Definition
Sole-source procurement is buying from a single vendor without competitive bidding, usually justified by a unique capability.
Sole-source is where buyer leverage is weakest, so the discipline has to come from elsewhere: a rigorous interrogation, a documented exclusions list, and capped renewal uplifts stand in for the pressure competition would have applied.
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Benchside turns sole-source procurement into the exact questions, exclusions, and lock-in math for your specific vendor - your first project is free.