China Buying Process | Dracon International

How We Qualify Clients — and Why Most Inquiries Don't Proceed

We're Not for Everyone. Here's How to Know If We're Right for You.

Dracon International is a procurement partner, not a sourcing company. We don't work with everyone who approaches us. We work with a select group of construction companies, developers and builders who share one thing in common: they see procurement as a strategic function, not a purchasing exercise.

If you're looking for the cheapest quote, a fast introduction to a factory, or someone to manage a one-off transaction, we're not the right partner. There are many agents who work that way. We don't.

This page sets out how we qualify clients — and what we need from you before we commit resources to your project.

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Who We Work With

We work with clients who meet three criteria:

1. You have a real project with defined scope.
Not an idea. Not a wish list. Not a "we might build something in a year." A project with drawings, specifications, budget framework, and a programme. If the information isn't developed, we can't give you a meaningful response — and we won't speculate.

2. You're building a supply chain, not chasing a one-off.
Our model rewards repeat business. The first project builds the relationship. The second delivers better pricing. The third delivers a competitive advantage. If you're shopping per project with no intention of continuity, our value proposition doesn't apply to you.

3. You understand compliance is non-negotiable.
If your consent pathway depends on verified certificates, authenticated test reports, and documentation a building surveyor will accept, we're aligned. If compliance is an afterthought, we're not.

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What We Need From You Before We Proceed

We don't quote speculatively from drawings that are still moving. Before we review a project, we require the following:

• Full architectural drawing package — floor plans, elevations, sections, schedules

• Bill of Quantities (BOQ) — itemised quantities and specifications

• Performance specification — compliance standards (AS/NZS, NCC, NZBC, BRANZ), durability, fire ratings, thermal and acoustic targets

• Trade schedules — electrical, plumbing, cabinetry, appliances

• Repetition and standardisation strategy — standardised SKUs for windows, sanitaryware, tiles, joinery finishes

• Consent status — consented or preliminary? If consented, which plans and what date

• Construction programme — start on site, first delivery, staging, practical completion

• Budget framework — indicative or firm, fixed or open

If documentation is incomplete, we'll tell you what's required before we approach manufacturers. That's the first stage of the Dracon process — and it's where the value starts.

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What Disqualifies a Client

Some inquiries we decline. Not because the project isn't real, but because the fit isn't right.

We decline:

• Tenders where we're one of three agents submitting side-by-side indicative rates without drawings under NDA

• Projects where the client wants speculative pricing from drawings that are still moving

• One-off transactions with no intention of ongoing supply chain development

• Categories outside our scope — loose FF&E, retail goods, general trading

• Clients who treat procurement as a purchasing exercise rather than a strategic function

We're not the right fit for everyone. That's by design.

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How We Qualify: The Six-Phase Method

Once a client meets the criteria above, our procurement methodology applies. This is how we move from qualification to delivery.

Phase 1 — Supplier Intelligence & Pre-Qualification
We audit manufacturers through our established China network — not Alibaba. Factory capability, technical expertise, production capacity, export experience, quality systems, and compliance documentation are assessed. Many factories are eliminated before pricing is even requested.

Phase 2 — Commercial Tender & Comparative Analysis
Every qualified supplier receives identical documentation. We compare specifications, material differences, engineering assumptions, compliance inclusions, lead times, warranty, packaging and shipping methodology. Sometimes the cheapest supplier wins. Often they don't.

Phase 3 — Samples, Engineering & Approval
Before production begins, we remove uncertainty — product samples, material samples, prototype manufacture, engineering review, technical meetings, factory visits. Nothing proceeds until specifications are fully understood.

Phase 4 — Production Management
We remain actively involved throughout manufacturing. Production scheduling, progress monitoring, material verification, engineering coordination, client reporting. Issues are addressed inside the factory — not after containers arrive.

Phase 5 — Quality Assurance & Compliance
Inspection hold points at critical stages — incoming materials, structural fabrication, dimensional checks, waterproof testing, functional testing, final assembly. Independent inspections through SGS, TÜV, Bureau Veritas or V-Trust where appropriate. Only once products satisfy agreed quality requirements do we authorise shipment.

Phase 6 — Logistics, Delivery & Supply Chain Development
Export documentation, container loading, freight booking, customs clearance, door-to-door delivery. But the relationship doesn't end when the container arrives. Installation support, warranty coordination, future procurement planning, supplier performance reviews. Every completed project strengthens your supply chain. The next project becomes faster, more efficient, more profitable.

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What We Don't Do

• We don't provide indicative fees for comparison against other agents before reviewing project information under NDA.

• We don't submit speculative fee tables or figures that may be used to benchmark and negotiate another party's appointment.

• We don't price against hypothetical values ($100k, $250k, $500k) without knowing what those values contain.

• We don't compete on rate. We compete on outcome.

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Ready to Engage?

If you've read this page and recognised your project in it, we should talk.

What to send us:
Drawings, specifications, and a clear scope. Under NDA if you prefer. We'll review and tell you honestly whether the fit is right — and if it is, we'll outline a preliminary sourcing and budgeting engagement, quoted as a fixed fee and credited against the engagement fee should the project proceed.

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What not to send:
A request for indicative pricing without documentation. A brief for a category outside our scope. An invitation to join a three-agent comparison table.

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Timikara Taurerewa | Global Director