6.2.1 Determining sources of supply

The procurement unit needs to assess which sources (local, national and international) can deliver the right quantity and quality of product the most quickly. As part of the EPP process, the CO may have pre-identified suppliers. Check the EPP first.

The first principle should be to source all commodities locally and in-country, as close to the field as possible to reduce transport time and cost. However, this is often not feasible in emergency contexts due to limited availability or poor quality. Sometimes a combination of sources will be required to achieve the right quantity, quality and speed of delivery.

Note that many CO standard non-emergency procurement policies require procurements over a certain value to be completed by the head office of the CO. Decentralising procurement to sub-offices by increasing their authorisation levels can make the procurement faster if goods are available in sub-office locations (see section 3).