| Product conformity and range | 20% | Whether the manufacturer offers the required metric or inch sizes, head styles, and product specifications, and can consistently meet the buyer’s stated requirements. | Current product catalogue, controlled drawings, specification sheets, and sample inspection results. | — | — |
| Material and heat-treatment control | 15% | Whether material grades, heat-treatment steps, and hardness requirements are defined and controlled for the products being quoted. | Material certificates where applicable, process-control records, and test reports linked to the relevant product or batch. | — | — |
| Product testing and inspection | 15% | Whether inspection covers relevant dimensions, fit, surface condition, and mechanical performance against agreed specifications. | Inspection plans, sample reports, equipment calibration records, and test-method details. Check that any external laboratory accreditation covers the relevant testing scope. | — | — |
| Quality management | 15% | Whether documented processes cover purchasing, production, inspection, nonconforming products, and corrective actions. | Quality-management certificate, if claimed, with its validity, issuing body, site, and scope checked. ISO 9001:2015 is a quality-management-system standard; certification alone does not prove product performance. | — | — |
| Batch traceability | 10% | Whether finished products can be linked to production lots and relevant inspection records. | Sample batch records, product or packaging identification, and a demonstration of how a lot is traced through production and inspection. | — | — |
| Production capacity and delivery reliability | 10% | Whether the factory can support the requested order volume, product mix, and delivery schedule. | Documented capacity information, production planning examples, lead-time commitments, and delivery-performance records where available. | — | — |
| Export documentation and market requirements | 10% | Whether the supplier can provide accurate commercial and shipping documents and meet the destination market’s applicable requirements. | Redacted examples of export documents and product-specific compliance documents required for the buyer’s destination market. | — | — |
| Communication and after-sales support | 5% | Whether technical questions, quality claims, and order changes receive clear and timely responses. | Written response to a technical inquiry, complaint-handling process, and agreed warranty or replacement terms. | — | — |