The Top Pitfalls That Derail Sourcing Events

#	Pitfall	How to Avoid It
1	No baseline or weak baseline	Invest 2-4 weeks in data. Get finance sign-off.
2	Stakeholder bypass	Engage them early, get executive sponsor support.
3	Scope creep during RFx	Freeze specifications before launch. Any change = formal amendment.
4	Too few suppliers invited	Market analysis should identify 5-10 qualified suppliers.
5	Criteria changed after bids received	Lock criteria before RFx issuance. Document in the RFx.
6	Price-only focus	Build a TCO model early. Show the full picture.
7	Sharing confidential supplier information	Never share one supplier's bid with another.

8	Contract terms ignored until the end	Attach the contract template to the RFx.
9	No transition plan	Plan transition from Step 3. Appoint a project manager.
10	Auto-renewal trap	Contract calendar. Alerts 9-12 months before expiry.
11	Savings not tracked post-award	Set up savings tracking. Monthly reconciliation for 12 months.
12	Poor Q&A management	Centralize Q&A. Share all answers with all bidders.
13	Rushing the process	Push back with data: rushed processes cost more.
14	No lessons learned	Schedule a 1-hour retrospective within 2 weeks.