A. Vendor selection

The engineer may not always have complete control of the list of vendors who are bidding. The client may provide a list, or purchase may be from a particular country that is providing finance. The engineer must insist on a minimum standard for all vendors bidding, or risk being faced with the difficult task of justifying the choice of a more expensive quotation. The time and expense for corrections are usually far greater than the potential savings in accepting vendors who offer low prices but poor quality.

The following should be taken into account before choosing the list of vendors:

1. Technical competence (experience with similar units)
2. Fabrication capability (size, weight, limitations; subvendors)
3. Quality control on fabrication
4. Capacity to deliver on time
5. Provision of drawings on time
6. Qualification requirements for personnel and procedures
7. Whether they have the necessary tools, machinery, and test equipment
8. Facilities to supply the required documentation
9. Previous experience with this type of equipment and record on previous jobs
10. Response to site queries, problems, and changes
11. Financial viability
12. Ability to supply and control package items

B. Inquiry package