A shortlist is a decision, not a directory
A supplier list is only useful if it shows why each candidate is on it. Before prices are compared, the shortlist should be traceable to the requirement: product type, the destination market, the customisation quantity, the packaging, the price position and the brand premium the product has to carry. A list that cannot be traced back to those points is a list of options, not a shortlist.
What the screening should record
- Why this supplier matches the product and the market.
- What they can do on customisation and packaging.
- Where the price sits, and what the price includes.
- Whether a visit or audit is required for this order.
- What is still open and has to be confirmed.
Put fit before price
Price matters, but it is not the first filter. A quotation is only comparable when the specification behind it is the same: material, size, colour, packaging and quantity. Comparing two prices against two different specifications produces a number that cannot be trusted.
Keep the record, then decide
Each candidate’s screening notes stay with the project file, so the decision to go forward with one supplier can be read afterwards — including what was rejected and why. That record is what makes a repeat order faster and a dispute easier to handle.
How sampling and the pre-shipment check follow from this decision is described on Sample Development and Quality Control.