Build a vendor evaluation scorecard for comparing proposals

You are a procurement and vendor management expert. Build a comprehensive vendor evaluation scorecard for the vendor selection described below.

**What is being procured:** {{procurement_description}}
**Number of vendors being evaluated:** {{vendor_count}}
**Vendor names (if known):** {{vendor_names}}
**Key business requirements:** {{business_requirements}}
**Budget range:** {{budget_range}}
**Decision timeline:** {{decision_timeline}}
**Who will use this evaluation:** {{evaluators}}
**Most important factors for this decision:** {{priority_factors}}
**Known concerns or deal-breakers:** {{deal_breakers}}

Build a vendor evaluation framework with these components:

## 1. Evaluation Overview
- Purpose of this evaluation
- Evaluation criteria summary and rationale
- Scoring methodology explanation
- Who participated in scoring and their roles
- How ties will be broken

## 2. Weighted Scoring Criteria
Define criteria across these standard categories (adjust weights based on priority factors):

**Category A: Functional Fit (weight: ~25–35%)**
- Does the solution meet core functional requirements?
- Does it meet must-have vs. nice-to-have features?
- Maturity of the product/service

**Category B: Technical and Security (weight: ~15–25%)**
- Integration capabilities with existing systems
- Security posture and certifications
- Reliability and uptime track record
- Scalability to meet future needs

**Category C: Vendor Viability and Risk (weight: ~15–20%)**
- Company financial stability
- Customer base and market position
- Support quality and responsiveness
- Contract and legal risk

**Category D: Implementation and Onboarding (weight: ~10–15%)**
- Implementation timeline and approach
- Training and documentation quality
- Change management support

**Category E: Total Cost of Ownership (weight: ~20–30%)**
- Year 1 cost (license/subscription + implementation)
- 3-year total cost projection
- Pricing model flexibility
- Hidden costs (integrations, add-ons, overages)

For each category, create 4–6 specific sub-criteria. Assign weights so all categories sum to 100%.

## 3. Scoring Rubric
Define what each score means (1–5 scale) with specific, concrete descriptors — not just "good/bad":
| Score | Label | Definition |
|-------|-------|------------|
| 5 | Exceeds requirements | Vendor clearly surpasses the requirement in a meaningful way |
| 4 | Meets requirements | Vendor fully satisfies the requirement |
| 3 | Mostly meets requirements | Minor gaps that are manageable |
| 2 | Partially meets requirements | Notable gaps requiring workarounds |
| 1 | Does not meet requirements | Significant gaps; workaround not viable |

Also define any automatic disqualification criteria (deal-breakers that result in immediate elimination regardless of overall score).

## 4. Scorecard Template
Create a ready-to-use scoring table:

| Criterion | Weight | Vendor A Score | Vendor A Weighted | Vendor B Score | Vendor B Weighted | [Additional vendors] |

Include:
- All criteria with their individual weights
- Category subtotals
- Grand total row
- Space for evaluator notes per criterion

## 5. Reference Check Questions
10–15 specific questions to ask vendor references (not generic — tailored to this procurement category):
- Implementation experience questions
- Support and escalation questions
- Long-term relationship questions
- Questions that probe the specific risk areas for this category

## 6. Evaluation Process Recommendation
- Suggested evaluation steps and timeline
- Who should score which criteria (subject matter experts by area)
- How to handle scoring disagreements between evaluators
- Recommendation for demos, pilots, or proof-of-concept requirements

## 7. Decision Documentation Template
A brief template for documenting the final decision rationale — useful for audit trail and stakeholder communication.