Discussion 1: What issues do you see with this process of buying the computers from John's small computer company? If you were Reid Lewis, how would you respond to Diana when she comes to your office with the news? How would you explain to Diana the importance of getting all the requirements documented thoroughly first before deciding on a vendor? How would you explain to Diana the importance of getting competitive bids for the computer hardware?
Discussion 2: After the requirements have been gathered and the RFQ is generated, discuss how you think John's company would stack up against the larger, more established, companies that aren't local. How important is it, in your opinion, that the company R & S procures the equipment from be local? How important is it, in your opinion, that the company has experience dealing with these types of hardware systems?