Supply Ordering & Vendor Management

Purpose

Procedures for ordering plumbing supplies and materials and managing vendor relationships.

When materials need to be ordered for scheduled jobs, truck restocking, or special orders.

Review upcoming job schedules for material needs — do this daily as part of the morning planning routine.

Check truck stock levels against standard inventory checklists.

Place orders through Tradeshift (Spartan's primary purchasing platform).

For emergency or same-day needs, contact the local supply house directly and pick up in person.

Log into Tradeshift and create a purchase order.

Select the vendor and add the required items with quantities.

Verify pricing matches the negotiated rates.

Submit the PO for approval (thresholds apply — see below).

Track delivery status in Tradeshift.

When materials arrive, verify the shipment matches the PO. Note any discrepancies.

Under $500: Office staff can approve.
$500 - $2,000: Manager approval required.
Over $2,000: Josh approval required.
Standing orders / recurring: Set up with manager approval, reviewed monthly.

Maintain professional relationships with all vendors.
Primary vendors are set up in Tradeshift with negotiated pricing.
If a vendor can't fulfill an order, check with the secondary vendor before escalating.
Track vendor performance: delivery timeliness, product quality, pricing accuracy.
Vendor issues (wrong items, damaged goods, late deliveries) should be reported and documented.

If materials are defective or incorrect, initiate a return through Tradeshift or directly with the vendor.

Get a return authorization (RA) number before shipping anything back.

Track the return and credit to ensure Spartan is reimbursed.

Order ahead. Emergency orders cost more and disrupt schedules.
Verify part numbers carefully — wrong parts cause delays and returns.
Tradeshift is the purchasing system of record. All orders go through it for tracking and accounting.
Company credit cards (Enterprise gas cards) are for fuel only, not material purchases unless specifically authorized.