1. Establish and document criteria for evaluating potential suppliers.
2. Identify potential suppliers and distribute solicitation material and requirements to them.
A proactive manner of performing this activity is to conduct market research to identify potential sources of candidate products to be acquired, including candidates from suppliers of custom made products and suppliers of COTS products.
3. Evaluate proposals according to evaluation criteria.
4. Evaluate risks associated with each proposed supplier.
Refer to the Risk Management (RSKM) (CMMI-DEV) process area for more information about identifying and analyzing risks.
5. Evaluate proposed suppliers' ability to perform the work.