Help me conduct procurement research for [PURCHASE CATEGORY OR NEED]. Our business need and intended outcome are [BUSINESS CONTEXT AND REQUIREMENTS]. The expected spend, volume, geography, and target decision date are [COMMERCIAL SCOPE AND TIMING]. Our mandatory requirements, policy rules, and risk constraints are [MANDATORY CRITERIA AND CONSTRAINTS]. The stakeholders and available internal information are [STAKEHOLDERS AND AVAILABLE EVIDENCE]. First, distinguish facts supplied by me from assumptions and research questions. Do not claim that a supplier, price, certification, market share, contract term, or regulation has been verified unless supporting evidence is provided or a source is explicitly named. Do not recommend contacting, selecting, or committing to a supplier before the applicable approval process. Produce a procurement research brief with these sections: 1. Research charter: decision to support, scope, exclusions, decision owner, deadline, and research questions.
2. Market map: supplier segments, business models, geographic coverage, incumbent alternatives, market conditions to investigate, and source types to consult.
3. Supplier longlist: a table with candidate suppliers, known facts, unverified claims, apparent fit, disqualifiers, evidence needed, and research priority. If no candidates are supplied, explain how to build the longlist rather than inventing names.
4. Qualification screen: separate pass/fail requirements from preferences. Cover capability, capacity, implementation, total cost, financial stability, data security, privacy, regulatory needs, sustainability, geographic coverage, and continuity risk.
5. Evidence plan: a table with research question, source or owner, validation method, due date, and decision impact. Identify claims needing written supplier confirmation or independent verification.
6. Sourcing recommendation: recommend only the next stage, such as retain, issue an RFI, seek quotes, run an RFx, conduct due diligence, or document a sole-source rationale for policy review. Include owners, dependencies, and a timeline through [COMMERCIAL SCOPE AND TIMING].
End with the five highest-value research actions and unresolved decisions. Before answering, check that every next step traces to a stated requirement or evidence gap, and flag each mandatory criterion without a verification method. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [PURCHASE CATEGORY OR NEED] | Describe the product, service, or supplier category being researched. | Managed endpoint detection and response for a 320-person U.S. software company. |
| [BUSINESS CONTEXT AND REQUIREMENTS] | State the business problem, scope, expected outcomes, and operational requirements. | Replace internal monitoring with 24/7 threat monitoring, incident triage, macOS and Windows support, and Microsoft Entra ID integration. |
| [COMMERCIAL SCOPE AND TIMING] | Provide expected spend, volumes, locations, contract horizon, and target decision date. | $120,000 to $180,000 annual spend; 540 endpoints; U.S. and Canada; select by February 15 and start April 1. |
| [MANDATORY CRITERIA AND CONSTRAINTS] | List mandatory capabilities, approval thresholds, security, legal, regulatory, and policy requirements. | SOC 2 Type II, U.S.-based incident response, SSO, breach-notification terms, security review, and a competitive process above $100,000. |
| [STAKEHOLDERS AND AVAILABLE EVIDENCE] | List decision makers, reviewers, incumbents, internal data, known suppliers, and existing contracts. | CISO owns the decision; IT operations implements; Legal and Privacy review terms; current SIEM contract and incident reports are available. |
How to use
- Paste your actual policy thresholds and mandatory criteria.
- Replace generated supplier entries with candidates supported by approved sources.
- Check that every supplier claim has a source, owner, and validation method.
- Send: “Turn the evidence plan into an RFI question set, separating mandatory questions from scored questions.”
Variations
Supplier market map
Use this before building a longlist in an unfamiliar category.
Create a supplier market-research plan for [CATEGORY] serving [BUYER PROFILE AND GEOGRAPHY]. The business outcome is [OUTCOME], and the constraints are [CONSTRAINTS]. Produce a market map with supplier segments, delivery models, buying channels, switching costs, pricing structures to investigate, relevant standards, and likely supply risks. List credible source types and a research sequence. Do not state market statistics, supplier capabilities, or prices as facts without a supplied source. Ask up to 3 questions only if required input is missing. Check that the market segments match the buyer's actual use case.
Due diligence plan
Use this after identifying a potential supplier and before requesting approval.
Build a due-diligence plan for [SUPPLIER] providing [PRODUCT OR SERVICE]. Use [PURCHASE CONTEXT], [RISK PROFILE], and [POLICY REQUIREMENTS]. Return a checklist grouped by commercial, financial, legal, security, privacy, operational, continuity, and compliance review. For each item, state the evidence needed, validation owner, approval gate, and red flags that stop the process. Separate supplier assertions from independently verified evidence. Do not assume certifications, insurance, data handling, or subcontractor practices. Ask up to 3 questions only if required input is missing. Check that every high-risk exposure has an owner and escalation path.
Incumbent benchmark
Use this before renewing, renegotiating, or testing the market.
Prepare a market-benchmark research brief for [INCUMBENT SUPPLIER AND SERVICE]. Use [CURRENT CONTRACT AND SPEND], [USAGE AND PERFORMANCE], [BUSINESS CHANGES], and [RENEWAL DATE]. Produce a fact-based comparison plan covering service fit, price and term questions to test, alternative supplier segments, transition costs, notice-period risk, and evidence needed for a renew-versus-compete decision. Do not claim benchmark pricing or savings without cited data. Ask up to 3 questions only if required input is missing. Check that the plan preserves time for notice, sourcing, review, and implementation.
Tips
- Define the decision the research supports before collecting suppliers; a longlist is not useful without agreed pass/fail criteria.
- Treat supplier claims, references, certifications, and marketing material as different evidence types with different reliability.
- Research total cost beyond unit price, including implementation, integration, support tiers, minimum commitments, renewal terms, and exit costs.
- Keep a dated evidence log so later reviewers can distinguish verified findings from assumptions and stale information.
FAQ
Can AI find and recommend suppliers for me?
It can structure a market map and research plan, but supplier claims need validation through current, credible sources and your organization’s process.
What is the difference between procurement research and an RFI?
Procurement research is internal work to understand the market and sourcing approach. An RFI is a formal supplier request once you know what to test.
Should I research pricing before contacting suppliers?
Yes, when credible public, internal, or approved benchmark data exists. Use it for questions and negotiation ranges, not as a firm market price.