Here is a case study by Dragon Sourcing on Tapioca Starch Sourcing Case from the Food Additive category of Packaging sector for the year 2018 covering Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. For details contact: www.dragonsourcing.com
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Context
Background:
• Client is one of the world's leading forest industry groups. In 2016, client's sales totaled € 9,8 billion. Client is
present in 45 countries and has production plants in 13 countries. The company employs approximately 19,300
people worldwide. Client’s paper product offering ranges from publication and office papers to specialty papers
for various end-uses.
Project objectives:
• To deliver sustainable procurement savings through identifying and fully qualifying competitive suppliers in
Vietnam capable of meeting the quality requirements.
Geographical scope:
• Thailand
• Vietnam
• Cambodia
Deliverables:
• RFI / RFQ Template
• RFI / RFQ report
• Balanced Scorecard
• Supplier profiles
• Recommended audit supplier list
5. • Analyse spend category in detail
– Specifications and quality
requirements
– Volumes
– Deadlines
• Analyse supply market and identify
potential suppliers
• Pre-qualify potential suppliers
through an RFI process
• Manage RFP process with pre-
qualified suppliers
• Analyse supplier responses and
calculate fully delivered price
(logistics, import duties, ADT,..)
• Develop Business case and
implementation plan
• Shortlist suppliers based on
RFI/RFP process
• Audit shortlisted suppliers
• Select 2-3 suppliers for sample
development process
• Manage sample development
process
• Conduct final negotiations and
select suppliers
• Finalise Contract
Below is the Dragon Sourcing standard 3 stage process
Feasibility Analysis
Supplier Selection
and Contracting
Procurement
Operations
• Manage P/O and agree payment
terms and details (L/Cs,..)
• Check in process production quality
• Conduct pre-shipment QC
• Arrange logistics
• Manage supplier performance
• Monitor new sourcing opportunities
Keyactivities
6. • Analyse spend category in detail
– Specifications and quality
requirements
– Volumes
– Deadlines
• Analyse supply market and identify
potential suppliers
• Pre-qualify potential suppliers
through an RFI process
• Manage RFP process with pre-
qualified suppliers
• Analyse supplier responses and
calculate fully delivered price
(logistics, import duties, ADT,..)
• Develop Business case and
implementation plan
• Shortlist suppliers based on
RFI/RFP process
• Audit shortlisted suppliers
• Select 2-3 suppliers for sample
development process
• Manage sample development
process
• Conduct final negotiations and
select suppliers
• Finalise Contract
For this project, only stage 1: Feasibility Analysis is required by client
• Manage P/O and agree payment
terms and details (L/Cs,..)
• Check in process production quality
• Conduct pre-shipment QC
• Arrange logistics
• Manage supplier performance
• Monitor new sourcing opportunities
Keyactivities
Feasibility Analysis
Supplier Selection
and Contracting
Procurement
Operations
7. The first step for feasibility analysis was to develop a comprehensive
understanding of the requirements
Product
Type
Product name Specifications Year Volume for RFQ
Order
Frequency
Packaging
Modified tapioca
starch
Surface Sizing Starch
Wet modified oxidized cook-up tapioca starch for surface sizing
• Powder
• White
• No black specks
• pH 6-7
• Brookfield Viscosity 10-30 cps
• for Jet Cooking at point of use
• Food Contact material (US Food and Drug Administration
Regulation 21 CFR 178.3520)
500 tons/year
1,000 tons/year
1,500 tons/year
1 order/month
Bulk Bag, 20’ GP
container
Wet End Starch (Cationic,
Cross-linked)
Wet modified cationic and cross-linked cook up tapioca starch
• Powder
• White
• No black specks
• pH 5-7
• DS 0.030-0.035
• for Jet Cooking at point of use
4,000 tons/year
8,000 tons/year
1 order/month
Bulk Bag, 20’ GP
container
Wet End Starch (Cationic)
Wet modified cationic cook up tapioca starch
• Powder
• White
• No black specks
• pH 5-7
• DS 0.030-0.035
• for Jet Cooking at point of use
2,000 tons/year
4,000 tons/year
8,000 tons/year
1 order/month
Bulk Bag, 20’ GP
container
Wet End Starch (Cationic)
Wet modified cationic cook up tapioca starch
• Powder
• White
• No black specks
• pH 5-7
• DS 0.035-0.04
• for Jet Cooking at point of use
2,000 tons/year
4,000 tons/year
8,000 tons/year
1 order/month
Bulk Bag, 20’ GP
container
Native tapioca
starch
Native tapioca starch
Native tapioca starch
• Powder
• White
• No black specks
• pH 5-7
• Protein content <0.4%
2,000 tons/year
4,000 tons/year
8,000 tons/year
1 order/month
Bulk Bag, 20’ GP
container
8. 8
Then an extensive supplier data base is built in GSP leveraging multiple
sources of information
9. 9
If the category has already existed in GSP, we can add suppliers by product
category
10. 10
If the category does not exist in GSP, the external website can be accessed linking
from GSP and the relevant suppliers can be added as per project wise
Drag the supplier link and drop
11. After building a supplier long list, a telephone pre-screening process is carried
out to select the suppliers to be included in the RFI/RFQ process
11
Remark
•Phone screening process is a filtration stage from large database of suppliers identified to discard the suppliers not able to fit in the
minimum key criteria’s.
•Phone screening stage should be limited to key questions only (normally 4-5 questions)
•Please note, suppliers not able to answer the question for “Must have” will be considered as disqualified for next step of RFI /RFQ
process.
•Please specify if any key question need to be included which should be consider as a MUST criteria for the supplier.
No. Pre-screening question Reply
1 Are you black listed in the U.S. ? Must reply “no”
2 Are you manufacturer or trader?
Must
“manufacturer”
3 Are you familiar with paper industry or food industry?
Prefer to reply
“Yes”
4 Do you have export license? Must have
12. Yes / No Expiration date
ISO 9001:2008
ISO 14000
Expiration date
4-2 Other company certifications do you have?
4-3
4-4
4-5
4-6
4-7
4-8
4-9
4-10
4-11
What percentage do you achieve on average in out going quality measures (% rejected)?
How long do you keep the QC records?
4-1
Do you have daily on line quality inspection? (Y/N)
Name of Certificate
V. Quality Control and Testing Equipment
Does the personnel responsible for quality have the authority to stop production to correct quality
Does the Company investigate the causes of non conforming products and determine the corrective
Has the Company defined and documented its corporate quality policy, objectives and commitments to
IV. Quality, Environmental and Product Certification
Do you have formal QC criteria for in-house quality control? (Y/N)
What quality and environmental registrations do you have?
Has the Company established and maintained a training plan to the personnel? (Y/N)
Does your daily on line inspection carry for all batches or just some batches? (Y/N)
III. Production Capacity
3-1
Can your company produce Modified Tapioca Starch? If yes, what's the
total maximum production capacity ( tons/ year) in 2016? What's the actual
annual production (ton/year) in 2016?
3-2
Can your company produce Native Tapioca Starch? If yes, what's the total
maximum production capacity ( tons/ year) in 2016? What's the actual
annual production (ton/year) in 2016?
Surface
Sizing Starch
Wet End Starch
(Cationic, Cross-linked)
DS: DS 0.030-0.035
Wet End Starch
(Cationic)
DS:0.035-0.04
Native
tapioca
starch
3-4
Do you know US Food and Drug Administration Regulation 21 CFR
178.3520? And if your product can meet this regulation?
Date acquired Quantity
3-5 Please list production equipment that you have
3-6 Do you have a preventative maintenance programme in place (Y/N)?
3-7 Do you have a formal/documented Inventory Management System?(Y/N)
3-8 Do you use ERP (Enterprise resource planning) system?
3-9 Do you follow the FIFO (fisrt input, first output)management with your stock?
Equipment
3-3
Do your company produce the Tapioca Starch in the right list? If yes, do
you produce by your own or outsourcing?
I. Company Background
2-1 Is your company a manufacturer, distributor or broker ?
2-2
If you are a manufacturer, please describe your commercial approach
(direct or Indirect Sales, through agents …)
2-3 What date was your company founded?
2-4 Ownership (State Owned/ Priviate/Foreign Investement)
2-5 Registration capital (USD)
2-6 What is the nationality/region of your company?
2-7 What is the workfloor size of your factory and warehouse (m²)?
2-8 How many employees do you have in total?
2-9
Do you have a good English speaker and writer in your factory? How
many are they?
2-10 Do you have an export license ?
2-11 How many years of export experience do you have?
2-12
Do you have any representation abroad? (Y/N) If Yes, which countries
the company is present?
2-13 What's your main products?
2-14
Do you have experience of providing Tapioca Starch for food industry
or paper industry?
2-15 Do your company own Tapioca farm?
R&D Lab
Quality
Control
Factory
workers
2-16 How many people do you have in these positions?
2017
Forecast
2-17 Total sales turnover (in USD)
US (%)
Western
EU (%)
South
east Asia
Others
(%)
Total (%)
2-18 % Sales exports to the main markets (US, Europe, Japan)
Customer
s
Industry Country
% of
sales
Type of
product
II. Corporate Responsibility
2-21
2-22
2-23
2-24
2-20 Please list your Top 3 tapioca starch customers in paper industry
Do you adhere to all rules and regulations in respect to health and safety issues?
(Y/N)
2-19
Sales &
Management
20152016
Please list your Top 3 tapioca starch customers in food industry
Do you adhere to all rules and regulations in respect to child labor? (Y/N)
Do you adhere to all rules and regulations in respect to environmental issues?
Are the working hours specified in the employment contract? (Y/N)
After completing the phone pre-screening process, we will begin to administer
the RFI/RFQ process
12
Company
Backgroud
Production
Capacity
Quality and
certificate
Product
Type
Specifications
Order
Frequency
Packaging
Requirement
Year
Volume
(tons)
Price
based on
Year
Volume
Price
based
on
MOQ
Pls
provide
your
MOQ
FOB
port
Price
based on
Year
Volume
Price
based
on MOQ
Produc
tion
lead
time
How many
tons/bulk
bag?
How many
bulk
bags/20'c
container
2,000
4,000
Product Informtion
Native tapioca
starch
-Powder
-White
Loading information
1 order/
month
Native
tapioca
starch
Bulk Bag, 20’
GP container
FOB Price (US$/ton) CIF Changshu,China
Quotation
RFQ
13. And GSP can track all the steps including phone screening process, RFI-RFQ
process and so on
13
14. Business information Weight of criteria Scoring Max Score per criteria Weight of the section
Year Founded 5% 1=After 2010; 2=from 2006 to 2010; 3=from 2000 to 2005; 4=before 2000 4
30%
Registered capital in USD 5% 1= < 0.5M; 2= ≥ 0.5M and ≤ 1M;3= >1 M and ≤ 2M; 4= >2M 4
Total empolyees 5% 1=< 100 2= ≥100 and ≤200 3= >200 and ≤300 4= >300 4
Workfloor size (M2) 5% 1= < 5000m2;2= ≥ 5000 and ≤10000m2;3= >10000 and ≤ 15000m2;4= >15000m2 4
How many employees can communicate in English? 5% 1= < 3 staff;2= ≥3 and ≤10 staff;3= >10 and ≤20 staff;4= >20 staff 4
How many years of export experience do you have? 5% 1=Less than 5 years;2=5-10 years;3=More than 10 years 3
Turnover in 2017 in USD 5% 1= < 5M;2= ≥5 and ≤10M;3= >10 and ≤20M;4= >20M 4
Turnover in 2016 in USD 5% 1= < 5M;2= ≥5 and ≤10M;3= >10 and ≤20M;4= >20M 4
Turnover in 2015 in USD 5% 1= < 5M;2= ≥5 and ≤10M;3= >10 and ≤20M;4= >20M 4
Do you have experience of providing Tapioca Starch for food industry or paper industry? 10% 0=No;1=only food or only paper;2=Both food and paper 2
Do your company own Tapioca farm? 10% 0=No;1=Yes 1
Top 3 tapioca starch customers in food industry 10% 0=No or Not provided;1=Local customers;2=National customers;3=International customers 3
Top 3 tapioca starch customers in paper industry 10% 0=No or Not provided;1=Local customers;2=National customers;3=International customers 3
Provide factory pictures 5% 0=No;1=Partly;2=All 2
Cooperation during RFI/RFQ 5% 1= Poor;2= Satisfactory;3= Excellent 3
Completeness of RFI/RFQ 5% 1= Poor;2= Satisfactory;3= Excellent 3
Subtotal 100% 3 30%
Production Weight of criteria Scoring Max Score per criteria Weight of the section
Total maximum production capacity for Modified Tapioca Starch (in tons)? 5%
1=< 20K tons;2= ≥20K tons and ≤50K tons;3= >50K tons and ≤80K tons
4= >80K tons and ≤100K tons;5= >100K tons
5
40%
Total maximum production capacity for Native Tapioca Starch (in tons)? 5%
1=< 20K tons;2= ≥20K tons and ≤50K tons;3= >50K tons and ≤80K tons;
4= >80K tons and ≤100K tons;5= >100K tons
5
Can you produce "Surface Sizing Starch" 10% 0=No;1=Yes but oursource;2=Yes and in house 2
Can you produce "Wet End Starch (Cationic, Cross-linked)" 10% 0=No;1=Yes but oursource;2=Yes and in house 2
Can you produce "Wet End Starch" DS:0.030-0.035 10% 0=No;1=Yes but oursource;2=Yes and in house 2
Can you produce "Wet End Starch (Cationic)" DS:0.035-0.04 10% 0=No;1=Yes but oursource;2=Yes and in house 2
Can you produce "Native tapioca starch" 10% 0=No;1=Yes but oursource;2=Yes and in house 2
If your product can meet US Food and Drug Administration Regulation 21 CFR 178.3520? 10% 0=No;1=Yes 1
Equipment list available 10% 0=No;1=Yes 1
preventative maintenance programme 5% 0=No;1=Yes 1
Do you have a formal/documented Inventory Management System? 5% 0=No;1=Yes 1
Do you use ERP? 5% 0=No;1=Yes 1
Do you follow the FIFO management with your stock? 5% 0=No;1=Yes 1
Subtotal 100% 2 40%
Quality system Weight of criteria Scoring Max Score per criteria Weight of the section
ISO 9001 20% 0= No;1= Yes 1
20%
ISO 14001 20% 0= No;1= Yes 1
Others 10% 0= No;1= Yes 1
Do you have daily on line quality inspection? (Y/N) 10% 0= No;1= Yes 1
Reject ratio 10% 0= Reject ratio>3%;1= Reject ratio 1-3%;2= Reject ratio <1% 2
Accept 3rd party QC 10% 0= No;1= Yes 1
QC records 10% 0= No;1= Yes, less than 1 year;2= Yes, 1 to 3 years;3= Yes, above 3 years 3
Test equipment available 10% 0= No;1= Yes 1
Subtotal 100% 1 20%
RFQ Weight of criteria Scoring Max Score per criteria Weight of the section
Surface Sizing Starch 20%
0= above 15% higher than average price;1= From 5% to 15% higher than average price
2= From 0% to 5% higher than average price;3=From 0% to -5% lower than average price
4= From -5% to -15% lower than average price;5= Lower than -15%;
5
10%
Wet End Starch (Cationic, Cross-linked) 20% 5
Wet End Starch DS:0.030-0.035 20% 5
Wet End Starch (Cationic) DS:0.035-0.04 20% 5
Native tapioca starch 20% 5
Subtotal 100% 5 10%
The RFI-RFQ responses are analyzed using a score card validated by the
client
14
Business
information
Production
Capacity
Quality and
certificate
RFQ
15. No. Country Supplier
Business
information
(max 30
points)
Production
Capability
(max 40 points)
Quality
system
(max 20
points)
Total
points
(max 100
points)
No. of
items
quoted
Rank by
RFI
Items quoted
Recommend to
visitNative
Tapioca
Starch
Surface
Sizing
Starch
Wet End
Starch
(Cationic,
Cross-linked)
Wet End
Starch
(Cationic)
DS 0.030-
0.035
Wet End
Starch
(Cationic)
DS 0.035-
0.04
1
Vietnam
Supplier 1 27 16 30 72 1 1 Yes No No No No Yes
2 Supplier 2 27 14 23 63 1 2 Yes No No No No Yes
3 Supplier 3 23 17 16 56 1 3 Yes No No No No Yes
4 Supplier 4 15 9 14 38 1 4 Yes No No No No Maybe
5 Supplier 5 18 8 9 36 1 5 Yes No No No No Maybe
6 Supplier 6 10 17 9 36 1 5 Yes No No No No Maybe
7 Supplier 7 10 11 14 34 1 7 Yes No No No No
8 Supplier 8 17 6 12 34 1 7 Yes No No No No
9 Supplier 9 11 14 9 34 1 7 Yes No No No No Maybe
10 Supplier 10 10 6 7 23 1 10 Yes No No No No Maybe
11 Supplier 11 11 6 2 20 1 11 Yes No No No No
12 Supplier 12 2 4 0 6 1 12 Yes No No No No
13
Thailand
Supplier 13 15 32 18 65 4 1 Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes
14 Supplier 14 18 21 18 57 3 2 No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
15 Supplier 15 12 11 16 38 1 3 Yes No No No No
16 Supplier 16 0 4 0 4 1 4 Yes No No No No Maybe
17
Cambodia
Supplier 17 4 6 0 10 1 1 Yes No No No No Yes
18 Supplier 18 1 7 0 8 1 2 Yes No No No No Maybe
19 Supplier 19 1 5 0 6 1 3 Yes No No No No Maybe
RFI Score card analysis
19 suppliers’ RFI have been ranked, the maximum score is 72 points, the lowest score is 6 points, some
suppliers’ scores are below 10 is because they only provide RFQ or very limited RFI information,
6 suppliers are recommended to visit and 8 suppliers maybe can be visited, most of suppliers only quoted
for native tapioca starch
15
16. 16
RFI Score card analysis
19 suppliers’ RFI have been ranked the maximum score is 72 points, the lowest score is 6 points, some
suppliers’ scores are below 10 is because they only provide RFQ or very limited RFI information,
6 suppliers are recommended to visit and 8 suppliers maybe can be visited, most of suppliers only quoted
for native tapioca starch
(Total Points
Max 100 points)
(No.of items quoted
Total 5 items)
Recommend to audit
Maybe can be audited
18. Quotation summary for native tapioca starch
18 suppliers quoted for native tapioca starch, the lowest average FOB price is Cambodia
US$321/ton, the highest average FOB price is Thailand US$338/ton
18
(US$/ton) Recommend to audit
Maybe can be audited
Average FOB price for
Vietnam is $327/ton
Average FOB price for
Thailand is $338/ton Average FOB price for
Thailand is $321/ton
another brand but
same group:
FOB$315
CIF$325
If take off this highest
price, the average price
for Vietnam will be
similar to Cambodia:
$322/ton
19. Quotation summary for modified tapioca starch
3 suppliers quoted for modified tapioca starch, supplier 2 from Vietnam only quoted for 1/4
item, 2 Thailand suppliers quoted for 3/4 items
19
(No.of items quoted
Total 4 items)
(US$/ton)
$610 for
Alpha
modified
starch
$610
$527 $536$527 $536
$556
$540
1
3 3
0
1
2
3
4
-$50
$50
$150
$250
$350
$450
$550
$650
Viet Ma SWI Piraab
Vietnam Thailand
Quotation Summary
for Modified Tapioca Starch
modified tapioca starch -
Surface Sizing Starch
modified tapioca starch -
Wet End Starch (Cationic, Cross-linked)
modified tapioca starch -
Wet End Starch (Cationic) DS 0.030-0.035
modified tapioca starch -
Wet End Starch (Cationic) DS 0.035-0.04
No of items quoted
Supplier 2 Supplier 13 Supplier 14
20. Recommended reasons and locations for can be audited and maybe can be
audited suppliers - Vietnam
20
Map
location
Recommend
to visit
Supplier City Province
RFI
total points
Rank by
RFI
Recommended reasons
1 Yes Supplier 1
Huyện Châu
Thành
Tỉnh Tây Ninh 72 1
• Top 1 ranking supplier for RFI
• Good price for RFQ
1 Yes Supplier 2
Huyện Tân
Châu
Tỉnh Tây Ninh 63 2
• Good scoring for RFI, and accepted price for
RFQ
• Produce both native and modified Tapioca
starch but the modified specifications seems
different from client required
1 Yes Supplier 3 Tân Biên Tỉnh Tây Ninh 56 3 • Good scoring for RFI and good price for RFQ
1 Maybe Supplier 4
Huyện Châu
Thành
Tỉnh Tây Ninh 38 4
• Good price
• Has experience for both paper and food
industry
3 Maybe Supplier 5
Huyện Anh
Sơn
Tỉnh Nghệ An
36 5
• Accepted price
• Has experience for both paper and food
industry
• Seems large factory but a lot of information
not provided that’s why low scoring
1 Maybe Supplier 6
Huyện Tân
Châu
Tỉnh Tây Ninh 36 5
• Good price and good production capability but
not good ranking due to limited information
provided for company business section
• From their website, the company seems good
• Can meet FDA regulation
2 Maybe Supplier 9 District 1 Ho Chi Minh 34 7
• Accepted price
• The company is large and experienced
company for both paper and food industry
• Not good ranking due to limited information
provided for company business section and
QC section
1 Maybe Supplier 10
Huyện Tân
Châu
Tỉnh Tây Ninh 23 10
• Top 4 best price among all 3 countries price
• The company seems good, not good ranking
due to limited information
1
2
3
21. Recommended reasons and locations for can be audited and maybe can be
audited suppliers - Thailand
21
Map
location
Recommend to
visit
Supplier City Province
RFI
total points
Rank by RFI Recommended reasons
1 Yes Supplier 13
Amphoe
Mueang Nakhon
Ratchasima
Changwat
Nakhon
Ratchasima
65 1
• Good scoring for RFI
• Provide quotation both for native and modified Tapioca starch
• Claimed they have supplied to client already
2 Yes Supplier 14
Khet Suan
Luang
Krung Thep
Mahanakhon
57 2 • Accepted RFI scoring and can produce modified Tapioca starch
2 Maybe Supplier 16 Khet Bang Rak
Krung Thep
Mahanakhon
4 4
• Accepted price
• Not provided RFI
• From website seems a good company can produce both native and
modified Tapioca starch for both paper and food industry
• Belong to Keng Seng Group
1
2
22. Recommended reasons and locations for can be audited and maybe can be
audited suppliers - Cambodia
22
Map
location
Recommend to
visit
Supplier City Province
RFI
total points
Rank by
RFI
Recommended reasons
1 Yes
Supplier
17
Phnom Penh Krŏng Phnum Pénh 10 1
• Although they only provide quotations for native Tapioca starch but they claimed
they can also produce modified
• Seems a large company with experience for food industry from their website
2 Maybe
Supplier
18
Bătdâmbâng Khétt Bătdâmbâng 8 2
• Good price and good production capability but not good ranking due to limited
information provided for company business section
• From their website, the company seems good
2 Maybe
Supplier
19
Bătdâmbâng Khétt Bătdâmbâng 6 3
• Best price among all Cambodia suppliers and top 3 best price among all 3
countries suppliers
• Not provided RFI
1
2
24. Conclusions
• Compare to Thailand and Cambodia, more manufacturers are identified in Vietnam with lower price but most of
them only produce modified tapioca starch
• Thailand have more suppliers who can produce both modified and native tapioca starch but with higher price,
one of client’s current supplier is in Thailand, but most of the Thailand suppliers would like to cooperate with
client directly that’s why DS only receive 3 RFI-RFQ
• Finally, 3 Vietnam suppliers are audited by client
24