Write the buyer’s criteria before anyone scores a pitch.

Question: award, dual-source, stay, or stop the buy. Owner: the procurement lead who owns the commercial record. Stakeholders: the operational buyer, finance, legal, and security when the contract creates residual exposure.

A sales presentation is not an option. The named suppliers you could actually award this cycle are the options.

Criteria: total cost you can defend, implementation in your constraints, contractual risk, switching cost, and support you have observed. Evidence required: a term someone has read, a reference you can verify, and an exit clause that is not marketing.

Known unknowns: unpublished downtime, volume that exists only in a forecast, and a security exhibit still in draft. Material risks: lock-in and a dual-run nobody staffed.

Decision Hinges: exit cost after signature and whether dual-source is real capacity. Required approvals: Decision Owner, finance, and legal. Security reviews residual exposure created by the contract.

What could reverse the Verdict: a material redline, a failed implementation proof, or a volume miss. Outcome review: after the first invoice cycle and again before auto-renewal.

The Decision written before the second demo keeps the buyer’s criteria. Champion can take the leading supplier. Challenger attacks implementation and exit. Inspector marks brochure claims. Judge can refuse a strong winner.

A checked feature box is not proof the product works in your constraints.

Champion and Challenger test the case, Inspector checks the evidence, and Judge records the Verdict for the Decision Owner.

Award supplier A, dual-run A and B, or stay. Freeze commercial criteria before the second demo. Brochure lines stay claims. The Judge can refuse a strong winner when implementation and exit are still unverified.