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Sole Source Procurementnoun

Buying from one supplier without competition, on documented grounds.

Sole sourcing awards a contract without a competitive process because only one supplier can realistically meet the need — proprietary technology, exclusive distribution, compatibility with installed equipment or genuine emergency.

It is legitimate but must be justified in writing and approved at a higher level than routine buying, precisely because it removes the price discipline competition provides.

Also called

  • single sourcing
  • direct award

Related terms

Dual Sourcing

Deliberately qualifying two suppliers for the same item.

Tender

A formal, structured competitive bidding process, common in public buying.

Delegation of Authority

DoA

The documented limits within which each role may commit the organisation.

Maverick Spend

Purchasing made outside approved processes or contracts.

More in Procurement

Approval Workflow Approved Vendor List (AVL) Bid Evaluation Blanket Purchase Order Category Management Conflict of Interest (CoI) Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) Cost Avoidance

Sole Source Procurement is not just a definition here

Procurement runs on this vocabulary every day in AWRA OpsHub — 40 of our 259 glossary terms describe things the platform actually does.

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