Pass the CIPS CIPS Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply L4M4 Questions and answers with CertsForce

Explanation

The correct answers are; motion, waiting and inventory.

This is part of Ohno's 8 Wastes. You can remember this with the acronym Tim Woods;transportation, inventory, motion, waiting, over-production, over-processing, defects, skills.

This is only mentioned briefly in this module but comes up in other modules more in depth, so is worth memorising if you can.

Thecurrent ratiomeasures a supplier’s ability to meet short-term financial obligations and is calculated astotal current assets divided by total current liabilities. Current assets include cash, receivables, and inventory, while current liabilities include overdrafts, trade payables, and short-term debt. Equity capital relates to ownership, not liquidity, and sales income and cost of goods sold appear in the income statement, not the balance sheet. Ethical and responsible sourcing requires procurement professionals to assess supplier liquidity to reduce the risk of supply disruption caused by cash-flow problems.

Good governance in procurement requires collaboration. The buyer provides expertise in sourcing methods, evaluation, and compliance with procurement rules, but decisions should also involve business managers who understand operational needs. Acting independently could cause conflict and undermine accountability. Conversely, leaving all decisions to managers risks bypassing procurement expertise. The best practice is for procurement to advise and recommend, while engaging stakeholders in final award decisions, ensuring transparency, fairness, and shared accountability. This balances compliance with ethical sourcing requirements and operational business needs.

Explanation

According to p.75 "a RFQ attempts to assess which supplier can achieve the Five Rights of Procurement". Although price is the only factor considered when using a RFQ- it's important to consider this price in detail; can the supplier deliver the right QUALITY of product for this price?, can they deliver the item WHEN we need it for this price? etc.

The answer is not 'who will deliver it the cheapest' because Jamilla might not pick the cheapest sup-plier. If the cheapest supplier has inferior quality paper, or can only make deliveries every other Tuesday then Jamilla may not select them.

A credit rating is one of many tools used to assess a supplier’s financial health. Responsible sourcing requires a comprehensive assessment of suppliers, considering multiple factors, to ensure a balanced and ethical approach to supplier selection.

Multi-sourcing allows organisations to diversify their supply base, providing flexibility, and reducing risk by having multiple suppliers. It is an effective strategy to prevent over-dependence on a single source and allows for competition among suppliers, promoting quality and ethical standards in the supply chain.

The acid test (quick ratio) is an effective measure of a supplier's ability to meet short-term liabilities, providing insights into financial stability. This aligns with responsible sourcing by ensuring the supplier is financially capable of fulfilling a strategic contract.

Explanation

A RFI typically finds the following information from potential suppliers; ethical and sustainability policies and their capacity / capability to fulfil a contract. It could also include financial position, mission and vision.

Explanation

economic indices and comparison websites are secondary sources of data. The other three are examples of primary sources of data.

Primary= you get the data yourself

Secondary = you find the data from somewhere else

Weighted points systems are appropriate for complex or high-value purchases where multiple factors (e.g., quality, sustainability, delivery) must be balanced. For simple, low-value purchases like pens, price is typically the only differentiating factor. Using a weighted points system would overcomplicate the process, wasting resources. Responsible sourcing requires proportionality — applying robust evaluation methods where justified, while keeping processes simple and efficient for routine purchases. This ensures efficiency without compromising governance, freeing procurement resources for strategic projects.