Creating a Supplier Questionnaire

Note: Links to our free templates are at the bottom of this long guide.
Also note: This is not legal advice

Introduction

Creating a Supplier Questionnaire is essential for businesses of all sizes. It provides insight into potential suppliers, helps identify any potential risks associated with them and establishes a positive relationship between businesses and their suppliers. The Genie AI team, an open source legal template library, provides free supplier questionnaire templates to help businesses make informed decisions when selecting a supplier.

A comprehensive questionnaire can ensure that businesses are aware of any issues that could arise in the future and help them assess the quality of the supplier’s products and services. It also allows companies to evaluate their suppliers’ performance, pinpointing areas that may need improvement. Asking the right questions can help build trust between parties, making it easier to communicate effectively throughout the partnership.

Identifying key topics is critical when writing a questionnaire as it enables companies to gain insight into the supplier’s experience and processes; pricing structure and payment terms; delivery times; customer service policies; compliance with local employment laws or environmental regulations; and other important topics relevant to business operations.

At Genie AI, we understand how important it is for companies to make well-informed decisions when selecting a supplier – which is why we provide step-by-step guidance on creating a thorough questionnaire as well as access to our extensive template library today. Read on for more information about how you can create your own high quality legal documents without having an account with us first!

Definitions

Supplier Requirements: The type and quality of goods or services needed from a potential supplier.
Desired Outcomes: The goals that need to be achieved by creating and utilizing the questionnaire.
Researching Potential Suppliers: Investigating and finding suppliers that could meet the established requirements.
Evaluating Supplier Capabilities: Assessing the abilities of each supplier to ensure they can meet the established requirements.
Identifying Necessary Information: Determining what information needs to be gathered in order to make an informed decision.
Crafting Clear, Concise Questions: Writing questions that are direct and to the point.
Evaluation Metrics: Criteria that will be used to compare supplier responses.
Assigning Weight to Evaluation Criteria: Giving a numerical value to each criterion, with the highest being the most important.
Designing the Questionnaire: Creating a professional and organized questionnaire.
Submitting the Questionnaire to Suppliers: Sending the questionnaire via email or through a secure portal.
Collecting Responses: Setting up a system to track responses and ensure that all responses are received and documented.
Summarizing Supplier Responses: Making it easier to compare responses by creating a chart or table that includes all of the necessary information.
Comparing Responses Against Evaluation Criteria: Assigning a numerical value to each response and comparing them against each other.
Establishing a Selection Process: Creating a system that includes criteria such as pricing, delivery times, payment terms, and quality control.
Making the Final Supplier Selection: Compiling the data from the responses and selecting the supplier that meets all of the criteria.
Negotiating Terms and Conditions: Discussing and negotiating the pricing, delivery times, payment terms, and quality control with the supplier.
Signing Contracts: Having the contract reviewed by an attorney to ensure that all of the necessary information is included and that it is legally binding.
Scheduling Regular Reviews: Setting up meetings with the supplier in order to ensure that the agreement is being followed and that the supplier is meeting all of the requirements.
Monitoring Supplier Performance: Using metrics such as delivery times, quality control, and customer service to evaluate the supplier’s performance.
Documenting the Supplier Selection Process: Keeping a record of the responses from each supplier, the evaluation metrics, and the final selection.
Creating an Internal Database: Establishing a secure system that can store all of the necessary information and make it easily accessible.

Contents

1. Establishing the Goals and Objectives of the Supplier Questionnaire
2. Defining the Supplier Requirements
3. Determining the Desired Outcomes
4. Identifying the Suppliers to be Evaluated
5. Researching Potential Suppliers
6. Evaluating Supplier Capabilities
7. Developing Appropriate Questions to Evaluate Suppliers
8. Identifying Necessary Information
9. Crafting Clear, Concise Questions
10. Defining the Evaluation Criteria
11. Establishing Evaluation Metrics
12. Assigning Weight to Evaluation Criteria
13. Creating the Questionnaire and Gathering Responses
14. Designing the Questionnaire
15. Submitting the Questionnaire to Suppliers
16. Collecting Responses
17. Analyzing and Comparing Supplier Responses
18. Summarizing Supplier Responses
19. Comparing Responses Against Evaluation Criteria
20. Selecting the Best Supplier
21. Establishing a Selection Process
22. Making the Final Supplier Selection
23. Implementing the Supplier Selection Process
24. Negotiating Terms and Conditions
25. Signing Contracts
26. Following Up and Maintaining the Supplier Relationship
27. Scheduling Regular Reviews
28. Monitoring Supplier Performance
29. Documenting the Supplier Selection Process
30. Recording Results
31. Creating an Internal Database

Get started

Establishing the Goals and Objectives of the Supplier Questionnaire

• Determine the purpose of the Supplier Questionnaire: what information do you need to collect from the Suppliers?
• Identify the key stakeholders involved in the Supplier Questionnaire process.
• Develop a list of the questions that need to be asked in the Supplier Questionnaire.
• Review the Supplier Questionnaire with the stakeholders to ensure it meets the goals and objectives.

How you’ll know when you can check this off your list and move on to the next step:

• When the Supplier Questionnaire has been reviewed and approved by the stakeholders, you can move on to the next step.

Defining the Supplier Requirements

• Identify the specific requirements that suppliers must meet to be considered for the project.
• Analyze the desired supplier characteristics, such as quality of products, reliability, price range, etc.
• Make sure the requirements are clearly stated and easily understandable.
• Review the supplier requirements to ensure they are achievable and relevant.
• When all the supplier requirements are listed and reviewed, the step of defining the supplier requirements can be considered complete.

Determining the Desired Outcomes

• Identify the desired outcomes for the supplier evaluation process
• Create a list of criteria for the evaluation process, including performance, customer service, pricing, quality, etc.
• Establish a rating system for each criteria and determine how the ratings will be weighed
• Consider any other desired outcomes that should be included in the evaluation process
• Once you have identified the desired outcomes and criteria and established a rating system, you can move on to the next step.

Identifying the Suppliers to be Evaluated

• Determine the type of supplier needed for the desired outcomes
• Research market to identify potential suppliers
• Develop a list of potential suppliers to evaluate
• Invite potential suppliers to be part of the evaluation process
• Narrow down the list of potential suppliers to those who meet the desired criteria
• Check off this step when you have identified the suppliers to be evaluated.

Researching Potential Suppliers

• Research the potential suppliers to determine whether they meet your needs and requirements
• Look into their accreditations, certifications, and awards they’ve received
• Ask your contacts if they have any experience with the suppliers
• Analyze the supplier’s customer feedback, reviews, and ratings
• Make sure to research the supplier’s financial stability and credit rating
• Once you are satisfied with the research conducted, you can move onto evaluating their capabilities.

Evaluating Supplier Capabilities

• Research potential suppliers and develop a shortlist of potential candidates
• Contact the suppliers and request information about their capabilities
• Ask for references from previous customers or projects
• Examine the supplier’s financial information, such as their credit rating
• Review the supplier’s quality assurance and compliance policies
• Assess the supplier’s history, track record and reputation
• Review the supplier’s customer service capabilities

When you can check this off your list and move on to the next step:

• When you have gathered the information you need to evaluate the supplier’s capabilities, you can check this step off your list and move on to developing appropriate questions to evaluate the suppliers.

Developing Appropriate Questions to Evaluate Suppliers

• Decide what criteria you want to use when evaluating suppliers
• Analyze the type of information you need to assess each criteria
• Create questions that will help you to assess the supplier’s ability to meet your criteria
• Make sure the questionnaire is clear and easy to understand
• Test the questionnaire and make any necessary adjustments
• When satisfied with the questionnaire, you can move onto the next step of Identifying Necessary Information.

Identifying Necessary Information

• Determine the types of information you need from suppliers, such as:
• Financial stability
• Quality and safety records
• Vendor compliance
• Delivery timelines
• Pricing
• Product and service offerings
• Make a list of the necessary information you need from suppliers
• When you have identified all the necessary information you need from suppliers, you can move on to crafting clear, concise questions to ask them.

Crafting Clear, Concise Questions

• Brainstorm a list of key questions you need answered to make an informed decision about the supplier
• Aim for questions that are straightforward, easy to answer, and cover all the relevant information
• Make sure questions cannot be answered with a simple yes or no
• Write down questions in an understandable and concise format
• When you have finalized the list of questions, you are ready to move on to the next step - defining the evaluation criteria.

Defining the Evaluation Criteria

• Identify the criteria that should be used to evaluate potential suppliers.
• Clearly define each criterion.
• Set expectations for what is acceptable for each criterion.
• Decide on the weight of each criterion in the overall evaluation.
• When the criteria have been defined and weighted, you can move on to crafting clear, concise questions.

Establishing Evaluation Metrics

• Establish evaluation metrics by determining what criteria need to be measured
• Create a questionnaire that assesses each metric and its criteria
• Ask suppliers to submit their responses to the questionnaire
• Review the responses and the corresponding criteria
• Note any areas of deficiency and provide feedback to the supplier
• Confirm that the criteria have been met when the supplier has addressed any deficiencies
• Check off this step when the supplier has met all criteria and the questionnaire has been successfully completed.

Assigning Weight to Evaluation Criteria

• Define the importance of each criteria by assigning a numerical weight
• Assign a value to each criteria that reflects its importance in the evaluation process (e.g. 5 is highly important, 1 is least important)
• Create a weighted average by multiplying the assigned value to each criteria by its weight
• When you have assigned a weight to each criteria and created a weighted average, you can check this off your list and move on to the next step, creating the questionnaire and gathering responses.

Creating the Questionnaire and Gathering Responses

• Review the information you have gathered in the previous step and decide on the questions you will include in your questionnaire
• Brainstorm the types of questions that will help you assess the vendors (open-ended, multiple choice, rating scale, etc.)
• Create the questionnaire, making sure that the questions are clear and concise
• Distribute the questionnaire to the suppliers you are evaluating
• Follow up with vendors if you do not receive a response
• When you have received responses from all the vendors, you can mark this step as complete.

Designing the Questionnaire

• Brainstorm the questions that need to be included in the questionnaire
• Identify the required information for suppliers to provide
• Structure the questionnaire with a logical sequence of questions
• Draft the questions and ensure that they are clear and concise
• Review the draft of the questionnaire with relevant stakeholders
• Make any necessary amendments to the questionnaire
• Test the questionnaire with colleagues or potential suppliers
• Make any further necessary amendments to the questionnaire
• Check that the questionnaire is easy to understand and complete
• Decide on the format of the questionnaire (e.g. online, paper, email)
• When the questionnaire is ready and approved, you can check this off your list and move on to the next step.

Submitting the Questionnaire to Suppliers

• Contact each of the suppliers via email or phone to submit the questionnaire and provide a timeline for responses
• Send out the questionnaire in a format that is easy to fill out and submit, such as a Word document or an online survey
• Include a covering letter or email explaining the purpose of the questionnaire and any instructions for filling it out
• Ask for contact details of any additional people who need to be involved in the questionnaire process
• Follow up with the suppliers to ensure they have received the questionnaire and answer any questions they may have
• When you have received the completed questionnaires back from all the suppliers, you can check this off your list and move on to the next step.

Collecting Responses

• Monitor your email inbox regularly to ensure that responses are sent back in a timely manner.
• Reach out to each supplier to remind them to submit their responses if they have not done so yet.
• Follow up with suppliers if they have any questions or need any clarification on the questionnaire.
• Once all responses have been received, you can move on to the next step.

Analyzing and Comparing Supplier Responses

• Review the supplier responses for accuracy, completeness, and consistency
• Compare the responses from each supplier to identify any differences
• Create a summary of the responses from each supplier
• Check for any discrepancies between the responses from each supplier
• Once all responses have been analyzed and compared, you can move on to the next step of summarizing the supplier responses.

Summarizing Supplier Responses

• Review the responses from each supplier
• Identify the key parts of each response
• Create a summary of each supplier response
• Check to ensure the summary accurately reflects each supplier response
• When you are satisfied with the summaries, you can move on to the next step of comparing the responses against the evaluation criteria.

Comparing Responses Against Evaluation Criteria

• Examine responses from each supplier against the evaluation criteria you established in the previous step
• Compare each supplier’s responses based on the criteria you established: overall cost, delivery times, product quality, etc.
• Take note of any discrepancies or variations between each supplier’s responses
• Make note of any potential red flags or areas where you may need to ask for clarification
• When you have compared all responses against the evaluation criteria, you can move on to selecting the best supplier.

Selecting the Best Supplier

• Establish and review a list of criteria to score the potential suppliers against
• Score the suppliers against the criteria and rank them in order of preference
• Verify the suppliers’ references and contact them to ask questions and discuss the project
• Choose the supplier with the highest score and best references
• Once you have selected the supplier, you can move on to the next step of establishing a selection process.

Establishing a Selection Process

• Establish criteria for evaluating potential suppliers
• Identify questions to ask suppliers to assess their capabilities
• Develop a scoring system or rubric for evaluating supplier responses
• Identify the team members responsible for evaluating supplier responses
• Set a timeline for completing the supplier selection process
• You can check this off your list and move on to the next step when you have established the criteria and questions to ask, have a scoring system or rubric in place, have identified the team members responsible for evaluating responses, and have set a timeline for completing the process.

Making the Final Supplier Selection

• Create a list of potential suppliers based on the selection criteria established in the previous step
• Compare the potential suppliers’ responses to the questionnaire
• Evaluate the suppliers’ performance in meeting the established criteria
• Contact potential suppliers and ask additional questions to clarify any answers provided on the questionnaire
• Analyze the responses and select the supplier that best meets the selection criteria
• Once a supplier is selected, send a formal offer of agreement to the supplier
• You will know you have completed this step when you have selected a supplier and sent a formal offer of agreement.

Implementing the Supplier Selection Process

• Create a supplier questionnaire to send out to potential suppliers.
• Ensure the questionnaire covers all relevant areas of the supplier evaluation criteria, such as cost, delivery times, product/service quality, and customer service.
• Send the questionnaire out to potential suppliers and allow a reasonable amount of time for them to respond.
• Follow up with suppliers who haven’t responded within the designated timeframe.
• Analyze the responses and score them according to the evaluation criteria.
• Once all the responses have been collected and scored, you can move on to the next step of making the final supplier selection.

Negotiating Terms and Conditions

• Outline the terms and conditions you expect from the supplier
• Make sure to address any legal and regulatory requirements that apply to the supplier
• Negotiate the terms and conditions with the supplier
• Make sure to document any changes to the terms and conditions
• Ensure both parties agree to the terms and conditions
• Once both parties agree to the terms and conditions, sign the contracts
• Once the contracts have been signed, you can move on to the next step.

Signing Contracts

• Obtain copies of the supplier’s signed contracts and confirm that all parties have agreed to the terms and conditions of the negotiation
• Review all documents to ensure accuracy and completeness
• Ensure that all signatures are present and valid
• Once all documents have been signed and returned, check for any discrepancies
• Confirm that all the necessary documents have been received
• Archive the documents in a secure location
• When all documents have been received and checked, you can move onto the next step of following up and maintaining the supplier relationship.

Following Up and Maintaining the Supplier Relationship

• Establish a regular review schedule with a supplier and inform them of the specific dates and times.
• Schedule meetings and check-ins to review the existing contracts, discuss any problems or issues, and ensure the supplier is meeting their contractual obligations.
• Monitor supplier performance and document any issues or areas that require improvement.
• Collaborate with the supplier to identify areas for improvement and develop action plans to address any issues.
• Ensure that any changes or updates to the contracts are agreed to by both parties and documented.

You’ll know you can check this off your list when you have established a regular review schedule with your supplier, monitored their performance, and documented any changes or updates to the contracts.

Scheduling Regular Reviews

• Schedule regular reviews with your supplier to evaluate their performance and make sure they are meeting their commitments
• Determine when the reviews should take place and how often they should occur
• Keep the reviews consistent, such as at the end of each quarter or year
• Ask if the supplier has any questions or concerns prior to the review
• Invite key decision-makers from both parties to the review
• Have a specific agenda for the review to ensure that all areas are discussed
• Discuss any issues that may have arisen and come to a resolution
• Share successes and accomplishments of the supplier
• When the review is complete, make sure to document the outcomes
• You can check this off your list when the review is scheduled and all necessary parties have been invited.

Monitoring Supplier Performance

• Set up a system to track supplier performance over time
• Monitor performance across different key performance indicators (KPIs) such as delivery time, quality, customer service, etc.
• Track KPIs against industry standards and gather feedback from customers
• Identify areas of improvement and take action to address any issues
• Update performance tracking system regularly
• When supplier performance is regularly tracked and monitored, you can move on to the next step.

Documenting the Supplier Selection Process

• Determine the criteria that will be used to evaluate potential suppliers
• Develop a supplier questionnaire to capture the necessary evaluation criteria for potential suppliers
• Share the questionnaire with potential suppliers and collect responses
• Analyze the supplier responses and identify the suppliers that meet your selection criteria
• When all the responses have been analyzed and the potential suppliers selected, you can move on to the next step of monitoring supplier performance.

Recording Results

• Create an organized and consistent approach to recording results from the supplier questionnaire
• Create a template for the questionnaire results and ensure that all relevant information is captured
• Decide on a method for tracking the results, such as a spreadsheet, database, or other tracking system
• Make sure that the results are securely stored and backed up
• Once all results are recorded, ensure that all data is accurate and up-to-date
• When all data is recorded, checked and backed up, the step is complete and you can move on to the next step.

Creating an Internal Database

• Decide on the type of database to use
• Gather the information that will be used to create the database
• Create the database using the chosen software
• Test the database to make sure it is working correctly
• Ensure that the data in the database is secure
• Check that the data is accurate and up-to-date
• When you have completed all of the above, you have successfully created an internal database for the supplier questionnaire and can move on to the next step.

FAQ

Q: How should I go about researching legal requirements when creating a supplier questionnaire?

Asked by Jennifer on 15th March 2022.
A: Researching legal requirements is an important part of creating a supplier questionnaire. Depending on the jurisdiction you are operating in, there will be a range of requirements and regulations which you must adhere to. Generally, it is best to consult with a qualified lawyer in your jurisdiction to ensure that your questionnaire meets all applicable legal requirements. Additionally, reviewing relevant industry standards and guidelines can be helpful in familiarising yourself with the legal requirements.

Q: What should my supplier questionnaire cover?

Asked by William on 4th April 2022.
A: Your supplier questionnaire should cover all relevant information about the supplier that you need to make informed decisions about their suitability for your business. This might include information about the company’s financials, environmental practices, safety standards and certifications, insurance coverage, and any other pertinent information. Additionally, you may want to include questions about the supplier’s production processes and quality assurance procedures. It is important to ensure that all questions are relevant to your business needs and are compliant with applicable laws and regulations.

Q: What factors should I consider when creating a supplier questionnaire?

Asked by Wayne on 11th May 2022.
A: When creating a supplier questionnaire, there are several factors to consider. Firstly, it is important to ensure that all questions are relevant to your business needs and are compliant with applicable laws and regulations. Additionally, it is important to consider what types of information you need from your suppliers in order to make an informed decision about their suitability. This might include information about their financials, environmental practices, safety standards and certifications, insurance coverage, production processes and quality assurance procedures.

Q: How do I ensure my supplier questionnaire meets all legal requirements?

Asked by Emma on 21st June 2022.
A: To ensure that your supplier questionnaire meets all legal requirements, it is important to consult with a qualified lawyer in your jurisdiction who is familiar with any applicable laws or regulations which may apply to your business. Additionally, reviewing relevant industry standards and guidelines can be helpful in familiarising yourself with the legal requirements which must be met by your supplier questionnaire.

Q: How do I know if the answers my suppliers provide are accurate?

Asked by Mark on 28th July 2022.
A: To ensure that the answers provided by your suppliers are accurate it is important to undertake due diligence during the selection process. This might involve conducting background checks and reference checks with current or past customers of the potential suppliers in order to verify their claims. Additionally, you may also want to consider undertaking third-party audits of the suppliers’ facilities in order to verify that their production processes meet the necessary standards for quality assurance and safety compliance.

Q: What should I do if my suppliers do not answer my questions?

Asked by Sarah on 10th August 2022.
A: If your suppliers do not answer your questions or provide incomplete responses then it is important to follow up with them in order to obtain complete information before making any decisions about their suitability for your business needs. You may want to consider sending reminders or making additional requests for information if necessary in order to ensure that you have all the necessary information before making any decisions about working with specific suppliers.

Q: Is there any risk associated with using a standardised supplier questionnaire?

Asked by David on 15th September 2022.
A: Although using a standardised supplier questionnaire can be helpful in streamlining the selection process, there is some risk associated with using such a document as it may not be tailored specifically for your business needs or compliant with applicable laws or regulations in your jurisdiction. It is therefore important to consult with a qualified lawyer before using such a document in order to ensure that it meets all legal requirements and adequately covers all relevant information required for making informed decisions about potential suppliers.

Q: How do I evaluate responses from potential suppliers?

Asked by Ashley on 22nd October 2022.
A: Evaluating responses from potential suppliers can be challenging as it involves assessing qualitative information such as customer references and third-party audit reports as well as quantitative information such as financial records and production processes data. It is therefore important to have clear criteria for evaluating responses which takes into account both qualitative and quantitative data in order to make an informed decision about which suppliers are suitable for working with your business needs.

Q: What should I look out for when evaluating responses from potential suppliers?

Asked by Christopher on 30th November 2022.
A: When evaluating responses from potential suppliers it is important to look out for any discrepancies between what they have stated in their response versus what they have actually done or are capable of doing based on customer reference checks or third-party audit reports of their facilities etc… Additionally, it is also important to assess whether they meet any applicable industry standards or regulatory requirements which could affect their suitability for working with you in the long term e.g., ISO certification etc…

Q: What measures can I take when assessing potential suppliers?

Asked by Melissa on 8th December 2022
A: There are several measures which can be taken when assessing potential suppliers including conducting background checks, reference checks and third-party audits of their facilities as well as assessing whether they meet any applicable industry standards or regulatory requirements which could affect their suitability for working with you long-term e.g., ISO certification etc… Additionally, it is also important to consider other factors such as cost effectiveness, customer service levels and delivery timescales when assessing potential suppliers in order to make an informed decision about who you would like to work with going forward

Q: Are there any industry standards which I should take into consideration when creating my supplier questionnaire?

Asked by Matthew on 19th January 2023
A: Yes, there are certain industry standards which should be taken into consideration when creating a supplier questionnaire such as ISO certification or other certifications related to safety or quality assurance processes etc… Additionally, depending on the jurisdiction you are operating in there may also be specific laws or regulations governing how you create and use a supplier questionnaire so it is important to consult with a qualified lawyer before finalising any document in order to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations

Q: Is there an easy way of determining whether potential suppliers meet certain criteria?

Asked by Joshua on 25th February 2023
A: Yes, there are several tools available which can help determine whether potential suppliers meet certain criteria such as conducting background checks or reference checks which can help verify claims made by potential suppliers regarding their capabilities or facilities etc… Additionally, performing third-party audits of their facilities can also provide insight into whether they meet certain criteria such as safety standards or quality assurance procedures etc…

Example dispute

Suing a Supplier for Breach of Contract:

• Plaintiff may raise a lawsuit against a supplier for breach of contract if the supplier failed to adhere to the terms of the supplier questionnaire.
• The plaintiff would need to provide evidence that the supplier did not fulfill the obligations outlined in the questionnaire.
• This could include providing evidence of the supplier not meeting deadlines, delivery specifications, or quality requirements outlined in the questionnaire.
• In order to win the lawsuit, the plaintiff must prove that the supplier breached the contract and that the breach caused damages.
• The damages can include lost profits, expenses incurred due to the breach, or other costs associated with the breach.
• The court may also award punitive damages in cases where the breach was intentional or the supplier acted in bad faith.
• The court may also order the supplier to provide restitution or other remedies to the plaintiff.

Templates available (free to use)

Detailed Supplier Questionnaire On Supply Chain Due Diligence Msa 2015
Simple Supplier Questionnaire On Supply Chain Due Diligence Msa 2015

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