Which metric is NOT typically used to evaluate vendor performance?

• A. On-time delivery
• B. Quality
• C. Responsiveness
• D. Price per unit

Answer: (D)

Evaluating vendor performance centers on how well a supplier delivers value in terms of reliability and service. On-time delivery shows whether goods arrive when promised, quality reflects the rate of defects or returns, and responsiveness measures how quickly the supplier communicates and resolves issues. These metrics directly gauge the supplier’s ability to meet requirements and keep operations running smoothly. Price per unit, while crucial for overall cost and competitiveness, does not measure performance—it's a cost factor that can change with market conditions or negotiations and doesn’t necessarily reflect how well the supplier performs. In most scorecards, cost is tracked separately as part of total cost of ownership rather than as a primary performance metric.