Track record
- References, years in business, and customers like you.
- Support
- Account management, responsiveness, and how they handle problems.
What does it look like worked out?
Three bids: the lowest bidder, an established vendor, and a fast local shop. Weights run 1 to 10, scores 1 to 5.
| Factor | Weight | Low bidder | Established vendor | Local shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | 9 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Competitive price | 7 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| On-time delivery | 6 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Track record | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Support | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Total | 94 | 111 | 105 |
Each total is score times weight, added down the column.
Established vendor wins by 6 points. The established vendor wins and the lowest bid comes last. Price is the second heaviest row, and the low bidder wins it outright, yet the quality and delivery gap costs it more than the price saves.
Where do people go wrong?
Setting weights after opening bids. Once you have seen the prices, weights drift toward whichever bid someone already prefers. Fix them first and record them.
Counting unit price only. Freight, duties, minimum orders and payment terms change the real cost. Score the landed cost.
Common questions
- What are the main supplier selection criteria?
- Quality, price, delivery, track record and support cover most purchases. Add financial stability for long contracts and sustainability if your buyers ask for it.
- What is a weighted supplier scorecard?
- A table of criteria, each with a weight, where every supplier is scored against every criterion. Score times weight, summed, ranks the bids.
Ready to weigh your own?
The question and starter options come filled in. Change anything. AI suggests factors; the answer comes only from your weights and scores.
Start this decision