Guides
Procurement guides for buyers of regulated products
How-to guides, checklists and explainers for the questions that come up between a requirement and a purchase order: finding and evaluating suppliers, proving compliance, writing RFQs, comparing quotations and automating the repetitive parts. Each guide says what Complyra does for that job and what it does not.
AI Procurement
What is AI procurement?
AI procurement uses machine reasoning to do the analytical work inside procurement: interpreting requirements, identifying regulations, matching and ranking suppliers, drafting RFQs and organising quotations. It does not remove the buyer's decisions; it prepares them.
How does AI procurement work? The workflow explained
The mechanism behind AI procurement is a chain of structured steps. Each step turns the previous step's output into something the next can use, which is why a requirement captured once can reach the purchase order without being re-typed.
Supplier Sourcing
How to find compliant suppliers
Finding a compliant supplier is mostly a matter of sequencing: know the regulations before you search, ask for the evidence in the RFQ rather than after, and treat missing documents as a ranking factor.
Supplier Management
How to evaluate suppliers: criteria and a scoring method
Evaluate suppliers on a fixed set of criteria, score each one the same way, and let price be one factor among several. The method matters more than the exact weights.
Supplier qualification checklist
Qualification is the work you do once so you do not repeat it on every RFQ. The checklist below is the minimum for a supplier of regulated goods; record the evidence, not just a tick.
Supplier Compliance
Supplier compliance checklist for regulated products
Compliance evidence is specific to the regulation, the product version and the market. This checklist is organised so that each item can be requested in the RFQ and checked when the quotation arrives.
How to evaluate supplier certifications and compliance documents
A document is evidence only if it is genuine, current and about the product you are buying. Check the issuer, the number, the dates, the scope and the product version before accepting it.
RFQ
How to create an RFQ: structure, content and common mistakes
An RFQ is a specification with a question attached. If every supplier receives the same specification and is asked for the same fields, the quotations can be compared. Most RFQ problems are precision problems.
RFQ best practices for procurement teams
Good RFQ practice is repeatable practice. The aim is that every round produces comparable quotations from qualified suppliers by the deadline, with the compliance evidence already in hand.
How to compare supplier quotations beyond unit price
Quotations are only comparable when they answer the same question. Normalise them first, then compare total cost, delivery and evidence together.
Procurement Automation
Procurement automation guide: what to automate first
Automate the steps where the same information is re-typed and the steps where waiting happens. Keep approval and selection decisions with people. Measure cycle time before and after.
Supplier Risk
Supplier risk management for regulated products
For regulated goods the most controllable supplier risk is compliance risk: evidence that is missing, expired or for the wrong product version. It is reduced by requiring evidence before the order and tracking it afterwards.
Procurement Operations
How to reduce procurement cycle time
Cycle time is mostly waiting: for qualification, for quotations, for documents. Measure where the waiting is, then remove the causes in order of size.
Regulation explainers
Short posts on individual regulations for importers and marketplace resellers, reviewed and approved before publication.
Common ISO 14001:2015 Mistakes Small Importers and Resellers Make
Small importers often treat [ISO 14001:2015](/regulations/iso-14001) as a single certificate to collect rather than a system to run. That approach creates gaps that show up later, usually when a buyer…
Japan Food Sanitation Act: A Pre-Shipment Checklist for Food Contact Products
Use this checklist before you book a shipment of plastic food-contact items — containers, utensils, packaging — to Japan, so you can confirm your paperwork matches what the [Japan Food Sanitation Act]…
Packaging Waste Rules in the EU: Does Your Shipment Need to Comply?
Every box, bag, pallet wrap, and bottle you ship into the European Union counts as packaging — and packaging is regulated. The rule behind this is EU Directive 94/62/EC, and it applies far more broadl…
Kosher Certification for Small Food Importers: What to Handle First
A small team bringing food products to market often hears "kosher" as a single word, as if one certificate covers everything. It doesn't quite work that way, but the basics are manageable if you focus…
Selling Into FSC-Certified Supply Chains: What Buyers Will Ask You For
When a buyer tells you they need FSC-certified product, they're not asking for a general promise that your wood or paper-based materials come from well-managed forests. They're asking for documents, a…
GRS Explained: What the Global Recycled Standard Covers and Who Needs It
Buyers and retailers increasingly ask suppliers to prove that recycled materials really are recycled. That's the gap GRS is designed to close. ## What GRS actually is GRS stands for Global Recycled …
Room Compliance: Answers to the Questions People Keep Asking
Here are straight answers to the questions people most often ask about room compliance on Complyra. ## What does "room compliance" actually mean? "Room" by itself isn't a regulation, a standard, or …
China GB Standards Checklist: Documents to Confirm Before You Ship
Use this checklist before you place a production order or book a shipment for any product that falls under [China GB Standards](/regulations/china-gb-standards), so you can confirm the paperwork exist…
Production Compliance Explained: Who It Applies To and What It Requires
"Production" is a broad word, and on its own it doesn't point to one single law or standard. It's one of the more common terms people type into Complyra's search bar — 28 searches for it this week alo…
Premium Compliance: What the Term Means and When It Applies to You
"Premium" is one of the terms people search for on Complyra, but it is not the name of a single law, directive, or standard. Unlike RoHS or CPSIA, there is no regulation called "premium compliance" th…
Packaging Compliance: Your Questions Answered
Packaging is one of the most common topics people search for on Complyra, so here are straight answers to the questions that come up most. ## What does "packaging compliance" actually mean? Packagin…
Common Mistakes Importers Make With Halal Certification — And How to Avoid Them
Shipping food, cosmetics, or pharmaceuticals to markets that require proof of halal status is not as simple as printing a logo on a box. Small importers and resellers often run into the same avoidable…
Luxury Compliance: Is There One Rule, or Many?
People searching for this term are often trying to find a single regulation called "luxury compliance." There isn't one. Luxury goods are not governed by a single law the way electronics have RoHS or …
Electronics and Appliances Bound for the EU: Does WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU Apply to You?
Shipping electrical or electronic goods into the European Union means someone has to take responsibility for what happens to those products once they are thrown away. That responsibility is set out in…
A Pre-Shipment Checklist for EU EcoDesign Directive 2009/125/EC
Use this checklist before you ship any energy-related product into the European Union, so you can confirm your paperwork is in order ahead of customs or a market surveillance check. 1. **Technical Do…
Selling Organic Products in the US? Here's What a Small Team Needs to Handle First
Running an organic import or resale business without a dedicated compliance person is common, and it is manageable if you know where to focus your attention. The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) is…
FDA 510(k) Clearance: Does Your Medical Device Need It Before Entering the US?
Shipping medical devices into the United States comes with a specific regulatory checkpoint that many small importers discover too late in the process. FDA 510(k) Clearance is one of the main pathways…
EU MDR 2017/745 Explained: Common Questions from Importers and Resellers
If you're bringing medical devices into the EU, here are answers to the questions importers and resellers ask most about [EU MDR 2017/745](/regulations/eu-mdr-2017-745). ## What is EU MDR 2017/745? …
FCC Part 15 Checklist: Documents to Collect Before You Ship Radio Frequency Devices to the US
Use this checklist before you place a purchase order for any product that transmits or emits radio frequency energy — Wi-Fi devices, Bluetooth gadgets, remote controls, wireless chargers, and similar …
GOTS: What the Organic Textile Label Actually Requires
Shoppers see "organic cotton" on a label and assume it means something fixed and checkable. [GOTS](/regulations/gots) is one of the main standards that backs up that claim, and it covers more than the…
A CE Marking Checklist for Small Importers and Resellers
Use this checklist before your goods leave the supplier's factory, so any gaps in CE Marking compliance surface while you can still fix them. 1. **EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC)** — a signed docu…
Bottles Compliance: What It Covers and Whether Your Product Is Affected
"Bottles" is not a single rule or certificate. It is a general term that can touch several different areas of regulation depending on what the bottle is made of, what it holds, and where it is sold. A…
US DOT Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR): What They Cover and Whether You Need to Comply
Shipping goods into the United States that contain batteries, aerosols, flammable liquids, or certain chemicals can bring you into contact with rules most importers never expected to deal with. The US…
Australia/NZ Work Health & Safety (WHS) / Product Safety: Common Questions from Importers
Here are answers to the questions small importers and resellers most often ask about shipping into Australia and New Zealand. ## What does Australia/NZ Work Health & Safety (WHS) / Product Safety act…
EPA TSCA Compliance Checklist for US Importers
Use this checklist before any shipment containing chemicals, chemical mixtures, or articles with chemical substances enters the United States. 1. **Confirm whether your chemical is new or existing.**…
Men Compliance: What the Term Means and When It Matters
People searching Complyra for "men compliance" are usually looking for rules tied to a specific product category, not a single named regulation. Unlike EN 71 or RoHS, there's no single law called "men…
GDPR for small importers and resellers: common questions answered
If you handle customer or supplier data from EU contacts, here are answers to the questions importers and resellers ask most about GDPR. ## What is GDPR and who does it apply to? GDPR (General Data …
Selling Wireless Products Globally? Here's What Buyers Will Ask You to Prove
If your product has a Bluetooth chip or Wi-Fi radio in it, buyers importing into regulated markets will not take your word that it works and is legal to sell. They will ask for paperwork, and if you c…
Water Compliance: What the Term Covers and How to Know If It Applies to You
"Water" is one of those search terms that could mean several different things depending on what you import or sell. This week alone, 8 people searched for it on Complyra, which tells us it's a term wo…
UN/IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations: A Shipping Documentation Checklist
Use this checklist before you book any shipment that contains batteries, aerosols, chemicals, or anything else classified as dangerous goods, whether it's moving by air or sea. 1. **Confirm the UN Nu…
Selling Into Medical Devices: What Buyers Expect Under ISO 13485:2016
When a medical device company evaluates you as a supplier, ISO 13485:2016 compliance is usually one of the first things their procurement or quality team checks. It is not a formality. Buyers in this …
Food Compliance: What It Means and Whether Your Product Is Covered
If you import, distribute, or resell anything people eat or drink, you've probably run into the term food compliance. It sounds broad because it is broad — it covers a wide range of rules rather than …
FDA Cosmetics Compliance for Small Importers: Where to Start When You Have No Compliance Team
Running a small import or resale business means you are probably handling sourcing, customer service, and compliance yourself, often at the same time. When cosmetics are part of your product line, FDA…
Alert Compliance: What "Alert" Means and Whether It Applies to You
If you've landed here after searching "alert," you're likely trying to figure out whether this is a specific rule you need to follow, or something broader. This page explains what the term covers and …
Common Mistakes Importers Make With GREENGUARD Gold Certification
Shipping furniture, flooring, insulation, or other building products with claims about indoor air quality brings extra scrutiny. Here are the mistakes small importers and resellers run into most often…
FDA 21 CFR Part 177 for Small Teams: What to Sort Out First
If you import plastic food containers, packaging film, or any polymer that touches food, FDA 21 CFR Part 177 is the rule that governs it. You don't need a compliance department to handle this, but you…
Common OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Mistakes That Trip Up Importers
Shipping a product into the United States is not the end of your compliance work if that product ends up in a workplace. [OSHA 29 CFR 1910](/regulations/osha-29cfr) covers the chemicals, materials, an…
Samsung Compliance: Why the Brand Name Isn't the Regulation
People searching for "samsung compliance" are usually trying to work out whether a product made by or branded as Samsung needs special clearance before it can be imported or sold. The short answer is …
OEKO-TEX Standard 100: does your textile shipment need it?
Textile buyers in many markets now ask suppliers for [OEKO-TEX Standard 100](/regulations/oeko-tex-100) certification before they'll place an order. If you import or resell clothing, bedding, or other…
Script Compliance: What It Means and Whether It Applies to Your Product
People land on this page after searching "script" in a compliance context, and the honest answer is that it is not a single, defined regulation. There is no law, directive, or standard officially name…
SAP Business One Procurement Integration: Common Questions Answered
Here are answers to the questions teams running SAP Business One most often ask about connecting it to Complyra. ## What does the SAP Business One connector actually do? Complyra's SAP Business One …
REACH Regulation EC/1907/2006: A Plain-English Guide for Importers and Resellers
Chemicals in the products you import or resell into the EU are covered by rules that go well beyond labelling. REACH Regulation EC/1907/2006 is the EU law that governs how substances are registered, e…
California Proposition 65 Compliance Checklist for Importers and Resellers
Use this checklist before you ship or list any product for sale in California, or whenever a supplier changes materials or components on an existing product. 1. **Identify listed chemicals in your pr…
Evaluating SAP Ariba Procurement Integration: What to Ask Before You Commit
Procurement leaders shopping for software that connects to SAP Ariba are usually solving a narrower problem than the marketing suggests: can this tool actually get purchase requisitions, RFQ events, a…
Supplier Compliance: Common Questions From Procurement and Compliance Teams
Here are answers to questions we hear often from teams responsible for supplier compliance. ## What does "supplier compliance" actually mean? Supplier compliance means confirming that a supplier and…
Generic REST / CSV / XML Procurement Integration: A Buyer's Evaluation Guide
When you're comparing tools that send purchase orders or RFQs into your ERP, the marketing pages tend to look alike. What actually separates a workable connector from a source of ongoing support ticke…
Selling Cosmetics into the EU? Here's What Buyers Will Ask For Under Regulation 1223/2009
Buyers in the EU cosmetics market rarely take a supplier's word for it. Before they place an order, most will ask for paperwork that proves your product meets [EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009](/regu…
From Requirement to Purchase Order: How RFQ Automation Moves Through Each Stage
Sending a request for quotation to five suppliers usually means writing five near-identical emails, chasing replies, and copying numbers into a spreadsheet to compare them. RFQ automation removes the …
A Textiles Compliance Checklist for Buyers Sourcing Apparel and Fashion
Use this checklist before you confirm a purchase order with a new textiles, apparel or fashion supplier, or when adding a new fabric or garment line to your range. 1. **OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certific…
Importing into United States Compliance: What a Small Team Needs to Handle First
If you're a small importer or reseller without a dedicated compliance person, the list of United States product regulations can look overwhelming fast. The good news is that not everything applies to …
Tools and references
Free tools
- Free compliance checker — which regulations apply to a product
- RFQ template generator — build a structured RFQ
References
- All 47 regulations — scope, documents and substance limits
- Procurement glossary
- Industries — regulations and evidence by sector
Put a guide into practice
Describe what you need to buy and follow it through search, compliance check and RFQ.