Gathering and assessing supplier responses can be time-consuming, and a lack of reliable, standardised data can introduce risks into the supply chain—especially when supplier engagement is low, making it difficult to get answers to specific requirements. This is where the Request for Information (RFI) feature comes in. It simplifies the process, providing organisations with the ability to engage with suppliers directly and personally.
This personal touch allows buyers to react instantly to current events and helps them build long-term relationships with suppliers, reducing the risk of losing key suppliers and disrupting business operations.
Here’s how to improve the success of your RFI process:
1) Ask the right questions
A well-structured RFI helps procurement teams compare suppliers effectively. Achilles enables organisations to create custom RFIs tailored to their sector, region, and regulatory requirements. The platform ensures suppliers provide responses aligned with your specific needs, reducing ambiguity and making it easier to assess their capabilities and risk profile.
For example, if you’re sourcing suppliers in the UK Achilles ensures they meet relevant procurement legislation. In the APAC mining sector, the platform helps identify suppliers with strong cost-control measures and operational transparency. Using Achilles’ structured data fields, organisations can avoid vague responses and instead receive standardised, relevant insights into suppliers’ operations.
The Request Information feature is particularly useful for asking questions quickly. While some providers may offer a customisable questionnaire, this approach is often ineffective in urgent situations. With Request Information on the Achilles platform, buyers can act immediately when something happens—without waiting for an account manager.
2) Access verified supplier data instantly
Manually reviewing RFI responses can be slow and inefficient. With Achilles, you gain instant access to a pre-qualified supplier database, reducing the need to repeatedly request the same information from multiple vendors. Suppliers maintain up-to-date profiles, including:
- Compliance certifications
- ESG commitments and carbon reduction policies
- Health and safety records
- Insurance details
- Supply chain management data
You can rest assured that you’re always reviewing accurate, verified, and comparable supplier information, allowing for quicker and more effective decision-making. The flexibility of the Request Information feature enables seamless and effective communication not only with your current suppliers but also with potential new ones. The filters in the Achilles platform make it easy to find suppliers based on product or service codes, ensuring relevant connections are made quickly.
3) Reduce supplier risk with third-party assurance
The Achilles platform goes beyond self-reported data by offering third-party validation and auditing services. Buying organisations can quickly identify suppliers that have been pre-qualified and verified against industry-specific standards, reducing the risk of selecting suppliers with incomplete, outdated, or misleading information.
With Achilles, procurement teams can filter suppliers by their level of assurance—whether through external certifications, on-site audits, or compliance with specific regulatory frameworks. This means less time spent verifying supplier claims and more confidence in supplier selection.
With the Request for Information feature, you can also pre-tender from a group of suppliers pre-qualified by Achilles, significantly saving time.
For regulated procurement, the Request for Information feature significantly reduces procurement timescales:
- Selection Stage – Buyers can avoid the need for a separate selection stage, as there is no mandate to publish a PIN (Periodic Indicative Notice), saving at least 25-30 days.
- Tender Period – If a Qualifying Utilities Dynamic Market such as Achilles is used, the tender stage can be reduced by 10-15 days, helping procurement teams meet deadlines efficiently while maintaining compliance.
4) Use it as a pre-market engagement tool
Gather valuable market intelligence and supplier insights more efficiently. By using the Request for Information feature as a pre-market engagement tool, buyers can gain early visibility into supplier capabilities and innovations. This allows procurement teams to shape tender specifications based on real market data, resulting in a more strategic and competitive procurement process.
5) Ensure ongoing compliance with supplier monitoring
Regulatory and corporate compliance requirements are constantly evolving. Achilles provides continuous supplier monitoring, alerting buyers to changes that might affect compliance, risk exposure, or contractual obligations. Even if you’ve worked with a supplier before, their status may have changed—whether due to a regulatory shift, sustainability commitment, or emerging risk factors.
By integrating Achilles’ real-time alerts into the RFI process, you can proactively manage supplier compliance and ensure your supply chain remains resilient and up to standard.
6) Strengthen supplier relationships and drive better outcomes
Achilles helps organisations build stronger supplier relationships by making the RFI process more efficient and transparent. Achilles validated suppliers benefit from a clear understanding of buyer expectations, making it easier to align their offerings with your needs.
Additionally, Achilles provides visibility into supplier performance, enabling procurement teams to:
- Recognise high-performing suppliers
- Track supplier improvements over time
- Engage more effectively with suppliers
A majority of suppliers on our platform will be contacted by a buyer through an RFI event at least once during their subscription, helping them win more business. With a structured, data-driven approach, organisations can build stronger partnerships that drive long-term value.
