In a purchasing evaluation program, the initial activity is to do what?

• A. Implement new supplier contracts
• B. Develop purchasing goals
• C. Audit invoices
• D. Train the purchasing team

Answer: (B)

Setting clear goals for purchasing is the starting point because it provides the benchmark and direction for everything that follows. When you establish purchasing goals, you define what success looks like and which metrics will measure progress—things like cost reduction targets, quality levels, supplier delivery performance, and cycle times. Those targets shape what data you collect, which processes you review, and how you prioritize improvement efforts. Without goals, actions such as negotiating contracts, auditing invoices, or training the team can happen without a clear standard to compare against, making it hard to know if you’re improving or where to focus resources. Once goals are in place, you can design supplier criteria and contracts to support them, set up audits against defined standards, and tailor training to address gaps revealed by evaluating performance against those goals.