Factors Affecting the Selection of Optimal Suppliers in.pdfVIP

International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 2 No. 14 [Special Issue - July 2012] Factors Affecting the Selection of Optimal Suppliers in Procurement Management Ruth Mwikali The Mombasa Polytechnic University College Po Box 1135-80100, Mombasa, Kenya. Stanley Kavale, PhD Student Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology Mombasa CBD Campus. Mombasa, Kenya Po Box 1135-80100, Mombasa, Kenya. Lecturer Department of Development Studies School of Human Resource Development Moi University. Eldoret - Kenya. Abstract This is a desk top study on factors affecting the s election of optimal suppliers. The main objective was to identify the factors affecting supplier selection; the supplier selection process has also been identified. Factors affecting selection of suppliers were identified as; cost, technical capability, quality assessment, organizational profile, service levels, supplier profile and risk factors, in that relative order. This paper concludes that a cost criterion is a key factor affecting supplier selection for it dictates among many elements, the profit margins . Technical capability, quality of materials and the profile of the supplier are also closely considered. From the findings, we recommend that supplier selection should be an open and transparent process, carried out by experts from all key depart