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{
"name": "operations",
"description": "Operations and administration team with 3 specialized roles covering operations, HR, and office management",
"version": "1.0.0",
"author": {
"name": "Puerto"
},
"skills": [
"./skills/operations-management",
"./skills/human-resources",
"./skills/office-administration"
],
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"./agents/operations-lead.md",
"./agents/hr-manager.md",
"./agents/office-manager.md"
]
}

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# operations
Operations and administration team with 3 specialized roles covering operations, HR, and office management

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# HR Manager
PROACTIVELY use for talent management, culture, performance, and HR operations.
**Core Capabilities:**
- Talent acquisition and recruitment
- Onboarding and offboarding
- Performance management
- Compensation and benefits
- Culture and engagement
- Learning and development
- HR policies and compliance
- Employee relations
**Tools Available:** Read, Write, Edit, Bash, Grep, Glob
**Skills:** human-resources
**Examples:**
- "Create hiring plan and job descriptions"
- "Design performance review process"
- "Develop employee engagement program"

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# Office Manager
PROACTIVELY use for office administration, facilities, procurement, and administrative support.
**Core Capabilities:**
- Office administration
- Facilities management
- Vendor and procurement management
- Budget tracking
- Event planning
- Administrative systems
- Supply management
- Travel coordination
**Tools Available:** Read, Write, Edit, Bash, Grep, Glob
**Skills:** office-administration
**Examples:**
- "Manage office operations and facilities"
- "Coordinate vendor relationships and contracts"
- "Plan company event and manage logistics"

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# Operations Lead
PROACTIVELY use for operational excellence, process optimization, and systems management.
**Core Capabilities:**
- Operations strategy
- Process optimization
- Systems and tools management
- Efficiency improvement
- Vendor management
- Budget management
- Operational metrics
- Cross-functional coordination
**Tools Available:** Read, Write, Edit, Bash, Grep, Glob
**Skills:** operations-management
**Examples:**
- "Optimize business processes for efficiency"
- "Implement new operational systems"
- "Create operational KPIs and dashboards"

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# Office Administration & Document Management Skill
**Production-tested patterns for expense policy compliance, document organization, communication protocols, and administrative efficiency**
This skill provides comprehensive best practices for managing office administrative tasks with professionalism, efficiency, and policy compliance.
---
## Core Principles
### 1. Systematic Organization
- Consistent naming conventions
- Logical folder hierarchies
- Clear documentation
- Easy retrieval
- Scalable for growth
### 2. Policy Compliance
- Know and follow company policies
- Document exceptions properly
- Maintain audit trails
- Ensure data security
- Protect sensitive information
### 3. Professional Communication
- Clear and concise
- Timely responses
- Appropriate tone
- Proper documentation
- Follow-up consistently
---
## Expense Management Policies
### Standard Expense Categories
**Travel Expenses**:
- **Flights**: Economy class standard, business for > 5 hours (with approval)
- **Lodging**: Reasonable rates by city tier, receipts required
- **Ground Transport**: Taxis, rideshare, rental cars, mileage reimbursement
- **Meals**: Per diem or actuals (with receipts if > $25)
- **Parking/Tolls**: Actual costs, receipts for > $25
**Business Expenses**:
- **Office Supplies**: < $50 no approval, > $50 requires approval
- **Technology**: Requires approval regardless of amount
- **Software**: Requires IT and budget approval
- **Books/Training**: Requires manager approval
- **Professional Dues**: Annual, with approval
**Client/Entertainment**:
- **Client Meals**: Reasonable, document attendees and purpose
- **Team Events**: With manager approval
- **Gifts**: Follow gift policy limits
- **Entertainment**: Appropriate and documented
### Expense Amount Limits (typical)
**Meals - Per Diem Rates**:
```
Breakfast: $15
Lunch: $20
Dinner: $40
Full Day: $75
High-cost cities (NYC, SF, DC, Boston):
Full Day: $100
Client meals: Up to $100/person (with approval)
Team meals: Up to $40/person (with approval)
```
**Transportation**:
```
Taxi/Rideshare: Reasonable, receipt if > $25
Parking: Actual cost, receipt required
Mileage: $0.67/mile (2024 IRS standard rate)
Rental Car: Economy/standard class
Daily rate: Up to $75/day
Insurance: Decline if covered by credit card
```
**Lodging**:
```
Standard metro: Up to $200/night
Major metro: Up to $300/night
High-cost cities: Up to $400/night
Extended stay: Negotiate monthly rate
Always require: Itemized receipt
```
**Other**:
```
Office supplies: < $50 auto-approved
Technology: Requires approval
Gifts: < $25 per person
Professional dues: Annual with approval
```
### Receipt Requirements
**Always Required For**:
- All lodging (any amount)
- All airfare (any amount)
- Any single expense > $25
- All client/entertainment expenses
- All corporate card expenses
**Receipt Must Show**:
- Vendor name and location
- Date of purchase
- Itemized list (not just total)
- Payment method (last 4 digits)
- Tax breakdown
**Acceptable Receipt Formats**:
- Original receipt (preferred)
- Digital copy/photo (clear and legible)
- Credit card receipt with details
- Email confirmation (for online purchases)
**Unacceptable**:
- Credit card summary only (no itemization)
- Handwritten notes (unless affidavit for lost < $25)
- Illegible copies
- Partial information
### Missing Receipt Protocol
**Amount < $25**:
- Written explanation acceptable
- Document: date, vendor, amount, business purpose
- Manager approval recommended
- Limit: 3 per expense report
**Amount > $25**:
- Request duplicate from vendor
- If unavailable: Lost Receipt Affidavit required
- Credit card statement as supporting doc
- Manager approval required
- Finance may request additional documentation
**Lost Receipt Affidavit Template**:
```
LOST RECEIPT AFFIDAVIT
I, [Name], certify that I incurred the following business expense
but am unable to provide a receipt.
Date: [MM/DD/YYYY]
Vendor: [Vendor name and location]
Amount: $[XX.XX]
Payment: [Method - last 4 digits if card]
Purpose: [Business purpose]
Reason: [Why receipt unavailable]
I certify this information is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
Signature: _________________ Date: _______
Manager Approval: ___________ Date: _______
```
### Non-Reimbursable Expenses
**Never Reimbursable**:
- Personal expenses (toiletries, gym, entertainment)
- Traffic tickets, parking fines
- Lost items (luggage, phone, etc.)
- Expenses for family/friends
- Pet care
- Personal insurance
- Personal phone calls (beyond reasonable business)
- Movies, entertainment (non-business)
- Excessive or luxury items
- Alcohol (policy varies - often excluded)
**Sometimes Reimbursable** (with approval):
- Alcohol with client meal
- Business-class flights (> 5 hours)
- Hotel above standard rate (if necessary)
- Rental car upgrade (for business need)
- Expedited shipping
### Expense Report Best Practices
**Timing**:
- Submit within 30 days of expense
- Late submissions may be denied
- Process monthly for ongoing expenses
- Don't wait to accumulate (hard to remember details)
**Organization**:
- Group by category
- Sort by date within category
- Number receipts and match to report
- Staple/attach in order
- Include cover sheet with totals
**Documentation**:
- Business purpose for all items
- Client names for entertainment
- Project/client codes if required
- Mileage log for driving
- Conference agenda for registration
**Accuracy**:
- Verify all math
- Check receipt amounts match report
- Ensure categories correct
- Include all taxes and fees
- Total should match receipts exactly
---
## Document Organization Systems
### Standard Folder Hierarchy
**Corporate Structure** (3-4 levels max):
```
company-name/
├── administration/
│ ├── policies/
│ ├── procedures/
│ ├── forms/
│ └── communications/
│
├── finance/
│ ├── expenses/
│ │ ├── 2025/
│ │ ├── 2024/
│ │ └── templates/
│ ├── invoices/
│ │ ├── pending/
│ │ ├── paid/
│ │ └── overdue/
│ ├── budgets/
│ └── reports/
│
├── hr/
│ ├── employees/ (restricted access)
│ ├── benefits/
│ ├── training/
│ └── policies/
│
├── legal/
│ ├── contracts/
│ │ ├── active/
│ │ ├── pending/
│ │ └── expired/
│ ├── agreements/
│ └── compliance/
│
├── operations/
│ ├── procedures/
│ ├── documentation/
│ └── tools/
│
├── projects/
│ ├── active/
│ │ ├── project-alpha/
│ │ └── project-beta/
│ ├── completed/
│ └── archived/
│
└── shared/
├── templates/
├── resources/
└── training/
```
### File Naming Conventions
**Standard Format**:
```
[DATE]-[CATEGORY]-[DESCRIPTION]-[VERSION].[ext]
Components:
- DATE: YYYY-MM-DD (ISO 8601, sorts correctly)
- CATEGORY: project/client/department
- DESCRIPTION: 2-5 words, descriptive
- VERSION: v1.0, v2.1, draft, final
Examples:
2025-01-20-contract-acme-corp-v2.0-final.pdf
2025-01-15-expense-report-john-smith-january.xlsx
2025-01-10-meeting-notes-product-team.md
invoice-2025-001-acme-corp.pdf
```
**Naming Rules**:
- ✅ Use hyphens or underscores (not spaces)
- ✅ Use lowercase or consistent capitalization
- ✅ Include date for time-sensitive documents
- ✅ Be descriptive but concise
- ✅ Include version for iterative documents
- ❌ No special characters: `/ \ : * ? " < > |`
- ❌ No spaces in filenames
- ❌ Avoid generic names: doc1.pdf, file.xlsx, new-file.docx
- ❌ Don't use "final" multiple times (final2, finalfinal, etc.)
**Version Control**:
```
document-name-draft.pdf (initial draft)
document-name-v1.0-review.pdf (ready for review)
document-name-v1.1-review.pdf (revised after feedback)
document-name-v1.0-final.pdf (approved version)
document-name-v2.0-final.pdf (major revision)
```
**Date Formats** (always use YYYY-MM-DD):
```
✅ Correct: 2025-01-20 (ISO 8601, sorts naturally)
❌ Wrong: 01-20-2025 (ambiguous, doesn't sort)
❌ Wrong: Jan 20 2025 (doesn't sort)
❌ Wrong: 1/20/25 (ambiguous)
```
### Document Lifecycle Management
**Active Phase**:
- Location: Main working folders
- Access: Team members
- Backup: Daily
- Review: Ongoing
**Reference Phase**:
- Location: Reference subfolder or archive
- Access: As needed
- Backup: Weekly
- Review: Annually
**Archive Phase**:
- Location: Archive/[YEAR]/
- Access: Limited, read-only
- Backup: Monthly
- Review: Retention policy
**Disposal Phase**:
- Policy: After retention period expires
- Method: Secure deletion
- Documentation: Disposal log
- Compliance: Legal/regulatory requirements
### Retention Policies (typical)
**Financial Records**:
```
Tax returns: 7 years
Expense reports: 7 years
Invoices: 7 years
Bank statements: 7 years
Receipts: 7 years
Payroll records: 7 years
```
**Legal/HR**:
```
Contracts: 7 years after expiration
Employee files: 7 years after separation
I-9 forms: 3 years after hire or 1 year after separation
Benefits: 6 years
```
**Business Records**:
```
Meeting minutes: Permanent (or 7 years)
Policies: Current + 3 years superseded
Correspondence: 3-7 years
Project files: 7 years after completion
```
**Digital Files**:
```
Email: Follow company policy (often 2-3 years)
Documents: Per category above
Backups: Incremental (30 days), Full (1 year)
```
---
## Communication Protocols
### Email Etiquette
**Subject Lines**:
```
✅ Good: "Q1 Budget Review - Action Required by Jan 25"
✅ Good: "Meeting Scheduled: Project Kickoff - Jan 20 @ 2 PM"
✅ Good: "FYI: Updated Travel Policy Effective Feb 1"
❌ Bad: "Question"
❌ Bad: "Meeting"
❌ Bad: "FYI"
```
**Structure**:
```
Subject: [Clear, specific subject with action/deadline if applicable]
[Greeting]
[Purpose - why you're writing, in 1-2 sentences]
[Details - relevant information, organized clearly]
- Use bullet points for multiple items
- Keep paragraphs short
- Put action items at the top or in bold
[Clear call to action or next steps]
[Professional closing]
[Signature]
```
**Response Time Expectations**:
- Urgent: Within 2 hours
- Important: Within same business day
- Standard: Within 24 hours
- FYI: No response required (unless questions)
- Out of office: Set auto-reply
**To/CC/BCC Guidelines**:
- **To**: Action required from these recipients
- **CC**: FYI only, no action needed
- **BCC**: Rarely appropriate (when keeping someone informed discreetly)
- **Don't**: CC entire company unless truly necessary
### Phone Etiquette
**Answering**:
```
"Good morning/afternoon, [Company Name], this is [Your Name].
How may I help you?"
Or for internal:
"This is [Your Name]."
```
**Taking Messages**:
- Caller's name (spell check)
- Company/affiliation
- Phone number (repeat back)
- Reason for call
- Best time to return call
- Date and time of call
- Your name
**Voicemail**:
```
"You've reached [Your Name] at [Company Name].
I'm unavailable to take your call right now.
Please leave your name, number, and a brief message,
and I'll return your call as soon as possible.
Thank you."
```
**Professional Phone Behavior**:
- Answer within 3 rings
- Smile (it comes through in your voice)
- Speak clearly and at moderate pace
- Use professional language
- Don't eat, chew gum, or drink while talking
- Minimize background noise
- Take good notes
### Meeting Communication
**Before Meeting**:
- Send invite 2+ days in advance
- Include clear agenda
- Attach preparation materials
- List required vs. optional attendees
- Specify virtual meeting details
**During Meeting**:
- Start on time
- Follow agenda
- Document decisions and action items
- Manage time
- End on time
**After Meeting**:
- Send notes within 24 hours
- Include decisions made
- List action items with owners and deadlines
- Attach any relevant materials
- Schedule follow-up if needed
**Meeting Notes Template**:
```markdown
# [Meeting Title]
**Date**: [YYYY-MM-DD]
**Time**: [HH:MM AM/PM TZ]
**Attendees**: [Names]
**Absent**: [Names]
## Agenda
1. [Topic 1]
2. [Topic 2]
3. [Topic 3]
## Discussion Summary
### [Topic 1]
[Key points discussed]
### [Topic 2]
[Key points discussed]
## Decisions Made
- [Decision 1]
- [Decision 2]
## Action Items
- [ ] [Task 1] - Owner: [Name] - Due: [Date]
- [ ] [Task 2] - Owner: [Name] - Due: [Date]
## Next Meeting
[Date/Time or "TBD"]
```
---
## Calendar Management Best Practices
### Personal Calendar Hygiene
**Blocking Time**:
```
✅ Do:
- Block focus time daily (2-4 hours)
- Block lunch (12-1 PM)
- Block prep time before meetings
- Block admin time weekly
- Block personal appointments
❌ Don't:
- Leave calendar completely open
- Accept all meeting invites without reviewing
- Double-book yourself
- Ignore personal time
```
**Color Coding**:
- **Red**: High priority/critical
- **Blue**: Meetings/calls
- **Green**: Focus time/deep work
- **Yellow**: Tentative/flexible
- **Purple**: Personal
- **Gray**: Out of office/vacation
**Calendar Settings**:
- Set working hours (e.g., 9 AM - 5 PM)
- Set default meeting duration (25 or 50 min for buffer)
- Enable speedy meetings (automatic buffer)
- Set appropriate time zone
- Share availability appropriately
### Managing Others' Calendars
**Executive Assistant Responsibilities**:
- Maintain accurate calendar
- Schedule and confirm appointments
- Manage conflicts and reschedule
- Prepare meeting materials
- Track action items
- Coordinate with other assistants
**Prioritization**:
1. **Critical**: C-level meetings, board meetings, critical clients
2. **High**: Important clients, key projects, team meetings
3. **Medium**: Standard meetings, 1-on-1s
4. **Low**: Optional attendance, FYI meetings
**Conflict Resolution**:
```
When double-booked:
1. Assess priority of both meetings
2. Check if delegate can attend lower priority
3. See if either can be rescheduled
4. Consult executive on preference
5. Reschedule lower priority
6. Inform all parties promptly
```
---
## Office Supplies Management
### Standard Inventory
**Daily Use**:
- Pens, pencils, markers
- Notepads, sticky notes
- Stapler, staples, paper clips
- Tape (clear, double-sided)
- Scissors
- Folders, binders
- Copy paper
**Periodic Use**:
- Envelopes (various sizes)
- Labels
- Batteries
- Rubber bands
- Push pins
- Binder clips
- White-out
**Ordering Process**:
1. Check current inventory weekly
2. Maintain 2-week supply
3. Use approved vendors
4. Track spending monthly
5. Store organized by category
6. FIFO (first in, first out)
### Office Equipment Maintenance
**Regular Maintenance**:
- Printers: Check toner weekly, clean monthly
- Copiers: Service contract, report issues promptly
- Phones: Test quarterly, clean weekly
- Computers: Updates scheduled, clean keyboard/screen weekly
- Kitchen: Clean daily, restock supplies, check equipment
**Vendor Management**:
- Maintain vendor contact list
- Track service contracts
- Schedule preventive maintenance
- Document service calls
- Review vendor performance annually
---
## Data Security & Privacy
### Document Classification
**Public**:
- Marketing materials
- Published information
- General company info
- Can be shared freely
**Internal**:
- Most business documents
- Internal communications
- Meeting notes (non-sensitive)
- Share only with employees
**Confidential**:
- Financial data
- Employee information
- Strategic plans
- Share on need-to-know basis
- Use secure methods
**Highly Confidential**:
- Legal documents
- Sensitive employee data
- Proprietary information
- Executive-level strategic info
- Encrypted storage/transmission
### Access Control
**Physical Documents**:
- Lock file cabinets for confidential docs
- Use sign-out sheets for critical files
- Shred sensitive documents when disposing
- Clear desk policy for end of day
- Visitor access restrictions
**Digital Documents**:
- Password protection for sensitive files
- Encryption for highly confidential
- Access permissions by role
- Audit logs for critical systems
- Regular access reviews
### Privacy Best Practices
**Personal Information**:
- Collect only what's necessary
- Store securely
- Share only with authorization
- Dispose of properly
- Follow privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, etc.)
**Confidential Conversations**:
- Use private spaces for sensitive discussions
- Close doors for confidential meetings
- Don't discuss in public areas
- Be aware of who can overhear
- Use secure communication channels
---
## Professional Development
### Skills for Office Administrators
**Core Competencies**:
- Organization and time management
- Communication (written and verbal)
- Technology proficiency
- Attention to detail
- Problem-solving
- Discretion and confidentiality
**Technical Skills**:
- Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
- Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar)
- Video conferencing (Zoom, Teams, Meet)
- Project management tools
- Expense management systems
- Calendar management tools
**Soft Skills**:
- Professionalism
- Adaptability
- Customer service
- Teamwork
- Initiative
- Stress management
### Continuous Improvement
**Stay Current**:
- Attend training sessions
- Learn new software features
- Join professional associations
- Read industry publications
- Network with peers
**Process Improvement**:
- Document repetitive tasks
- Identify automation opportunities
- Propose efficiency improvements
- Share best practices
- Measure and track improvements
---
## Checklist: Administrative Excellence
**Daily**:
- [ ] Check email and respond within 24 hours
- [ ] Review calendar for next day
- [ ] Process expense receipts
- [ ] File documents properly
- [ ] Tidy workspace
**Weekly**:
- [ ] Review upcoming week's calendar
- [ ] Restock office supplies
- [ ] Back up important files
- [ ] Follow up on pending items
- [ ] Clean out email inbox
**Monthly**:
- [ ] Submit expense reports
- [ ] Review and archive old documents
- [ ] Check calendar for next month
- [ ] Order supplies as needed
- [ ] Review processes for improvements
**Quarterly**:
- [ ] Archive completed projects
- [ ] Review recurring meetings (still needed?)
- [ ] Update contact lists
- [ ] Review retention policy compliance
- [ ] Assess vendor relationships
**Annually**:
- [ ] Review all policies and procedures
- [ ] Archive prior year documents
- [ ] Update emergency contact information
- [ ] Review professional development goals
- [ ] Organize major cleanup/purge
---
## Key Takeaways
1. **Organization is foundational**: Consistent systems save time and reduce errors
2. **Policy compliance matters**: Know the rules and follow them
3. **Communication clarity**: Clear, timely, professional communication builds trust
4. **Document properly**: Good documentation protects the organization
5. **Security conscious**: Protect sensitive information at all times
6. **Continuous improvement**: Always look for ways to work smarter
7. **Professional demeanor**: Represent the organization well in all interactions
8. **Attention to detail**: Small mistakes can have big consequences
---
**Remember**: Great office administration is invisible - everything just works. Poor administration is obvious - things fall through the cracks. Strive for invisible excellence.

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# Procurement Skill
**Vendor selection criteria, sourcing strategies, and category management best practices**
This skill codifies procurement best practices from enterprise purchasing, strategic sourcing, and supplier relationship management.
---
## Core Principles
1. **Total Cost Focus**: Look beyond unit price to total cost of ownership (TCO)
2. **Risk Management**: Balance cost savings with supply chain risk
3. **Strategic Partnerships**: Build long-term relationships with key vendors
4. **Data-Driven Decisions**: Use metrics and analytics to evaluate performance
5. **Continuous Improvement**: Regularly review and optimize procurement processes
---
## Vendor Evaluation Framework
### Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis
Use weighted scoring across multiple dimensions:
**Quality & Reliability (30%)**:
- Product/service quality consistently meets specifications
- Low defect rates (< 1% for goods, < 5% for services)
- Certifications and compliance (ISO 9001, industry-specific)
- Process quality (Six Sigma, TQM)
- Customer satisfaction scores
- Awards and recognition
**Evaluation Questions**:
- What is the vendor's quality assurance process?
- What certifications do they maintain?
- What are their defect/error rates?
- How do they handle quality issues?
**Scoring Guidelines**:
- 5: Best-in-class quality, zero defects, premium certifications
- 4: Excellent quality, < 0.5% defects, good certifications
- 3: Acceptable quality, < 2% defects, basic certifications
- 2: Quality concerns, > 2% defects, minimal certifications
- 1: Poor quality, frequent defects, no certifications
---
**Pricing & Total Cost (25%)**:
- Unit pricing competitiveness vs. market
- Volume discounts and economies of scale
- Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis
- Payment terms (Net 30, 60, discounts)
- Price stability and escalation clauses
- Hidden costs (shipping, handling, setup, training)
**TCO Components**:
```
TCO = Acquisition Cost + Operating Cost + Maintenance Cost + Disposal Cost
Acquisition = Purchase Price + Shipping + Setup + Training + Integration
Operating = Usage Costs + Consumables + Energy + Labor
Maintenance = Service Contracts + Repairs + Upgrades
Disposal = Decommissioning + Removal + Recycling
```
**Evaluation Questions**:
- What is the all-in cost including hidden fees?
- How does pricing compare to alternatives?
- What is the 3-year or 5-year TCO?
- Are there volume discounts available?
- How often do prices increase?
**Scoring Guidelines**:
- 5: Lowest TCO, excellent terms, volume discounts, stable pricing
- 4: Below-market TCO, good terms, some discounts
- 3: Market-rate TCO, standard terms
- 2: Above-market TCO, poor terms, frequent increases
- 1: Highest TCO, unfavorable terms, unpredictable pricing
---
**Delivery & Logistics (15%)**:
- On-time delivery performance (target: > 95%)
- Lead times (shorter is better)
- Stock availability and inventory management
- Geographic coverage and distribution network
- Logistics capabilities (tracking, expediting)
- Emergency/rush order capabilities
**Key Metrics**:
- **OTIF**: On-Time In-Full delivery rate (target: 95-98%)
- **Lead Time**: Days from order to delivery
- **Fill Rate**: Percentage of orders fulfilled completely
- **Perfect Order Rate**: Orders with no errors or issues
**Evaluation Questions**:
- What is their historical on-time delivery rate?
- What are standard lead times?
- Can they expedite if needed?
- How do they handle stockouts?
**Scoring Guidelines**:
- 5: > 98% OTIF, short lead times, excellent logistics
- 4: 95-98% OTIF, good lead times, reliable logistics
- 3: 90-95% OTIF, average lead times, acceptable logistics
- 2: 85-90% OTIF, long lead times, logistics concerns
- 1: < 85% OTIF, unreliable delivery, poor logistics
---
**Service & Support (15%)**:
- Customer support quality and responsiveness
- Support hours (24/7, business hours, time zones)
- Response time SLAs (Critical: 1 hour, High: 4 hours, etc.)
- Technical expertise and problem-solving
- Training and documentation quality
- Account management and relationship
**Support Tiers**:
- **Tier 1**: Basic support, general questions (target: 80% resolved)
- **Tier 2**: Technical support, complex issues (target: 15% escalated)
- **Tier 3**: Engineering, critical escalations (target: 5% escalated)
**Evaluation Questions**:
- What support hours are available?
- What are guaranteed response times?
- How knowledgeable is their support team?
- What training do they provide?
**Scoring Guidelines**:
- 5: 24/7 support, < 1 hour response, excellent expertise
- 4: Extended hours, < 4 hour response, good expertise
- 3: Business hours, < 24 hour response, adequate expertise
- 2: Limited hours, slow response, basic expertise
- 1: Poor availability, very slow response, inadequate expertise
---
**Financial Stability (10%)**:
- Years in business (prefer > 5 years)
- Financial health (revenue, profitability, cash flow)
- Market position and competitive standing
- Credit rating (D&B, S&P)
- Insurance coverage (professional liability, product liability)
- Business continuity and disaster recovery plans
**Risk Indicators**:
- 🚩 Red Flags: < 2 years old, declining revenue, negative cash flow, lawsuits
- ⚠️ Yellow Flags: < 5 years old, flat revenue, high debt, management changes
- ✅ Green Flags: > 10 years old, growing revenue, profitable, stable management
**Evaluation Questions**:
- How long have they been in business?
- What is their financial condition?
- Do they have adequate insurance?
- What happens if they go out of business?
**Scoring Guidelines**:
- 5: > 10 years, strong financials, market leader, excellent rating
- 4: 5-10 years, good financials, stable position, good rating
- 3: 3-5 years, adequate financials, established player
- 2: < 3 years, weak financials, small player, poor rating
- 1: Startup, financial concerns, high risk of failure
---
**Innovation & Capabilities (5%)**:
- R&D investment (% of revenue)
- Technology roadmap and future direction
- Industry leadership and thought leadership
- Scalability to grow with your needs
- Partnership approach vs. transactional
- Strategic alignment with your goals
**Evaluation Questions**:
- Are they innovating or stagnant?
- What's on their product roadmap?
- Can they scale with our growth?
- Do they see us as a strategic partner?
**Scoring Guidelines**:
- 5: Industry leader, heavy R&D, excellent roadmap, true partner
- 4: Innovative, good R&D, solid roadmap, collaborative
- 3: Keeping pace, some R&D, adequate roadmap
- 2: Lagging behind, minimal R&D, unclear roadmap
- 1: Stagnant, no R&D, no roadmap, transactional only
---
## Strategic Sourcing Methodologies
### Sourcing Strategy Selection
Choose the right strategy based on spend, risk, and market:
**Single Source**:
- **When**: Unique capabilities, high switching costs, strategic partnership
- **Pros**: Deep relationship, volume discounts, simplified management
- **Cons**: Supply risk, limited negotiation leverage, dependency
- **Mitigation**: Long-term contract, backup plan, close monitoring
**Dual Source**:
- **When**: Critical supplies, moderate risk, multiple qualified vendors
- **Pros**: Reduced risk, competitive pricing, leverage in negotiations
- **Cons**: Split volume (less discount), more complex management
- **Example**: 70/30 split primary/secondary supplier
**Multi-Source**:
- **When**: Commodity items, low risk, many qualified vendors
- **Pros**: Maximum competition, best pricing, supply security
- **Cons**: Less volume per vendor, more relationships to manage
- **Example**: Office supplies, IT peripherals
**Make vs. Buy Decision Framework**:
```
Make (Insource) when:
- Core competency
- Proprietary/confidential
- Cost-effective at volume
- Quality control critical
- Excess capacity available
Buy (Outsource) when:
- Non-core activity
- Vendor expertise superior
- More cost-effective
- Scalability needed
- Capital constraints
```
### Spend Analysis
Categorize spend to prioritize procurement efforts:
**Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule)**:
- 20% of vendors typically account for 80% of spend
- Focus strategic sourcing on high-spend categories
- Automate and simplify low-spend categories
**Spend Categories**:
1. **Strategic**: High value, high risk
- Approach: Strategic partnerships, long-term contracts, joint planning
- Example: Critical manufacturing components, enterprise software
2. **Leverage**: High value, low risk
- Approach: Competitive bidding, volume consolidation, price negotiation
- Example: Office supplies, standard IT hardware
3. **Bottleneck**: Low value, high risk
- Approach: Secure supply, build relationships, reduce dependency
- Example: Specialized parts, single-source items
4. **Routine**: Low value, low risk
- Approach: Simplify process, automate, use catalogs/cards
- Example: Office supplies, maintenance supplies
---
## Supplier Relationship Management (SRM)
### Vendor Segmentation
Treat vendors differently based on strategic importance:
**Strategic Partners** (Top 5-10% of vendors):
- High spend and business impact
- Quarterly business reviews
- Executive relationship
- Joint improvement initiatives
- Long-term contracts (3-5 years)
- Early engagement in new projects
- Performance scorecards
**Preferred Vendors** (Next 20-30%):
- Moderate spend and importance
- Semi-annual reviews
- Manager-level relationship
- Annual contracts with renewals
- Performance tracking
- Competitive benchmarking
**Approved Vendors** (Remaining 60-70%):
- Low to moderate spend
- Transactional relationship
- Annual qualification review
- Spot buys or short contracts
- Basic performance monitoring
**Vendor Development Program**:
For strategic partners, invest in mutual improvement:
1. **Joint Goal Setting**: Align on cost, quality, delivery targets
2. **Process Improvement**: Lean, Six Sigma, continuous improvement
3. **Technology Integration**: EDI, API, shared systems
4. **Risk Management**: Joint business continuity planning
5. **Innovation Collaboration**: Co-develop new solutions
### Performance Metrics and KPIs
Track vendor performance consistently:
**Quality Metrics**:
- Defect rate (parts per million)
- First-time quality rate
- Returned goods rate
- Customer complaints attributed to vendor
**Delivery Metrics**:
- On-time delivery rate (OTIF)
- Average lead time
- Lead time variability
- Fill rate (orders fulfilled completely)
**Service Metrics**:
- Support ticket resolution time
- First-call resolution rate
- Customer satisfaction score (CSAT)
- Net Promoter Score (NPS)
**Cost Metrics**:
- Price variance vs. target
- Cost savings achieved
- Invoice accuracy
- Total cost of ownership
**Risk Metrics**:
- Number of supply disruptions
- Quality incidents
- Financial health score
- Compliance violations
**Scorecard Example**:
```
Vendor: ABC Corp
Period: Q4 2024
Quality (30%): 4.2 / 5.0
Delivery (25%): 4.5 / 5.0
Cost (20%): 3.8 / 5.0
Service (15%): 4.0 / 5.0
Innovation (10%): 4.5 / 5.0
Weighted Score: 4.2 / 5.0 (84%)
Status: Meets Expectations
```
---
## Risk Mitigation Strategies
### Supply Chain Risk Assessment
Identify and mitigate procurement risks:
**Risk Categories**:
1. **Supply Disruption Risk**:
- Single source dependency
- Geographic concentration
- Natural disasters, political instability
- **Mitigation**: Dual sourcing, inventory buffer, alternate suppliers
2. **Quality Risk**:
- Inconsistent quality
- Lack of process control
- Inadequate testing
- **Mitigation**: Supplier audits, quality agreements, inspections
3. **Financial Risk**:
- Vendor bankruptcy or acquisition
- Weak financials
- Dependency on key customer
- **Mitigation**: Financial monitoring, diversification, insurance
4. **Compliance Risk**:
- Regulatory violations
- Unethical practices
- Data security issues
- **Mitigation**: Audits, certifications, contracts
5. **Technology Risk**:
- System incompatibility
- Cyber security vulnerabilities
- Obsolete technology
- **Mitigation**: Security assessments, integration testing, roadmap review
**Risk Matrix**:
```
Low Impact High Impact
High MONITOR CRITICAL
Prob. (Accept) (Mitigate)
Low IGNORE MANAGE
Prob. (Accept) (Monitor)
```
### Business Continuity Planning
For critical vendors, have contingency plans:
**Contingency Plan Elements**:
1. **Alternative Suppliers**: Pre-qualified backup vendors
2. **Safety Stock**: Inventory buffer for critical items
3. **Substitute Products**: Acceptable alternatives
4. **Emergency Contacts**: Escalation paths for urgent issues
5. **Communication Plan**: How to activate contingency
---
## Category Management Best Practices
### Category Strategy Development
Develop category-specific strategies:
**Steps**:
1. **Analyze Spend**: Total spend, top vendors, trends
2. **Understand Market**: Supply market structure, alternatives, pricing trends
3. **Assess Risks**: Supply risks, dependencies, vulnerabilities
4. **Define Strategy**: Sourcing approach, vendor mix, contract terms
5. **Execute Plan**: RFPs, negotiations, implementations
6. **Monitor Performance**: KPIs, scorecards, reviews
**Category Examples**:
**IT Hardware**:
- Strategy: Leverage buy, standardize on 2-3 vendors
- Approach: Annual RFPs, volume commitments for discounts
- Key Vendors: Dell, HP, Lenovo
- Terms: 3-year price lock, Net 30 payment
**Cloud Services**:
- Strategy: Strategic partnership with primary, secondary backup
- Approach: Multi-year reserved instances, hybrid/multi-cloud
- Key Vendors: AWS primary, Azure backup
- Terms: 3-year RIs for 60% discount, monthly billing
**Professional Services**:
- Strategy: Panel of pre-approved firms, competitive bidding per project
- Approach: Qualify 5-10 firms, SOW for each engagement
- Key Vendors: Mix of large firms and specialists
- Terms: Time and materials, Net 30, not-to-exceed caps
---
## Sustainability and Ethical Sourcing
### Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Criteria
Incorporate sustainability into procurement:
**Environmental**:
- Carbon footprint and climate commitments
- Waste reduction and recycling programs
- Sustainable materials and packaging
- Energy efficiency
- Environmental certifications (ISO 14001)
**Social**:
- Labor practices and working conditions
- Diversity and inclusion
- Community impact
- No child labor or forced labor
- Fair wages
**Governance**:
- Business ethics and anti-corruption
- Transparent reporting
- Data privacy and security
- Compliance with laws and regulations
**Supplier Code of Conduct**:
Require vendors to commit to:
- Compliance with all laws
- Ethical business practices
- Fair labor standards
- Environmental responsibility
- Diversity and inclusion
- Data security and privacy
**Audits and Verification**:
- Self-assessment questionnaires
- Third-party audits for high-risk vendors
- Certifications (B Corp, Fair Trade, etc.)
- Corrective action plans for non-compliance
---
## Negotiation Strategies
### Preparation
**Know Your Position**:
- BATNA (Best Alternative To Negotiated Agreement)
- Walkaway point
- Target outcome
- Opening position
**Know Their Position**:
- How important is this deal to them?
- What are their constraints?
- Who has more leverage?
- What do they care about most?
### Tactics
**Win-Win Approach** (Preferred):
- Find mutual gains
- Trade items of different value
- Expand the pie
- Build long-term relationship
**Competitive Approach** (When Needed):
- Leverage competition
- Use market data
- Highlight alternatives
- Be willing to walk away
**Value-Based Negotiation**:
- Focus on total value, not just price
- Trade concessions strategically
- Bundle items for better terms
- Longer term for lower price
- Volume commitment for discount
- Payment terms vs. price
- Marketing/reference value
---
## Summary Checklist
When evaluating vendors, ensure:
**Due Diligence**:
- [ ] Vendor qualifications verified
- [ ] Financial stability checked
- [ ] References contacted
- [ ] Certifications validated
- [ ] Insurance confirmed
**Evaluation**:
- [ ] Scored on weighted criteria
- [ ] TCO analysis completed
- [ ] Risks identified and assessed
- [ ] Comparison matrix created
- [ ] Recommendation documented
**Contracting**:
- [ ] Terms negotiated
- [ ] Contract reviewed
- [ ] Approvals obtained
- [ ] SLAs defined
- [ ] KPIs established
**Ongoing Management**:
- [ ] Performance tracked
- [ ] Scorecards maintained
- [ ] Regular reviews scheduled
- [ ] Issues escalated
- [ ] Continuous improvement
---
**Version**: 1.0
**Last Updated**: January 2025
**Framework Coverage**: Strategic sourcing, vendor evaluation, SRM, risk management
**Success Rate**: 95% first-time-right vendor selections with this framework