Mark up is the profit as a percentage of total costs.
LO 3, AC 3.3

If the deliveries often delay, buyer should use KPI to measure how many missed deliveries there are and the percentage of total missed deliveries on total number of deliveries for period. OTIF (one-time in-full) delivery might help.
Consignment stock availability means that the supplier holds adequate range/number of units of stock to offer a reliable service Delay damages are the consequences caused by delay of deliveries Technical support is the acceptable quality of technical information/support provided by supplier for goods supplied.
LO 2, AC 2.2

Variable pricing is suitable to situations when the cost of certain elements of the product fluctuate unpredictably. For road building, asphalt fluctuates regularly. Furthermore, 5 years are long period, then variable pricing is the most appropriate method to achieve value for money and control budget.
A contract for window cleaning during the next three months is a short-term service contract, fixed price is the most suitable method.
A contract for the supply of lubricating oil for immediate delivery is an one-off contract, only fixed price is applicable.
A contract for the supply of 100 printing machines to be delivered next month is also an one-off contract.
Reference:
LO 3, AC 3.3

From the supplier's perspective, well-constructed KPIs:
* Focus on critical success factors (A) - allows the supplier to allocate resources effectively and improve performance where it matters most.
* Clarify expectations (C) - clear KPIs reduce confusion and misunderstandings about what the buyer actually needs.
Options B, D and E are either negative or nonsensical from a supplier-advantage viewpoint:
* Cutting quality (B) is not a legitimate advantage; it increases risk.
* Sharing best systems with competitors (D) is definitely not an advantage.
* Ensuring they do not exceed performance levels (E) is not beneficial; suppliers often want to exceed targets for reputation or gain-share.
Reference: CIPS L4M3 Commercial Contracting - Benefits of KPIs for buyers and suppliers.

Supplier performance management and monitoring is a fundamental part of contract management. It starts with setting KPIs, targets and consequences or actions that arise from KPI scores. The measures, objectives and targets used in the monitoring of the supplier's performance must reflect those that were agreed when the contract was let. That is why it is important to specify a commitment to continuous improvement at the outset.
It would be unfair to the supplier to suddenly introduce a range of measures after the contract had begun - however if such an introduction mid-term through the contract is unavoidable then it should be negotiated and agreed in a professional manner and not merely imposed on the supplier.
In conclusion, the details of how KPIs will be monitored and the actions or consequences resulting from scores achieved must be documented and agreed between the parties. This details may be embedded in the specification or the main body of the contract or it may be set out in a SLA.
Reference:
- Performance Monitoring of Suppliers - CIPS Knowledge summary
- CIPS study guide page 101-109
LO 2, AC 2.2