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Company Registration# 11483120
Address: International House, 12 Constance Street, London, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ.

Identify four sourcing approaches, and for each one, identify and explain how you apply them to a category of spend within your organisation.

Practitioner Corporate Award

Assessment Code: PSE

This assessment tests the learning outcomes and module content of:

Module: Sourcing Essentials

Task

Identify four sourcing approaches, and for each one, identify and explain how you apply them to a category of spend within your organisation.

Choose one of these categories and develop a supplier appraisal check list.

Guidance for candidates

Your work should consist of 3,000 words. Your assignment should include the assignment title, your candidate number and word count on the front cover, followed by contents page, executive summary, conclusions, recommendations, references and a bibliography. Any source materials such as web sites, company reports, indices, market data, articles, journals or texts should be listed in your references or bibliography in accordance with a recognised referencing system. Your assignment submission should be word processed with a minimum font size 12pt and 1.5 or double line spacing. Refer to the Assignment Guidance document for more information.

  1. This assignment enables you to demonstrate the knowledge and understanding you have gained within the programme, together with your ability to research, analyse and problem solve a range of different procurement and supply related situations and challenges.
  2. You are advised to read carefully the complete Assignment Guidance available from the My Learning section on the LMS (Learning Management System) before commencing your submission.
  3. You are expected to approach your assignment from a procurement and supply context using the module content as the basis of your submission.
  4. It is recommended that you base your assignment upon the business unit or organisation you work for, as it is likely you will be able to access appropriate information and data that you will require to underpin and support your final submission.
  5. Your assignment must be your own work. In order to avoid plagiarism, whenever you use someone’s words directly, or make reference to the ideas or work of others, you must reference this appropriately using a recognised referencing system, as outlined in the Assignment Guidance document. Failure to reference the work of others, whether intentional or accidental, is considered plagiarism which constitutes a form of cheating and is not tolerated by CIPS.
  6. Your assignment submission will be assessed according to the following assessment criteria (see the complete Assessment Guidance document (LMS – My Learning) for more information):
  • Application and insight (40%)
  • Research (20%)
  • Knowledge and approach (20%)
  • Structure and presentation (20%)

7. Plan your assignment to ensure that you have addressed all elements of the assignment task and the assessment criteria, as well as the module learning outcomes. Think carefully about the structure, style and content of your assignment.

8. Please include your CIPS candidate number on each page of your assignment submission and include the total word count of your submission. Your name should not appear on your assignment.

9. Your assignment can be up to 10% below the stated word count, or up to 10% higher than the stated word count. If your assignment exceeds the stated word count by more than 10%, marks may be deducted. The assignment guidance explains what is and what is not to be included in the word count. Your reference list and bibliography is excluded from the word count.

10. Please ensure you hand in your submission no later than the deadline date. There are penalties if your submission is handed in late without prior agreement from CIPS. If your submission is late, your result will be capped at 50%.

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International House, 12 Constance Street, London, United Kingdom,
E16 2DQ

UK Registered Company # 11483120


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Sample Answer

Executive Summary

This assignment identifies four sourcing approaches and applies each to a live category of spend within a UK grocery and convenience retailer that trades through local stores and an e-commerce channel. The purpose is practical: to show how the choice of approach improves cost transparency, service performance and risk control when it is matched to the character of each category.

For fresh produce, multiple sourcing is used to keep lead times short, protect availability during weather or harvest changes and keep quality stable through competition between pre-qualified growers and aggregators. For branded frozen foods, a single/strategic source is selected so that case fill, product integrity and promotional planning are consistent across stores and online. For printed packaging and delivery bags, competitive e-sourcing is used because the items are specification-driven and supplied by many capable printers; the approach provides clear comparisons on quality and service as well as price. For POS hardware, a global sourcing route backed by total cost of ownership (TCO) evaluation is chosen because most value is unlocked at selection and through after-sales support over the life of the equipment.

One category, printed packaging and delivery bags, is taken further by developing a supplier appraisal checklist that can be applied at pre-qualification and final award, and then reused in quarterly reviews. The assignment concludes that clear specifications, simple contracts with workable remedies and a small number of relevant measures produce better outcomes than large rulebooks. Recommendations convert the analysis into next steps that the organisation can implement without heavy overhead.

Four Sourcing Approaches Applied to Organisational Spend

1. Multiple Sourcing for Fresh Produce

Fresh produce moves quickly and spoils if conditions are wrong. Seasonal patterns, weather and demand spikes are normal. The organisation therefore treats fresh produce as a category that benefits from multiple sourcing. Keeping a panel of three to five approved UK growers or aggregators per key line (for example tomatoes, potatoes and leafy greens) spreads risk and tightens response times. Daily availability and price are gathered early each morning against a short specification that sets grade, size ranges, packaging and minimum arrival temperature. Orders are then placed on a rotating basis, favouring the supplier that offers the best combination of today’s price and recent quality performance for that specific item.

Contracts are deliberately simple. Call-off agreements set out minimum hygiene standards, crate or case requirements, vehicle cleanliness, and time windows for delivery into the retailer’s depot. A weekly price reset process is agreed so that neither party is locked into unworkable terms during volatile weeks. The retailer reserves the right to reallocate volumes where service or quality drop below tolerance.

Results are measured with a handful of practical indicators: on-time-in-full (OTIF) arrival at or above a defined target; first-pass acceptance on inspection; shrinkage kept within a narrow limit; and temperature readings on receipt. If quality falls, the supplier is asked for a short corrective action statement and volume is dialled back until performance is stable again. Batch identification is recorded at goods-in so that any problem can be traced to a specific farm lot without the need for broad withdrawals.

The main risks, crop failure in a region, sudden market price changes and inconsistent grading, are addressed by keeping alternatives live, by moving orders between suppliers when necessary and by checking quality at the door with quick feedback to the supplier contact. The approach accepts the reality of daily movement and uses it to keep the shelves full with good produce rather than trying to force long, rigid contracts on a perishable category.

2. Single/Strategic Sourcing for Branded Frozen Foods

Customer demand for branded frozen foods is stable and preference is specific. Consistency of case fill and flawless cold-chain handling matter more to the shopper than small price differences. The retailer therefore uses a single/strategic sourcing approach. One UK distributor or manufacturer is selected to supply the core branded range for a fixed term, normally one to two years.

Selection is made through a structured request for proposal. Candidates are evaluated on landed cost, service history, systems integration with order management, and the strength of their frozen chain (including temperatures at loading and on arrival, data capture and corrective actions for excursions). The winning supplier works with the retailer on forecasts, promotional calendars and new product introductions. The contract defines minimum service levels such as case fill, pick accuracy and delivery punctuality, as well as a fair returns process for any product affected by temperature or date issues.

Dependency risk is not ignored. A pre-qualified fallback distributor is kept in view with technical approval completed, even though steady business flows through the primary supplier. If there is a disruption, the retailer can transfer a defined proportion of volume immediately for a short period while the issue is resolved. Price movement is handled through a simple and transparent review mechanism tied to agreed cost drivers, rather than ad hoc requests.

Performance is reviewed monthly. Case fill, temperature excursions, returns and the timing of promotional stock all feature on a one-page scorecard. The review meeting is short and focused on actions the following month. This calm, predictable rhythm is part of the value of a single/strategic relationship: it reduces noise in the operation and lets both sides plan.

Front cover (title, CIPS candidate number, word count), contents page, executive summary, main body (four sourcing approaches applied to your organisation + one supplier appraisal checklist), conclusions, recommendations, references, bibliography.

3,000 words (±10%). References and bibliography are excluded. If you exceed the mark by more than 10%, marks may be deducted. Refer to the Assignment Guidance for additional information on what counts toward the total.

Application & insight 40%; Research 20%; Knowledge & approach 20%; Structure & presentation 20%. Plan your work to hit each area

Word-processed, minimum 12-pt font, 1.5 or double spacing. Put your CIPS candidate number on every page; do not include your name. Use a recognised referencing system (e.g., Harvard). Submit by the deadline; late work without approval is capped at 50%. Avoid plagiarism by citing all sources.

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