Assistance with the purchase of warehouse equipment and software

Simco Consulting can support your company in carrying out the purchasing phase of warehouse software and equipment. To purchase these correctly, specific skills are usually required—skills that the purchasing and/or logistics department may not possess, simply because these are not items with a fixed reordering frequency, but rather spot purchases that significantly impact warehouse operations.

The greater the complexity of the supplies—such as warehouse management software (WMS) or automated storage systems—the higher the complexity in managing the tender process and the subsequent selection. It is therefore essential to have a technical partner who brings method and know-how so that the company can:

  • purchase exactly what it needs, no more and no less
  • choose from a carefully selected panel of suppliers
  • buy with the best quality-price trade-off

Purchasing assistance can be provided for any warehouse software or equipment, including but not limited to:

  • warehouse management software (WMS)
  • support software for warehouse operations such as: warehouse dashboards (business intelligence), loading/unloading slot management (slot booking system), yard management systems, load unit and load optimization, route optimization
  • equipment for loading and unloading goods (docks, doors, external dock houses, safety equipment)
  • manual material handling vehicles
  • fully automated vehicles (LGV/AGV, AMR, shuttle)
  • storage equipment (metal shelving for small parts, parcels, pallets, and large items)
  • automated warehouses and related material handling systems
Main areas of intervention
  • Definition of the purchasing strategy: choosing between a system integrator for a single-source supply or the direct involvement of individual manufacturers and suppliers.
  • Definition of the vendor list: building the long list, drafting RFI (Request for Information) and CFT (Call for Tender) documents, gathering information, data tabulation, and narrowing down to the final short list.
  • Collection of documents and information for the tender: retrieving all qualitative and quantitative information necessary for drafting the tender documents.
  • Drafting of technical specifications: descriptive documentation of the supply scope (RFQ document).
  • Drafting of annexes to the technical specifications: technical attachments to standardize supplier responses in terms of pricing, technical aspects, and implementation timelines.
  • Tender management and project management: handling submissions, calls, meetings, progress reports, timeline updates, milestone tracking, and planning visits to already implemented facilities.
  • Management of received offers: collection, review, analysis, verification, and alignment of all submitted quotations where needed.
  • Tabulation of received offers: tabulation and final evaluation of proposals from a technical, economic, and implementation timeline standpoint.
  • Assistance during negotiations: meetings with shortlisted suppliers for presentations, explanation of offers, and final technical-economic alignment.
  • Drafting of the technical attachment to the order: technical documentation with supply specifications to be attached to the contract or LOI.
The method

Selection and qualification of the vendor list (RFI phase)

The first phase consists of defining the list of potential participants in the tender. The starting point is the definition of the purchasing strategy, meaning the size and type of suppliers to involve in the process, in order to identify a long list. Next, the Request for Information (RFI) and Call for Tender (CFT) documents are prepared and distributed to the selected suppliers. Based on the information gathered, a short list of participants is then defined through structured comparisons supported by dedicated comparative score grids.

Preparation of tender documents (RFQ document)

The second phase concerns the preparation of the tender documents, namely the Request for Quotation (RFQ document) and the related attachments. The documentation must include all qualitative and quantitative information necessary to clearly and comprehensively describe the scope of supply. In addition to the technical specification, the attachments play a key role, such as editable explanatory layouts (e.g. .dwg files), tables with technical and economic requirements, Gantt charts for timelines, risk analyses and the Q&A document.

Tender execution (RFQ phase)

The third phase involves the actual execution of the tender, starting from the issuance of the quotation request up to the signing of the contract with the selected supplier. The process is structured into the following sub-phases:

  1. sending quotation requests
  2. meetings with suppliers
  3. management of the Q&A document
  4. support to suppliers
  5. receipt of offers
  6. request for clarifications
  7. offer tabulation
  8. progress meetings, demos and site visits
  9. negotiations
  10. final selection
  11. signature of the LOI or contract

ITALIA

Simco Srl
Via Giovanni Durando 38 Pal.3
20158 Milano MI

  • +39 02 39 32 56 05
  • simco@simcoconsulting.com
  • P.IVA 08570130156

FRANCE

Simco Consulting Sarl
12 rue Alfred Kastler
71530 Fragnes-La-Loyère

  • +33 (0)3 65 69 00 52
  • simco@simcoconsulting.com
  • TVA FR66823213798

ESPAÑA

Simco Consulting
C/ Can Rabia 3-5, Planta 4
08017 Barcelona

  • + 34 936072512
  • simco@simcoconsulting.com
  • P.IVA 08570130156
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