There are many KPIs to consider when evaluating an engineering or manufacturing RFP. Related to years in business and number of senior experts on staff, is the indicator of mature systems – processes and systems that have been seasoned over time to efficiently and predictably produce desired outcomes. Mature processes create historic data that is continually updated. Bugs have been detected. Problems have been anticipated, and results can be counted on.

When it comes to the actual production or manufacturing of your product, chances are you know just how important timing and quality are. Unfortunately, many projects run into issues due to oversights during the early stages of product development, and companies can become frustrated with delays and new costs. 

Finding the right contract manufacturing partner for your product can be much more difficult than you would think. On paper, the concept is simple: who can make this product for the lowest price, or, who can produce this product the quickest? Often, it is a mix of both of these things. The truth is that while cost and timeline are vital to success, there are some other attributes that you need to look for in order to see the best return possible. 

When selecting an engineering or manufacturing vendor, it is common for companies to identify project goals and the overall desired approach, and then issue an RFP.

For companies, the real “work” begins when the proposals come in and they begin the evaluation and selection process and the project kicks off. But for quality vendors who are knowledgeable and experienced, work begins when they first see the RFP.

Part of Tecnova's RFP evaluation series -- helping businesses address vendor selection with confidence

There are many key performance indicators that can shed light on an engineering or manufacturing vendor’s ability to meet expectations put forth in their proposals and ensure overall project success. When evaluating an RFP from a potential project partner, one KPI is the skill and experience of the staff who will be executing the work. While a vendor’s junior engineers can do many lower-level tasks, it is important that senior engineers are on staff to do a significant amount of the work.

Manufacturing in low cost countries (LCC) has been around for decades. The reason seems obvious: on the face of it, the lower cost of labor appears to allow competitive pricing of a company's products.

But in evaluating whether or not to manufacture your product or its components overseas, there are important considerations to weigh, including hidden costs that occur with LCC manufacturing.