A clear route from product brief to supplier handoff
Understand the information, approvals and records needed at each purchasing stage. GBPH Sourcing coordinates the agreed tasks while you retain control of key commercial decisions.
Choose your starting route
Sourcing Partnership managed sourcing
Begin with a specification and sourcing brief. Review a product quote with the agreed sourcing service included.
Review Sourcing Partnership sourcing →Supplier Support order management
Start with your supplier, PO and current order stage. Add defined coordination at 5%, with a $100 minimum per order.
Review Supplier Support management →Project Desk engagement
Scope supplier checks, sample work, inspection coordination or recurring procurement capacity.
Review individual services →Your purchase in five stages
Each stage connects the information you provide with the record you can review.
Define the brief
Share the product, quantity, destination and current supplier situation.
A confirmed starting route and a list of missing information.
Compare and agree
Review supplier offers or a scoped service proposal.
Comparable costs, deliverables and responsibilities before approval.
Approve the reference
Review samples, specifications, packaging and production terms.
A recorded product version and the approvals needed for production.
Follow production and checks
Review milestones, open issues and agreed inspection findings.
Updates showing outstanding actions and the decisions you need to make.
Coordinate dispatch and reorder
Approve the handoff and retain the final purchasing record.
Shipment information for the provider and a reference for the next order.
Open the complete ten-step checklist
Send a product brief or current order
Include product specifications, quantity per SKU, destination, target budget and deadline. For an existing supplier, add the current PO and order status. A reference link helps explain the product but does not replace specifications.
Review feasibility and responsibility
We assess category fit, specification readiness, available resources and the help required. The scope identifies the parties handling manufacturing, inspection, freight and relevant specialist work.
Confirm the scope and commercial model
You receive a product quotation or service proposal defining fees, included deliverables, exclusions, payment milestones and changes that require approval. An inquiry alone does not authorize paid work.
Research and compare where required
For new sourcing, suppliers receive a consistent RFQ. Quotes are compared for specification, MOQ, tooling, timing and trade terms. Existing-supplier work begins by organizing the approved order baseline.
Order and evaluate samples
Authorize sample and courier costs. Compare the sample with your requirements and record each revision. Identify the approved physical sample or documented reference before committing to bulk manufacture.
Approve the purchase order
Confirm quantities, product version, packaging, timing, contract party and payment arrangements. Tooling ownership, confidentiality and product remedies belong in the relevant written agreements.
Follow production and resolve issues
Track milestones and supplier updates. Cost changes, material substitutions, delays and quality exceptions are escalated for your decision and recorded against the order.
Coordinate independent checks
Where commissioned, the inspection provider checks against the approved scope and reports the findings. You decide whether to release, hold, rework or reinspect the goods.
Prepare dispatch
Confirm final packing data, commercial documents and the freight handoff. Consolidation, prep, storage and customs support are handled by the providers and under the terms selected for the project.
Close the record and plan the reorder
Retain the final specification, approval history, inspection findings and supplier actions. Reorders should reference the approved version and any agreed improvements rather than restart from old assumptions.
Who approves what
| Decision | GBPH Sourcing coordinates | Buyer or relevant provider approves |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier selection | Research, comparison and open questions | Buyer chooses the supplier or accepts the product quote |
| Product specification | Requirements and revision records | Buyer approves the product and packaging |
| Added cost | Scope, quote and reason for change | Buyer authorizes the additional spend |
| Inspection | Brief, booking and supplier follow-up | Provider reports; buyer decides release |
| Shipment | Readiness data and document handoff | Appointed freight and customs providers confirm their scope |
Approvals and changes
Open the guidance that applies to your order.
Use approval gates to keep changes visible
A milestone says where the work should be. An approval gate says which decision allows it to continue. The distinction matters when a sample is accepted with an unresolved point, an artwork file changes after a quotation or an inspection identifies work that still needs attention.
| Approval gate | Confirm before moving on |
|---|---|
| RFQ release | The product version, quantities and commercial questions are clear enough for comparable responses. |
| Supplier or offer selection | The buyer understands the evidence, exclusions and remaining qualification steps. |
| Production release | The relevant sample, product and packaging versions are approved and the PO is agreed. |
| Additional work | The changed task, fee or provider cost and its effect on timing have been authorized. |
| Shipment release | The authorized party has reviewed the required evidence and any open exceptions. |
When the brief changes, update the record
Changes are normal in sourcing. The important question is whether everyone is acting on the same change. A revised quantity can affect packaging MOQ; a new material can affect a sample; a different carton can affect a freight estimate. Capture those links before a supplier or provider proceeds.
The change record should identify the original requirement, proposed revision, reason, known cost and timing impact, approver and relevant file version. The detail can be proportionate to the decision. A minor artwork correction and a new manufacturing route do not need the same discussion, but both need an identifiable approved reference.
At closeout, retain the versions and decisions that matter to a repeat purchase. A complete message archive is not the same as a usable buying file. The next person reviewing the order should be able to find what was approved without reconstructing every conversation.
Build a realistic schedule
A standard product with a complete brief can follow a different timetable from a custom product needing tooling or laboratory work. Supplier response, sample rounds, production capacity, inspection access and freight availability all affect the schedule.
The project proposal should identify the next checkpoint, its dependencies and the information still required. A target date is useful for planning; an unexplained “two-day sourcing” promise is not a substitute for qualification.
Start at the right stage
Tell GBPH Sourcing whether you are defining a product, comparing suppliers, waiting on a factory or planning a shipment.