Supplier tenders with every choice explained
Run supplier tenders, get suggested suppliers with reasons, compare quotes line by line and split the award.
Live in partWhat does Strategic sourcing with explainable Vendor Suggest do? Faster, defensible sourcing decisions, with a ready answer to 'who else bid and why did this one win?'
How it works
Kinnow ranks suppliers by a fixed formula, not AI: capability 55%, track record 30%, trading history 15%. Each suggestion has a one-sentence reason, and new suppliers score neutral, not zero. Suppliers quote through their portal to one deadline. Quotes are compared like for like, awards can be split by line, and bid security is tracked.
Supplier suggestions are the same every time and free. If none are found, it says why, such as 'no capability match', instead of an empty list.
Step by step: from a requirement to a recorded award
- The buyer starts a sourcing event. Add the lines you need and the deadline. The event can be an RFQ, an RFI, an RFP or a tender.
- Kinnow suggests suppliers. Press "Suggest suppliers". Kinnow ranks your suppliers who can supply the items, and writes one sentence on why each one is on the list. It only suggests. It never invites anyone.
- The buyer invites. Choosing and inviting suppliers is a separate, deliberate click, since it is an outward act towards a real supplier.
- Suppliers quote through their portal. Each supplier quotes to the same deadline. The buyer can also enter a quote on a supplier's behalf, record a no-bid, or cancel.
- Quotes are compared line by line. Kinnow puts the quotes on one basis and names whatever could not be put on one basis. It then compares each line across suppliers. A recommendation reads the grid as a single award, a split or a partial award, and points out unpriced scope, late arrivals and ties.
- A person awards. Award the whole event to one supplier, or award by line. A split raises one purchase order per winning supplier. Awarding declines every other quote and cannot be undone. The decision records who else bid and why this one won.
Run one real RFQ with us. Send the requirement and your usual suppliers, and we will set up the event.
What you see on screen
| Where | What you see |
|---|---|
| Sourcing | The list of events, or "No sourcing events yet" with a start-an-RFQ prompt |
| Suggest suppliers | Ranked suppliers, each with a reason sentence, or a named reason for an empty list |
| Comparison grid | One row per line and one column per supplier, with prices on one basis |
| Award and Award by line | The choice of one winner or a line-by-line split, with the warning "This declines every other quote on the event and cannot be undone" |
| Bid security | The earnest money, performance guarantee or letter of credit that a supplier lodges for the event |
The supplier suggestion is the same every time for the same data, and it costs no AI credits.
How the suggestion ranks suppliers
| Part | Weight | What it looks at |
|---|---|---|
| Capability | 55% | Whether the supplier is tagged for what you need. A supplier who cannot supply the item is not a candidate at any score |
| Track record | 30% | Delivery, quality and price variance from the supplier scorecard, updated after every receipt |
| Trading history | 15% | Past awards to the supplier, used mainly to break a tie |
A supplier with no history scores neutral, 0.5, not zero, so new suppliers are not shut out. If no supplier is found, the screen says why: no supplier is tagged, none match the capability, the event has no item codes, you do not have access, or the service is unavailable.
Who uses it
- Buyer: builds the event, invites suppliers and compares.
- Purchase head or CFO: can answer "who else bid and why did this one win" from the award record.
- Suppliers: quote through their own portal.
Related
Part of Sourcing and RFQs, with the supplier portal. See also procurement savings a CFO can believe, from supplier quote to purchase order and five named kinds of off-contract spend.
Questions
What is Strategic sourcing with explainable Vendor Suggest in Kinnow?
Run supplier tenders, get suggested suppliers with reasons, compare quotes line by line and split the award.
What changes for the business?
Faster, defensible sourcing decisions, with a ready answer to 'who else bid and why did this one win?'
Is it available today?
It is live in part: the core is built and parts are completing with early customers.
Is the supplier ranking done by AI?
No. It is a fixed formula, with capability 55%, track record 30% and trading history 15%. The same inputs give the same list, and it uses no AI credits.
Can I split an award between suppliers?
Yes. Award by line. Kinnow raises one purchase order per winning supplier, and apportions freight across them so it is not charged twice.
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