Purchasing · Original fictional case
Rank suppliers with published weights
A sourcing team has already scored three suppliers on the same 0–100 scale. Apply the agreed weights and explain why the highest price score does not win overall.
Related work: Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products · O*NET task 1144.
Your source data
| supplier | price score | quality score | delivery score |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 80 | 90 | 60 |
| B | 70 | 85 | 90 |
| C | 95 | 60 | 70 |
The rules
- Higher scores are better in every column, including price_score. These are scores, not quoted prices.
- Use weights of 40% price, 35% quality and 25% delivery; they sum to 100%.
- Calculate before rounding. Report final scores to two decimals. There is no extra eligibility gate in this fixture.
A method you can reuse
- A scores 80 × .40 + 90 × .35 + 60 × .25 = 78.50.
- B scores 70 × .40 + 85 × .35 + 90 × .25 = 80.25; C scores 76.50.
- Rank B first, A second and C third. B’s stronger delivery score offsets its lower price score under these particular weights.
A common wrong turn
Averaging the three columns equally silently changes the agreed decision rule. Also avoid treating a high price score as a high cash price.
Use it in a handoff
Retain the score definitions and weights with the decision. A sensitivity check can show whether modest weight changes alter the ranking; this score alone does not establish supplier reliability.
Check your calculation
Enter numbers without currency or percent symbols. A matching result confirms this exercise’s calculation; keep the method in your review note.
See the worked answer
Supplier A weighted score: 78.5
32 + 31.5 + 15 = 78.5.
Supplier B weighted score: 80.25
28 + 29.75 + 22.5 = 80.25.
Supplier C weighted score: 76.5
38 + 21 + 17.5 = 76.50.
Winning margin (points): 1.75
80.25 − 78.50 = 1.75 points.
Source and practice material
Occupational context uses the O*NET® 31.0 Database from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. View the occupation.
Skill Workbench selected and adapted the occupational information and added its own fictional cases, calculations, guidance and worksheets. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these additions. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.