Mandatory failure
Do not award an offer that fails a stated non-negotiable requirement.
Buying better · PRACTICAL GUIDE
When should you not choose L1?
Do not select on price alone when mandatory compliance, delivery, lifecycle cost, capacity or material risk changes the outcome.
Delivery changes the outcome
A missed operating date can make the nominal saving irrelevant.
Lifecycle cost matters
Consumables, warranty, service and downtime may outweigh purchase price.
Risk must be explicit
Use evidence and an attributable rationale, not an undocumented preference.
WORKED EXAMPLE · COMPOSITE
A clinic selects a non-L1 analyser because the lower quote lacks the required throughput and local service coverage. The approval records those facts.