Performing Purchasing Agent Duties

Course: BUS230 Purchasing and Materials Mgt.

Performing Purchasing Agent Duties

Performing Purchasing Agent Duties Business is booming for Waters, Inc., a growing customer service

fulfillment business. Most of its business is coming from clients who once outsourced their customer

service needs to firms in India. A major client just signed a contract that will take effect in nine

months. This means there are only nine months to purchase the equipment and to train 75 new

customer service representatives. As a purchasing agent, you are tasked with getting the computer

equipment and software that the new agents will need to the specifications of both the client and

established company standards.

This assignment has three distinct parts that are outlined below. This paper will be 8–10-pages long.

Label each part clearly.

Part 1: Need Identification and Specification

1. Create 10–12 questions that you will ask the client in order to determine the exact hardware

and software needs. Provide a brief rationale for asking the questions.

Part 2: RFP

1. Write a request for proposal based on the needs and specifications identified during the need

and specification stage. Note: You will have to fabricate the needs and specifications based on

outside research, e.g., standard computer specifications, basic software needs, etc.

2. Describe how and to whom you will distribute the RFP. Assume the company has a requirement

that minority-owned businesses must be included in the distribution of the RFP.

Part 3: Timeline of Tasks and Activities

1. Develop a comprehensive timeline of the tasks and activities, and who is involved with each task

or activity, that need to take place to fulfill the need in the time frame indicated in the

scenario. You will be graded on the completeness of the list and the realistic nature of the

timeline.

The format of the report is to be as follows:

• Typed, double spaced, Times New Roman font (size 12), one-inch margins on all sides.

• Use headers for each of the subjects being covered, followed by your response.

• In addition to the 8–10 required pages, a title page is to be included. The title page is to contain

the title of the assignment, your name, the instructor’s name, the course title, and the date.

This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards. For assistance and information, please refer to

the Strayer Writing Standards link in the left-hand menu of your course. Check with your professor for

any additional instructions.

The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:

• Determine the hardware and software needs of a client, including a timeline for fulfillment.

Course: BUS230 Purchasing and Materials Mgt.

Unacceptable Needs Improvement Fair Proficient Exemplary

Create 10–12

questions to ask the

client in order to

determine the exact

hardware and

software needs.

Provide a brief

rationale for asking

the question.

Points:

0 (0.00%)

Did not create 10–12

questions that you will ask

the client in order to

determine the exact

hardware and software

needs. Did not provide a

brief rationale for asking

the questions; omitted key

information and/or

included irrelevant

information.

Points:

46.8 (19.50%)

Attempted to create 10–12

questions to ask the client

in order to determine the

exact hardware and

software needs. Provided a

brief rationale for asking

the questions; omitted

some key information.

Points:

54 (22.50%)

Partially created 10–12

questions to ask the

client in order to

determine the exact

hardware and software

needs. Provided a brief

rationale for asking the

questions; omitted

some key information.

Points:

61.2 (25.50%)

Sufficiently created 10–12

questions to ask the client

in order to determine the

exact hardware and

software needs. Provided

a brief rationale for asking

the questions.

Points:

72 (30.00%)

Fully created 10–12

questions to ask the

client in order to

determine the exact

hardware and software

needs. Provided a brief

rationale for asking the

questions.

Write a request for

proposal based on

the needs and

specifications

identified during the

need and

specification stage.

Points:

0 (0.00%)

Did not write a request for

proposal based on the

needs and specifications

identified during the need

and specification stage;

omitted key information

and/or included irrelevant

information.

Points:

31.2 (13.00%)

Attempted to write a

request for proposal based

on the needs and

specifications identified

during the need and

specification stage; omitted

some key information.

Points:

36 (15.00%)

Partially wrote a

request for proposal

based on the needs

and specifications

identified during the

need and specification

stage; omitted some

key information.

Points:

40.8 (17.00%)

Sufficiently wrote a

request for proposal

based on the needs and

specifications identified

during the need and

specification stage.

Points:

48 (20.00%)

Fully wrote a request for

proposal based on the

needs and specifications

identified during the

need and specification

stage

Course: BUS230 Purchasing and Materials Mgt.

Unacceptable Needs Improvement Fair Proficient Exemplary

Describe how and to

whom to distribute

the RFP. Assume the

company has a

requirement that

minority-owned

businesses must be

included in the

distribution of the

RFP.

Points:

0 (0.00%)

Did not describe how and

to whom to distribute the

RFP, assuming the

company has a

requirement that

minority-owned

businesses must be

included in the

distribution of the RFP;

omitted key information

and/or included irrelevant

information.

Points:

31.2 (13.00%)

Attempted to describe how

and to whom to distribute

the RFP, assuming the

company has a

requirement that minority-

owned businesses must be

included in the distribution

of the RFP; omitted some

key information.

Points:

36 (15.00%)

Partially described how

and to whom to

distribute the RFP,

assuming the company

has a requirement that

minority-owned

businesses must be

included in the

distribution of the RFP;

omitted some key

information.

Points:

40.8 (17.00%)

Sufficiently described how

and to whom to distribute

the RFP, assuming the

company has a

requirement that

minority-owned

businesses must be

included in the

distribution of the RFP.

Points:

48 (20.00%)

Fully described how and

to whom you will

distribute the RFP,

assuming the company

has a requirement that

minority-owned

businesses must be

included in the

distribution of the RFP.

Develop a

comprehensive

timeline of the tasks

and activities, and

who is involved with

each task or activity,

that need to take

place to fulfill the

need in the time

frame indicated in

the scenario.

Points:

0 (0.00%)

Did not develop a

comprehensive timeline of

the tasks and activities,

and who is involved with

each task or activity, that

need to take place to fulfill

the need in the time frame

indicated in the scenario;

omitted key information

and/or included irrelevant

information.

Points:

15.6 (6.50%)

Attempted to develop a

comprehensive timeline of

the tasks and activities, and

who is involved with each

task or activity, that need

to take place to fulfill the

need in the time frame

indicated in the scenario;

omitted some key

information.

Points:

18 (7.50%)

Partially developed a

comprehensive

timeline of the tasks

and activities, and who

is involved with each

task or activity, that

need to take place to

fulfill the need in the

time frame indicated in

the scenario; omitted

some key information.

Points:

20.4 (8.50%)

Sufficiently developed a

comprehensive timeline of

the tasks and activities,

and who is involved with

each task or activity, that

needs to take place to

fulfill the need in the time

frame indicated in the

scenario.

Points:

24 (10.00%)

Fully developed a

comprehensive timeline

of the tasks and

activities, and who is

involved with each task

or activity, that needs to

take place to fulfill the

need in the time frame

indicated in the scenario.

Course: BUS230 Purchasing and Materials Mgt.

Unacceptable Needs Improvement Fair Proficient Exemplary

Clarity. Points:

0 (0.00%)

Did not complete the

assignment or

explanations are unclear

and not organized. (Major

issues.)

Points:

15.6 (6.50%)

Explanations generally

unclear and not well

organized. (Many issues.)

Points:

18 (7.50%)

Explanations

somewhat unclear and

somewhat

unorganized. (Some

issues.)

Points:

20.4 (8.50%)

Explanations generally

clear and/or organized.

(Minor issues.)

Points:

24 (10.00%)

Explanations very clear

and well organized.

(Added helpful details.)

Writing – Grammar,

sentence structure,

paragraph structure,

spelling,

punctuation.

Points:

0 (0.00%)

Did not complete the

assignment or had 8 or

more different errors in

grammar, sentence

structure, paragraph

structure, spelling, or

punctuation. (Major

issues.)

Points:

15.6 (6.50%)

Had 8–9 different errors in

grammar, sentence

structure, paragraph

structure, spelling, or

punctuation. (Many issues.)

Points:

18 (7.50%)

Had 6–7 different

errors in grammar,

sentence structure,

paragraph structure,

spelling, or

punctuation. (Many

issues.)

Points:

20.4 (8.50%)

Had 4–5 different errors in

grammar, sentence

structure, paragraph

structure, spelling, or

punctuation. (Minor

issues.)

Points:

24 (10.00%)

Had 0–3 different errors

in grammar, sentence

structure, paragraph

structure, spelling, or

punctuation.