Supplier management

ProcurEU definition

Supplier management involves building and maintaining effective relationships with current and potential future suppliers. It is essential to ensuring the successful delivery of current contracts and of future calls for tender. In addition, increased understanding of suppliers can help procurement professionals drive more robust, ethical, responsible and economically advantageous supply chains through open channels of communication with suppliers, especially SMEs. Providing information, guidance and potentially support and training to suppliers (e.g. on the use of e-procurement) are efficient ways to achieve these objectives, while ensuring that communication with economic operators during the tendering phase is in accordance with public procurement principles (i.e. non-discrimination, transparency, and equal treatment) and ethical standards.