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Thank you for your invitation, specifications should always come from the end user, however purchaser can make suggestions to help the user identify his/her requirements especially if the material has been procured before. But since there is a word above "active role" then for me it may not be necessary to the purchaser to give suggestions always on the specifications, then my answer is NO.
Defining a specification should always rest with the end user or the technical team's responsibility, purchase/procurement department should always refrain themselves from it, unless otherwise procurement department is categorized as an end user for any particular purchase.
In general, if the end user or technical department doesn't know much about the desired product and also are not being able to develop the clear specifications, then in this case procurement department should run the request for proposals (RFP) process from the relevant suppliers. Through this after acquiring product proposals, end user/technical team will be able to develop the specifications for any particular product.
Specifications should be finalized by end user. However, the procurement can work as a catalyst to speed up the process of finalization of specifications by providing end user with sample of specifications which is contractually obligated or typical specifications used in similar projects before
It may be, may not be, it depends on Procurement professional's experience or academic background if he has knowledge of product or equipment's technical and functional specification then PP can suggest otherwise left to End users.
The main aim of both the end users and purchasers should be to procure appropriate materials/ equipment that serve the intended purpose fully in a cost effective manner.
As per standard practice, the specification should come from end users. However, the purchasing professional shall review, analyse the specification and discuss with the end users and suggest if any update/ change in size, capacity or material content is to be made.
It is noted here that any change of specification by purchaser must be endorsed /approved by the end user otherwise end user may raise objection later on.
The main aim of both the end users and purchasers should be to procure appropriate materials/ equipment that serve the intended purpose fully in a cost effective manner.
Thank you for asking such a simple but nice question. Obviously, always the specification comes from the end user. On the other hand, procurement guy also can suggest in that sense that as they are dealing with product quality and price, they know better than anyone else.
Thus, considering the above explanation, we can say that, product specifications should always comes from the end user but procurement guy can provide some input on request of end user.
It's always good to tell your viewpoint or to advice about the product but this just should be a suggestion nothing else , at the end of the day the person who is gonna use the same should have the right to select what he require .
It is absolutely acceptable / appropriate for procurement processionals to intervene into, challenge, suggest changes in the specification and to actively prevent custom made (to narrow) specifications. Procurement professionals are aware of the fact that specs and evaluation criteria strongly influence the outcome of tender and it is their job to enable as many qualified vendors to take part in the tender as possible, thus enabling best deal for the company.
Absolutely Yes!
Many companies, I have found that, they prefer to hire commercial person for this post and my perception is, he should be techno-commercial ! I have worked as a Techno-Commercial specialist in Gulf ( Bahrain) Professional, so how imp this is, I know it very well... Unless you don't understand the exact need of an item/ project ( by its chemical/mechanical/ environmental properties, you never would do the best deal as a Purchaser/ procurement officer.
To some limited extent, by and large specifications making is the work of the use.
Yes it's acceptable to do so , this suggestion comes through the experience and that you know what the user is looking for
