An optimization approach to determining the number of vendors to employ

Presents an approach for evaluating the number of vendors to employ in a procurement situation using multi‐objective programming (MOP) and data envelopment analysis (DEA). The approach advocates developing vendor‐order quantity solutions (referred to as supervendors) using MOP and then evaluating the efficiency of these supervendors on multiple criteria using DEA. Formulations are presented for both the MOP and DEA models. A case study is presented for a Fortune 500 company in a just‐in‐time (JIT) manufacturing environment.