Something is Wrong with the Reference Check System…

By Steve Isaac at Procurated

“Unreliable.” “Inaccurate.” “A bunch of fluff BS.”

These are the candid responses from an audience of Public Procurement Professionals when asked the question “How would you describe the current supplier reference check process in RFPs.”

But the most common answer? “Useless.” That’s right, Procurement teams across the country and across the state of California are engaging in a process that – near unanimously - we all agree is a complete waste of time.

I am reminded of the Einstein quote about how insanity is doing something over and over and expecting different results. This process is in place because in our combined experience, we recognize the value and necessity of understanding the past performance of our suppliers. The reference check was a way to get to a kernel of that information. But the cherry-picked reference data is flawed – it automatically skews that understanding of past performance to the extreme positive end of the spectrum.

The good news is this: procurement professionals are more connected than ever. We no longer need to rely on cherry-picked past performance information – instead, we have access to shared public procurement community insights. Procurated currently has over 42,000 supplier ratings and reviews – exclusively from verified public sector and higher educational procurement professionals. Accessing this information is entirely free.

Stop the insanity of your current reference process. Rely on the candid feedback of your procurement peers to improve your supplier reference and performance management process.