1. Do you take commission from suppliers?
This is the single most important question. If the answer is yes, their recommendation is not truly independent. Look for partners paid only by you, the client.
2. What sectors and categories do you actually source?
A partner that sources everything usually sources nothing well. Ask for recent examples in your sector — engineering, manufacturing, construction — and the categories closest to your spend.
3. How do you find and vet new suppliers?
You want a real process — RFQs to multiple suppliers, financial checks, reference calls — not just a call to a favourite contact.
4. What's the pricing model?
The two clean options are per-project fees and monthly retainers. Watch out for models that make the partner more money the more you spend — that's misaligned incentives.
5. What does the handover look like?
You should own the supplier relationship at the end of every project. Contracts, quotes and contact details are yours — not locked behind the partner.
6. How fast is a typical turnaround?
For a one-off quote, same day to 48 hours is realistic. For a full sourcing project, one to three weeks depending on the category. Anything longer without a good reason means the partner is stretched.
7. Can we start with one requirement?
A partner confident in their value will happily run a single requirement before you commit to a retainer. If they insist on a long contract up front, that's a red flag.
Where Northstar sits
We're independent — no commission from suppliers, pay per project or monthly, UK-focused on engineering, manufacturing and construction SMEs. The fastest way to check the fit is to send us one live requirement.