Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to determine the purchasing requirements for goods, source suppliers, discuss requirements, and assess the quality of goods before purchase.
It does not cover the specialist skills to systematically purchase and control the supply of goods for an organisation. These skills are covered by:
SITXINV004 Control stock
SITXINV005 Establish stock purchasing and control systems.
The unit applies to all tourism, travel, hospitality and event industry sectors where the purchase of any type of good takes place, including food and beverage supplies. Purchasing goods may involve placing an order for future delivery or purchasing goods face-to-face and taking immediate delivery.
The unit applies to operational personnel who operate with some level of independence and under limited supervision. This includes tour coordinators, account managers for professional conference organisers, event coordinators and banquet coordinators. In a kitchen environment it can apply to chefs of all levels, including commis chefs, but in larger organisations purchasing often remains the responsibility of sous chefs and executive chefs.
No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Determine purchasing requirements. | 1.1.Access and interpret information and discuss end product requirements with relevant personnel to determine goods to be purchased. 1.2.Check and assess quality and suitability of stock on hand before proceeding with new purchases. 1.3.Maximise use of suitable stock on hand to avoid wastage. 1.4.Use forecasting methods to calculate required quantity of goods. 1.5.Determine price limitations for the purchase of goods using job costings. 1.6.Develop purchase lists and prioritise purchasing requirements according to organisational deadlines. |
2. Source suppliers and discuss requirements. | 2.1.Source and review potential suppliers and comply with organisational procedures for the supply of goods. 2.2.Inform supplier of requirements and specifications. 2.3.Confirm availability of supply to meet production requirements. 2.4.Seek price for the supply and negotiate costs within scope of individual responsibility and organisational policy. 2.5.Refer complex supply issues to a higher level staff member for action. |
3. Assess quality of goods and make purchase. | 3.1.Assess supplier capacity to meet price, quality and delivery expectations. 3.2.Complete assessment of quality of goods. 3.3.Select supplier and purchase goods based on price, availability and quality, and within scope of individual responsibility and organisational policy. 3.4.Keep accurate purchase records. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:
determine and confirm purchasing requirements for at least six of the goods listed in the knowledge evidence
make purchase arrangements for the goods to meet different:
end product requirements
customer specifications:
numbers
special requests
assess supplier capacity to meet price, quality and delivery expectations for each of the above goods
complete above purchasing activities following organisational requirements for stock ordering, including procedures and documentation.
Evidence of Knowledge
Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
specific industry sector and organisation:
features of products sold and the expected level of quality
formats for and contents of workplace documents that describe supply requirements
forecasting methods for calculating required quantity of goods
formats for and inclusions of job costings that describe purchase price limitations
sources of product and supplier information
sources of information on negotiated cost of supply, contractual arrangements and preferred supplier arrangements
formats for and inclusions of supplier specifications for the purchase of goods
full content of stock ordering procedures and documents
individual stock ordering responsibilities
sources of information to determine purchase requirements:
buffet designs
catering orders
customer specifications:
numbers
special requests
event orders
event running sheets
function orders
menus
operational itineraries for crew
passenger itineraries
passenger lists
recipes
reservation profiles
rooming lists
standard yields
goods that need to be purchased by a business:
alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages
cleaning agents and chemicals
customer travel products:
luggage labels
travel bags
travel wallets
tickets
vouchers
event supplies
food:
dairy products
dry goods
fresh goods
frozen goods
fruit or vegetables
meat, poultry or seafood
fuel:
aircraft
coaches
hire cars
vessels
general stores
housekeeping supplies
linen
merchandise
uniforms
considerations in determining quality and suitability of stock on hand:
ability to meet customer requirements:
numbers
special dietary requirements
special requests
ability to meet requirements of:
event
menu
recipe
touring itinerary
for food:
currency of best by or use by dates
freshness
size
weight
numbers of goods on hand
organisational procedures for the supply of goods:
completing purchase orders
gaining authority to purchase
limitations on which suppliers can be used
who is authorised to negotiate and purchase
assessment of supplier capacity to meet price, quality and delivery expectations:
comparing price with previous supply costs
visual assessment
taste test for food
visual assessment
taste test for food
checking on others’ satisfaction with the supplier
determinants of the quality of goods:
ability to meet:
customer specifications
organisational quality specifications
portion requirements
currency of best by or use by dates
freshness
size
weight.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in a tourism, travel, hospitality or events business or activity for which goods are purchased. This can be:
an industry workplace
a simulated industry environment.
Assessment must ensure access to:
diverse and comprehensive range of tourism, hospitality or event industry supply items that can be assessed for quality and suitability
operational workplace specifications:
details of supplier contracts
job costings
current commercial stock control procedures and documentation for the ordering of goods.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations’ requirements for assessors.
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement. | |
SKILLS | DESCRIPTION |
Reading skills to: | comprehend and follow operational documents that describe purchasing requirements for recipes, menus, itineraries, event running sheets, and organisational procedures. |
Writing skills to: | write purchase orders and descriptive purchase specifications for suppliers. |
Oral communication skills to: | discuss product and purchase requirements with supervisors and managers. |
Numeracy skills to: | interpret job costings and calculate supplier costs. |
Initiative and enterprise skills to: | purchase from the most cost-effective supplier. |
Teamwork skills to: | discuss production requirements with supervisors and managers to determine purchase requirements. |
Planning and organising skills to: | prioritise purchasing requirements according to organisational deadlines. |
Technology skills to: | use a calculator to assist with supply numbers and costs. |
Sectors
Cross-Sector
Competency Field
Inventory