QUESTION 4

A). List the seven steps in the purchasing cycle (3 marks)

B). Describe the purposes, similarities, and differences among purchase requisitions, purchase orders, and requests for quotation. (150 words maximum) (4 marks)

C). The entire Campus at University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) needs a fresh coat of paint so you, as the Materials Manager, is charged with securing a painting contract to accomplish this. You locate four painting contractors and ask them for their performance on four criteria. Their responses, along with your minimum standards and the importance you place on each criterion, is shown in the table. Note that Management has agreed to use a five-point scale (Excellent/strongly positive = 5, Very good/positive = 4, Good = 3, Fair = 2, Poor = 1) to quantify and compare their subjective opinions about the criterion. Assign scores from 1 to 5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent, for each contractor's performance on each criterion and determine who should be awarded the contract. Write a brief explanation for all the 1s and 5s you assign. (8 marks)

Criterion	Cost	Paint Time	Experience	References	Paint Quality
Contractors	20%	25%	20%	20%	15%
Rowe	$22,000	5 days	15 years	Positive	20 years
Nunes	$20,000	4 days	10 years	Strongly positive	Lifetime
Plummer	$25,000	8 days	3 years	Positive	25 years
May	$22,500	5 days	25 years	Strongly positive	20 years
Minimum Standard	Less than $25,000	Less than 1 week	5 years in business	No negative references out of three	15-year guarantee