Define the interchangeable purchasing scope
Describe whether the inquiry concerns a complete proposed set or an addition to existing equipment.
Describe whether the interchangeable probe inquiry concerns a complete proposed set or an addition to equipment already held by the buyer. Identify the existing equipment in the request where relevant. Ask the supplier to state the purchasing scope it has understood before comparing the proposed item descriptions and commercial schedules.
Identify every proposed component
Ask for separate identification of the proposed components and the receiving equipment under discussion.
Request a component list for the proposed interchangeable arrangement. Ask for separate item identities and the document titles belonging to each component. Compare the list with the receiving equipment record supplied by the buyer, and ask the supplier to clarify any component that is described differently across the purchasing correspondence.
Request written combination details
Submit the proposed component combination and ask for a written response specific to that request.
Send the intended component combination as a written purchasing question. Ask for a reply naming the proposed components and the receiving equipment together. Give the response to the buyer reviewer responsible for that combination, and preserve any unanswered questions before requesting a revised quotation or agreeing a changed purchasing scope.
Preserve the interchangeable quotation record
Keep revised component descriptions beside the supplier quotation to which they refer.
Keep a component identity record beside each quotation revision. Ask the supplier to describe any proposed replacement component separately and provide the associated documents. Forward the change to the buyer reviewer, then ask purchasing to compare the revised item schedule with the original requirement before approving the commercial response.
Interchangeable Ultrasound Probes: documents to request
| Ask about | Request with your inquiry |
|---|---|
| What should the interchangeable probe scope address? | An interchangeable probe scope note |
| What should the interchangeable component register address? | A component identification register |
| What should the interchangeable combination questions address? | A combination review response |
| What should the interchangeable quotation history address? | A component revision history |