Buyer guide
How to qualify a Georgian supplier
A public website can establish that a company exists. It cannot tell you whether the factory, capacity, compliance system and commercial offer will work for your program.
Start with a claim map, not a factory questionnaire
Before contacting the supplier, separate what public evidence already establishes from what the company still needs to prove. This prevents a polished presentation from becoming the starting point for every conclusion. Record the source, date and evidence status for each material claim.
01
Confirm the contracting legal entity
Match the trade name to the registered legal name, company number, address and ownership information. Confirm that the bank account, quotation, certificate holder and eventual contract all point to the same entity or to a documented relationship between entities.
- Current registry extract and company number
- Registered and operating addresses
- Ownership and authorized signatory
- Relationship between the brand, exporter and factory
02
Establish who controls production
An office address, product catalogue or Georgian telephone number does not establish factory ownership. Ask whether the supplier owns, leases or subcontracts each site. Request the exact address, current photographs, a live walkthrough and documentation connecting the legal entity to the facility.
When production is subcontracted, identify the actual manufacturer and apply the same qualification standard to that business.
03
Test process fit at the operation level
Translate the product into required operations, equipment, materials and quality controls. Then mark each operation as in-house, subcontracted or unverified. A supplier may make a similar product without controlling the process that matters most to cost, quality or lead time.
- Equipment list tied to the proposed product
- In-house versus subcontracted operations
- Material origin and approved upstream suppliers
- Inspection points, test methods and retained records
04
Replace headline capacity with available capacity
Annual capacity figures are rarely enough. Request output by line or process, current utilization, operating shifts, changeover assumptions and the seasonal capacity calendar. Compare the proposed order to actual recent production, not only to theoretical machine speed.
A useful capacity answer explains the constraint. It should identify the operation that governs throughput and the evidence used to calculate available volume.
05
Verify every certificate with the issuer
Obtain the current document, then verify its number in the issuer’s database when one exists. Check the legal entity, facility address, product or process scope, standard version, issue date, expiry date and any exclusions. A group-level certificate or expired marketing badge may not cover the site quoting your business.
06
Ask for evidence of recent export execution
Export-market lists can become stale. Request recent destination markets, the products shipped, shipment frequency and the supplier’s role in the transaction. Where lawful and available, corroborate the answer with trade data, customer references or government exporter records.
Separate direct exports from sales to a local trader or foreign intermediary. Both models can work, but they create different documentation, payment and control risks.
07
Qualify the commercial operating model
Confirm MOQ by style, SKU and color; sample and production lead times; development charges; tooling or artwork ownership; payment terms; Incoterms; packaging responsibility; claims handling; and who owns compliance testing. Ask how the answers change for first orders and replenishment orders.
Do not compare unit prices until scope, quality, packaging, testing, freight assumptions and duties are aligned.
08
Close with a written decision record
Record each claim as verified, company-stated, historically supported, conflicting or unknown. List the remaining risks, the evidence needed to close them and the person responsible. The final decision should state whether the company is approved for development, approved with conditions or not approved.
Need a starting set?
Use the directory to build your initial claim map.
Each company record exposes its sources, operating claims and highest-priority qualification questions.