Procurement Toolkit
Thirty-six practical templates for every stage of the procurement and supply cycle, from the first definition of need to contract performance. Free to download, adapt and share.
Online tools
Interactive tools that work alongside the templates. Free to use, with no registration.
- Open the estimator
Should-Cost Estimator
Bring a price you paid in the past and see how the cost of the item has moved since then. The estimator breaks the item into its main cost elements, such as materials, labour, energy, freight and overheads, follows each one through a published price index and returns an estimated range for today, with every index and source shown. It covers selected product families, starting with IT hardware and electrical equipment; others are added over time.
- Open the comparison
Server Comparison
Enter your virtualization, backup, database and OpenShift needs; compare Dell, HPE and Lenovo servers side by side with sources.
New in October 2026
Supply continuity, trade policy, artificial intelligence and new EU rules now shape procurement decisions as much as price does. Ten new templates help buyers plan for them, and the original twenty-five have been updated with resilience, trade compliance and the responsible use of AI in mind.
AI in procurement
Decide where AI is used and who checks its outputs, then buy AI tools on clear terms for data, security and model changes.
Geopolitical and route risk
Assess exposure to conflict, chokepoints, sanctions and tariffs, test scenarios and agree index-based price adjustment instead of ad hoc surcharges.
Trade and sustainability rules
Check sanctions, origin and forced labour risk, and collect verified emissions data for CBAM goods before award rather than at the border.
Value after signature
Check invoices against contract prices and keep track of the obligations that are easiest to lose.
Template 35
All templates
Grouped by the stages of our approach. Word templates are documents to complete and issue; Excel templates calculate as you enter data.
Start here
Template Library Guide
How the templates fit together, which to use when, and what changed in 2025 and 2026.
Define the need
Purchase Requisition
Record the need, the budget and the approval before any supplier is contacted.
Specification and Statement of Work
Define what is to be supplied, the standard it must meet and how it will be accepted.
Analyse the market and the cost
Pre-Tender Estimate and Should-Cost Model
Build an independent estimate from cost drivers, with energy, freight and carbon scenarios.
Supply Risk Register
Score supply risks, with early warning indicators and triggers for action.
Procurement Strategy
A short, decision-ready plan covering the market, the method, evaluation, scenarios and risks.
Procurement Plan Register
Plan the year's procurement activity, with regulatory flags and continuity-critical items.
Geopolitical and Route Exposure Assessment
Score exposure to conflict, chokepoints, sanctions and tariffs, and test cost scenarios.
Supply Continuity Plan
Compare time to survive with time to recover, and plan the response before a disruption.
Engage and qualify suppliers
Supplier Pre-Qualification Questionnaire
Confirm eligibility, financial standing, capability, resilience and compliance.
Supplier Site Audit Checklist
A scored on-site audit, including business continuity and information security.
Supplier Cyber Security Questionnaire
Security questions in proportion to the supplier's risk tier, with critical questions and a score.
Trade Compliance Check
Sanctions screening, origin, export control, CBAM and forced labour checks in one register.
CBAM Embedded Emissions Data Request
Request installation and product emissions data from suppliers of CBAM goods.
Forced Labour and Human Rights Due Diligence Questionnaire
A proportionate questionnaire built on the OECD due diligence steps and the ILO indicators of forced labour.
Software Supplier Open Source Compliance Questionnaire
Ask software suppliers how they manage open source licences and security, with a score for each section and overall.
Tender, evaluate and negotiate
Request for Quotation (RFQ)
An invitation to quote, designed so that quotations arrive in comparable form.
Invitation to Tender (ITT / RFP)
Formal tender documents: instructions, tender data sheet, evaluation method and contract basis.
Price Schedule and Commercial Response
One format for every bidder's prices, terms, origin and freight.
Evaluation Panel Declaration
Conflict of interest and confidentiality declaration for everyone involved in evaluation.
Bid Evaluation Matrix
Weighted quality and price scoring, with an abnormally low tender check.
Landed Cost and TCO Calculator
Compare offers on landed cost and total cost of ownership, with freight, tariff and CBAM scenarios.
Negotiation Plan
Objectives, positions, alternatives and planned concessions, agreed before the first meeting.
Single Source Justification
Record why competition is not possible and how value will still be secured.
Evaluation Report and Award Recommendation
A record of the evaluation that someone outside the panel can follow.
Award, Regret and Suspension Letters
Three standard letters: intention to award, notice to unsuccessful bidders and suspension of work.
Contract and manage performance
Purchase Order
A purchase order with key conditions and a checklist to complete before it is issued.
Goods Receipt and Inspection Report
Receiving inspection, including origin documents and CBAM data.
Supplier Performance Scorecard
Weighted KPIs for delivery, quality, cost, service, ESG and resilience.
Non-Conformance and Corrective Action Request
Record a non-conformance and require containment, root cause analysis and corrective action.
Contract and Order Register
Track contracts, notice deadlines, price reviews and sanctions re-screening dates.
Energy and Freight Price Adjustment Calculator
Apply an agreed index formula with threshold, cap and floor, and check surcharge claims.
Contract Compliance and Value Leakage Check
Check invoices against contract prices and track contractual obligations.
AI in procurement
AI Use-Case and Governance Register
Record where AI is used, with which data and controls, and where a person checks the output.
AI Tool Procurement: Supplier Questionnaire and Contract Checklist
Questions, evidence and contract clauses for buying AI tools and services.
About these templates
The templates follow the structure and terminology of the CIPS Procurement and Supply Cycle. They are an independent work by NSM Sourcing and are not endorsed by CIPS.
Each template is short, uses the language of the profession and is written for private-sector buyers. Facts about regulations and markets are stated as of October 2026; check them before relying on them. The templates are general guidance, not legal advice.
The templates are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (CC BY 4.0). You may copy, adapt and share them, including for commercial purposes, provided you credit NSM Sourcing as the source.