Dragon Sourcing executed a strategic sourcing initiative for Polo shirts across four major manufacturing hubs: China, India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. The project managed a substantial spend of $100,800 across six different polo shirt styles, with order quantities ranging from 400 to 1,500 pieces per color variant.
The team implemented an 8-week sourcing strategy, systematically evaluating potential suppliers through a comprehensive RFI/RFQ process. They identified 95 potential suppliers, with nearly equal distribution across target countries: 24 in China, 25 each in India and Bangladesh, and 21 in Vietnam.
Through rigorous pre-screening, 54 suppliers qualified for the RFI/RFQ phase. The final evaluation yielded 23 RFI responses and 7 RFQ submissions. The team employed a detailed scoring system, resulting in an average RFI score of 68. Two suppliers from India and Bangladesh achieved the highest scores of 86.
Price analysis revealed remarkable cost-saving opportunities:
- 11 suppliers offered savings ranging from 12.7% to 59.2%
- The top supplier demonstrated potential savings of $ 59,700
- 24 suppliers provided quotes for all 15 items requested
The project culminated in recommending four primary suppliers and one additional cost-effective option. The recommended suppliers demonstrated strong capabilities with:
- Annual turnover ranging from $9M to $35M
- International client portfolios, including brands like Zara, Levis, and Adidas
- Multiple certifications, including ISO 9001, BSCI, WRAP, and SEDEX
The successful completion of this project delivered not just cost savings but also identified reliable manufacturing partners with proven track records in international markets.