Week 3 Questions
INF 336
Instructor: Lori Deere

From the end of Chapter 6, complete the following questions out of the section titled “Questions for Review and Discussion.” Each question should be thoroughly answered in a minimum of 150 words, using support from the text and examples when appropriate.

a. Why is it preferable to separate need identification and defining commercial equivalents into two separate stages?

Before the commercial equivalents, there’s the need and why it is needed. “Every acquisition is intended to fulfill a need. Therefore, the first step in the acquisition process is to determine what is needed and why” (Johnson, P. F., Leenders, M. R., & Flynn, A. E. 2010). Need identification depends on a number …show more content…

Evidence exists that thought and careful study have been given to the need and the ways in which it may be satisfied.
2. A standard is established for measuring and checking materials as supplied, preventing delay and waste that would occur with improper materials.
3. An opportunity exists to purchase identical requirements from a number of different sources of supply.
4. The potential exists for equitable competition. This is why public agencies place such a premium on specification writing. In securing bids from various suppliers, a buyer must be sure that the suppliers are quoting for exactly the same material or service. 5. The seller will be responsible for performance when the buyer specifies performance.
(Johnson, P. F., Leenders, M. R., & Flynn, A. E. 2010).

d. How does a supply professional know that a certain requirement is strategic?
In order for the supply professional to know if a certain requirement is strategic, there are a few attributes that have to be in place. The first is the financial implications or the impact of the requirement. It’s the most frequent and is potent as an attribute.
“One potential and frequently used attribute is the financial implication or impact of the requirement. A breakdown of any organization’s acquisition needs according to an ABC analysis in which about 10 percent of the number of separate needs account for 70