CIPS Updated L4M8 Exam Questions and Answers by aston

After all the due diligence is carried out, before awarding contract to the best supplier, sometimes procurement professionals find themselves in some problem solving situation; this might have been emanated from supplier facing a financial challenge or problems from external environment. Responding to this might require an amendment or an addendum, depending on the case in hand.

An amendment is for a physical change in the existing contract for example; if a contract contains a negotiated and agreed fixed price for the period of the contract but unexpected market forces such as an economic down turn or force majeure occur, the supplier may have to request an amendment order to continue to make a profit.

An addendum is when an additional document is added to the existing contract for example, If a contract have a schedule of rates and the market forces prices up, an addendum can be added to an existing contract with a revised schedule. Once accepted, the addendum becomes part of the con-tract. Addendum are physically used when the forecasted cost of a project rises and approval is needed to increase the contract spend.

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Quality is fitness for purpose. It is important that quality is investigated by procurement professionals before forming relationship with potential supplies.

If quality is not investigated before selecting supplier the organization might stand the risk of facing the following disadvantages;

Reputational Damages

Cost of Rework

Cost of Downtime

Cost of Material

Cost of being stocked with the wrong supplier

Cost of being stocked in a project that may not come to an end at the forecasted time.

How buyer can choose a supplier with a good quality culture is first by defining the quality of the product or services to be carried out .Having knowledge of the product or service quality, supplies can rightly select and evaluated supplier with total quality management (TQM) in their system, ISO 9001 accreditation. TQM includes everyone in the organization with knowledge on the required quality; there would be little or no rejection/reworks. Thus is an added value to the organization.

In the decision to not run out of supplies, organizations can anticipate a peak were by it products will be in a high demand or a period of scarcity of raw materials and may want to increase the in-ventory. However, if this forecast is not accurate, it may lead the organization to holding excess inventory. This can expose the organization to some negative factors.

Acquisition Cost: The organization will incur an acquisition cost for the excess inventory which is inclusive of the cost of placing the order and the cost of purchasing the goods.

Holding Cost: The organization will spend more money holding the stock, trying to keep it in good condition by providing the required light, temperature, skilled handlers and so on.

Working Capital not adding value: This will off shoot the holding cost. Also valuable working capital in excess stock which in the time not adding value, can affect the liquidity of the business. This is also an opportunity cost and increase solvency.

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A contract is written or verbal agreement, made between two or more parties that are legally en-forceable. For a contract to be legally binding it must include intention of parties entering into the contracts. All parties must have the capacity to contract or be contracted. They must be of a sound mind, there should be a promise (offer) for performance from the other party and an exchange (consideration) of one thing for another within an agreement for contract to be binding, there must be an acceptance of the offeror’s offer by the offeree.

There are many reasons contract can legally be terminated, including non-performance by one or both parties, a significant change in the requirement.

There are several reasons contract can legally be terminated, including non-performance by one or both parties; breach of material, failure to meet service level agreement, ethical breaches, a significant change in the requirement of either party caused by ethical change in the market, change in Demand, obsolescence, contract completion. The procurement professionals should get an exit strategy that should encourage a stress free disengagement should incase there are no profitable reason to continue with the contract.

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