eir evaluation criteria should be staged and structured SO as to be extensible to greater scale. Another way to view this issue is to structure the paper evaluation and the initial working sample evaluation SO it is repre- sentative of the full scope of the network or system as known at a given time. EVALUATING SOURCES OF SUPPLY Evaluating sources of supply may be more critical than evaluating what's being supplied. After all, the best equipment or service on the planet is greatly diminished in value if it can't be depended on. Repair, replacement parts, and upgrades are important life cycle extenders. The latest gadget has diminished value if your organization gets sued for patent infringement by the supplier's competitor and the entity the gadget was purchased from isn't around, or doesn't have the resources to defend itself and its custom- ers in such an action. No matter who is right, the outcome is less than satisfactory. If your organization uses a purchase order process (i.e., limits the power to commit funds to be paid in exchange for goods and services using a purchase order form) then it's likely the individ- uals authorized to issue POs can conduct supplier due diligence. Initial or preliminary due diligence is general in nature and does not require any technical subject matter expertise beyond a qualified purchasing representative's knowledge of buying what the acquiring organization needs for its business. As project planning proceeds and technical concerns arise, subject matter expertise will be needed to complete the due diligence process. 8 ACQUIRING AND EVALUATING EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES Evaluating sources of supply is a process whereby accounting, con- tractual, legal, and technical subject matter expertise investigate and quantify potential risks of doing business with an unknown third party. It involves an examination of the entity's financial health, ability to produce deliverables in the level and amounts required, and its ability and reputation for post-deliverable support of whatever type i