Introduction
The programme “Improving Supply Chain Resilience and Transparency Using Artificial Intelligence” develops professional practice in Procurement. It connects the subject with workplace challenges by examining existing evidence and practices and choosing methods appropriate to the organization and its available resources.
The learning progresses from supply chain and logistics planning to tender preparation and evaluation, with practical work on artificial intelligence applications and controls, governance, accountability, and compliance management, procurement planning and supplier evaluation. Participants prepare outputs to support workplace application and review the quality and results of implementation.
Learning objectives
- Analyze supply flows and design alternatives that reduce disruption and improve order fulfillment in an application related to “Improving Supply Chain Resilience and Transparency Using Artificial Intelligence”.
- Design an AI use case with verification criteria and human review.
- Define decision-making authority, accountability mechanisms, and obligation monitoring.
- Prepare a purchasing plan and bid comparison based on needs, specifications, and published criteria.
- Prepare tender documentation, evaluation criteria, and a documentation process that ensures clarity and fairness.
Learning areas
1. Supply Chain and Logistics Planning
- Map material, information, and financial flows from supplier to beneficiary, identifying dependencies, bottlenecks, and delays.
- Compare demand forecasts with available capacity and supply dates, and build a coordination plan across purchasing, inventory, production, and distribution.
- Evaluate transportation, storage, and sourcing alternatives in terms of cost, duration, reliability, and relevant contractual terms.
- Test a supplier or transport route disruption scenario, and define alternatives, minimum levels of critical materials, and the escalation path.
- Build indicators for on-time delivery, cost, losses, and service levels, and use them to review the performance of supply chain participants. The application examines a case related to “Improving Supply Chain Resilience and Transparency Using Artificial Intelligence”.
2. Artificial Intelligence Applications and Controls
- Identify a task that AI can support, and separate inputs and human decisions from outputs produced by the tool.
- Prepare suitable test data and examples while respecting confidentiality, privacy, and permissions, and use de-identified training exercise data.
- Write clear instructions covering the task, context, constraints, and output format, and compare multiple formulations using a fixed set of examples.
- Check outputs for errors, bias, and unsupported information, and identify cases that require specialist review.
- Assess the feasibility of use in terms of quality, time, cost, and risk, and document controls for approval, monitoring, and stopping when failures occur.
3. Governance, Accountability, and Compliance Management
- Map decision-making, oversight, and execution levels, and identify separation of roles and potential conflicts of interest.
- Review policies, committees, delegated authorities, and reporting frequency, and connect each responsibility to clear authority and limits.
- Create an obligations register specifying the source, scope, responsible party, and compliance evidence, and review applicable local requirements.
- Define disclosure, accountability, complaint handling, and misconduct reporting mechanisms, and protect information confidentiality during follow-up.
- Assess a practical governance case and prepare a gap remediation plan with review indicators and evidence of action closure.
4. Procurement Planning and Supplier Evaluation
- Analyze the need, request timing, and life-cycle cost, checking for alternatives available in inventory or existing contracts.
- Write clear specifications, scope of work, and acceptance criteria, avoiding restrictions that the nature of the need does not justify.
- Study the supplier market, define the procurement method, timetable, and authorities, and refer to applicable regulations and policies.
- Compare bids using published technical and financial criteria and documented weights, and prepare a record showing assessment evidence and potential conflicts of interest.
- Build a mechanism for monitoring delivery, quality, obligations, and change, and measure supplier performance and address noncompliance.
5. Tender Preparation and Evaluation
- Define the tender scope, deliverables, and acceptance criteria, and review the approval mechanism, budget, and applicable local regulations.
- Prepare solicitation documents, terms, schedules, and relevant guarantees, ensuring consistency across technical, financial, and contractual requirements.
- Set evaluation criteria, weights, and exclusion rules before receiving bids, and organize responses to inquiries and the management of amendments.
- Conduct a documented training evaluation showing evidence, results, and conflicts of interest, separating technical examination from financial comparison under the approved procedure.
- Draft an award recommendation and procedures for notification and handover to contract management, retaining documents, responses, and the objection and review trail.
Practical outputs
- A supply chain map, demand and supply plan, and logistics risk register.
- A use case brief and a test template for the quality of AI outputs.
- An authority matrix, obligations register, and escalation and review mechanism.
- A procurement plan, supplier evaluation matrix, and contract follow-up template.
- A requirements document, evaluation matrix, examination record, and award recommendation.
Who should attend
- Practitioners, specialists and supervisors whose work relates to the programme subject.
- Managers and teams working in procurement, according to their practical responsibilities.
- Professionals responsible for applying the outputs of “Improving Supply Chain Resilience and Transparency Using Artificial Intelligence” within their organizations.
Prerequisites
- Working familiarity with the programme field and the ability to discuss a professional case or challenge.
- Confirm the suitability of your experience and any specialist prerequisites with the Union before participation.
Conclusion
The programme “Improving Supply Chain Resilience and Transparency Using Artificial Intelligence” brings together concepts, case review and a practical application. Participants prepare steps that can be adapted to their responsibilities and organizational resources, with an indicator to follow application and review results after returning to work.
Participation arrangements and any special requests are specified in the confirmation issued by the Union.