Two sourcing projects started in the same month with the same product. One ended in a pilot order that matched the specification; the other ended in a second round of quotations, because the first brief had been a conversation and each supplier had answered a slightly different question. The difference was not the market; it was that one project had a brief with a tradeable list.
Charger sourcing: the seven steps and what each one produces
Brief, long list, screening, specification issue, quotation comparison, pilot, and first production order.
Each step produces a document the next step consumes, and each can be stopped without losing the work done so far. That is the practical advantage of running sourcing as a project rather than as a sequence of enquiries: a supplier that fails screening is replaced without restarting the brief.
The steps below assume a platform programme, which is the shape most branded charger projects take. Where the brief needs a new design, the same steps apply with a longer specification stage.
Step 1: the brief and the tradeable list
The brief states the product and the tradeable list states what can move.
Write the power tiers, the port and plug arrangement, the markets, the packaging direction, the expected annual quantity and the launch window, then mark which items are fixed and which can be traded against cost or schedule. That second list is what allows a supplier to propose a platform that meets the intent rather than reproducing the letter of the brief at a higher price.
Step 2: the long list with evidence
Candidates enter with the platform that comes closest, not with a promise.
Sources are the platforms already in production, products in the channel, trade exhibitions and references. For each candidate, record the closest platform, its revision and the evidence that it exists. The exercise usually produces six to ten candidates, of which the ones without a production platform are marked as development projects.
Step 3: screening in writing
Five questions, asked identically, answered in writing.
Which platform is closest and what is running this month; what changes stay inside the existing tool; which certifications exist for which markets and revisions; the minimum quantity and lead time for that configuration; and what is measured on every unit with the source of the limits. The answers are comparable and they reduce the list before any travel.
Step 4: one specification, one cost structure
Every shortlisted supplier receives the same document and the same quotation format.
The cost structure has five lines: the unit price, the tooling where it applies, the packaging setup, the certification work and the accessory cost, with the minimum quantity and the lead time stated for the quoted configuration. Two quotations that price different scopes cannot be compared, and the difference is usually in the packaging and certification lines.
| Step | What you produce | What it prevents | Check before moving on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brief | The specification and the tradeable list | Suppliers answering different questions | The tradeable list is written |
| Long list | Six to ten candidates with platforms | Directories instead of evidence | Each entry names a platform |
| Screening | Comparable written answers | A shortlist built on impressions | All five answers received |
| Specification issue | One document, one cost structure | Quotations with different scopes | The lines are separated |
| Comparison | A scope-matched cost table | Choosing on the unit price alone | Scopes match item by item |
| Pilot | A verified process | Discovering the fixture in production | Acceptance criteria agreed |
| Production order | The first shipment | Re-learning the programme | Records and criteria frozen |
Step 5: the pilot and the acceptance criteria
The pilot verifies the process, and the criteria are agreed before it starts.
Agree what the pilot has to demonstrate: the fixture and the limits, the packing and the language version, the traceability record and the reporting. A pilot judged after the fact becomes a negotiation about what was reasonable; a pilot judged against criteria agreed in advance becomes a decision about whether to proceed.
Step 6: the first production order
The first order is the pilot repeated with a schedule and a volume.
By this point the specification, the acceptance criteria, the records and the packaging revision are frozen, so the order is a scheduling exercise rather than a design exercise. Where something changed between the pilot and the order, the change is written down with its reason, because a change made quietly is indistinguishable from a defect when the shipment is inspected.
Step 7: what to keep for the second order
Seven documents, and the second order depends on all of them.
The final specification, the criteria document with the limits and their sources, the packaging revision with the language version, the traceability format, the retained reference samples, the corrective actions from the pilot and the supplier’s capacity answer. Where those seven exist, the second order is a repeat; where they do not, the programme pays for the same decisions twice.
FAQ
How long does a sourcing project take?
For a platform programme, six to ten weeks from brief to first shipment is realistic, with most of the time in screening, sample approval and the packaging proof. A new design adds the development and certification work in front of production. For a platform programme, six to ten weeks from brief to first shipment is realistic, with most of the time in screening, sample approval and the packaging proof.
Should we source through a trading company?
It can work well where the brief needs range or assembly rather than process control, provided the line behind the supplier is named and the certification arrangements are clear. Where the process is the risk, the factory relationship is the one that can be audited. It works where the brief needs range or assembly rather than process control, provided the line behind the supplier is named and the certification arrangements are clear.
What if the pilot fails the criteria?
Run the corrective action and repeat the pilot on the affected points rather than the whole programme. A failed pilot that produces a fixture change and a verified rerun is a successful pilot; one that produces a discount is not. Run the corrective action and repeat the affected points rather than the whole programme, because a verified rerun is a successful pilot.
How do we avoid paying twice for tooling?
Confirm who owns the tool, its identification and the conditions under which another customer may use it, before it is paid for. Where the programme uses an existing platform, there is no tooling for the enclosure and the cost is limited to the packaging setup. Confirm who owns the tool, its identification and the conditions under which another customer may use it, before it is paid for.
Next step
Send the brief, the markets and the launch window to Wecent Group through the contact page. The reply answers the screening questions for the configuration and returns the five cost lines, the minimum, the lead time and the pilot plan. Related reading: OEM and ODM charger manufacturing, wholesale charger programmes and charger manufacturing services. External references: IEC standards, IEC Webstore, UL standards and certification, ICC Incoterms rules, International Trade Centre Trade Map and TUV testing services.
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