Free curriculum for industrial cold-chain procurement.
Six modules covering the full procurement cycle — from RFQ and specification through supplier evaluation, Incoterms, factory inspection, FAT/SAT and commissioning. Written for engineers, procurement leads and EPC teams handling international refrigeration projects.
Fundamentals
Start here — how professional cold-chain procurement works end-to-end.
Cold Chain Procurement Process (7 Phases)
Phase 1 business case → 2 market intelligence → 3 specification → 4 supplier shortlist → 5 tender → 6 award & contract → 7 post-award management.
Read guide Procurement KnowledgeThe Complete RFQ Guide for Cold Storage & Refrigeration Projects
Use this guide to build an RFQ that specifies capacity, temperature class, refrigerant, energy targets, delivery terms and contract structure clearly enough that any qualified supplier can quote without follow-up calls.
Read guide TenderingCold Storage & Refrigeration Tender Guide
Publish clear rules, hold a pre-bid Q&A, receive sealed bids, score against pre-published criteria, then negotiate best-and-final with the top 2–3.
Read guide ComparisonVendor Comparison Guide (Cold Chain)
Normalise every bid on lifecycle cost (capex + 10-year opex), delivery risk, technology fit and after-sales support. Publish the weights inside your RFQ so bidders self-optimise.
Read guideTechnical Specification
Translate operational needs into engineering-grade specifications.
Technical Specification Guide (Cold Chain)
Specify capacity, temperature class, refrigerant, controls, envelope, code compliance and performance guarantees — in that order. Reference ASHRAE, IIAR, EN 378 and ISO 22000 to remove ambiguity.
Read guide EngineeringRefrigeration Equipment Selection Guide
Match compressor technology to load profile and refrigerant, size condensers for peak ambient, choose evaporators for pull-down and defrost cycle, and use open-protocol controls to keep future options open.
Read guide CapacityCold Storage Capacity Planning Guide
Plan capacity on peak-week throughput plus 15–25% headroom over a 5-year horizon. Convert product mass to pallets, then pallets to m³ using aisle & racking factors.
Read guideSupplier & Contract
Evaluate suppliers, structure contracts and control international risk.
Supplier Evaluation Checklist (Cold Chain)
Score suppliers on capability (30%), financial health (20%), references (20%), HSE & quality (15%) and delivery capacity (15%). Reject anyone under 65/100.
Read guide ChecklistBuyer Checklist for Cold Storage & Refrigeration Projects
Confirm site data, freeze scope, align stakeholders and secure financing before publishing. Every 'no' on this checklist adds 2–4 weeks to your schedule.
Read guide International TradeIncoterms 2020 for Cold Chain & Refrigeration Buyers
For most refrigeration equipment procurement, CIP (named port of destination) or DAP (site) offer the cleanest risk transfer. EXW and FOB expose buyers to inland transport risk they usually shouldn't own.
Read guide TemplateFree RFQ Template for Cold Storage & Refrigeration
The template mirrors ISO 20400 sustainable procurement structure and works for equipment purchases (single compressor to full plant) and turnkey warehouse builds.
Read guideCost & Financing
Build defensible CAPEX/OPEX budgets and structure financing.
Quality, Testing & Handover
Factory inspection, FAT/SAT and commissioning that hold up in disputes.
Factory Inspection Guide for Refrigeration Equipment
Use three inspection points: initial production check (IPC) at 20–30% completion, during production check (DPC) at 50–70%, and pre-shipment inspection (PSI) at 100% before container loading.
Read guide Acceptance TestingFAT & SAT Checklist for Refrigeration Equipment
FAT verifies equipment against contract in the factory before shipment. SAT verifies performance at the installed site under real conditions. Both need documented pass/fail criteria and sign-off.
Read guide Project HandoverCold Storage Commissioning Checklist
Run commissioning in four phases: pre-commissioning (mechanical completion), cold commissioning (dry runs and pressure tests), hot commissioning (loaded operation) and handover. Sign off each phase before advancing.
Read guide InstallationCold Storage Installation Guide
Sequence: civils → insulated envelope → refrigeration mechanical → electrical & controls → refrigerant charge → FAT/SAT → training & handover. Each stage has hold-points and acceptance criteria.
Read guideOperate & Maintain
Protect the asset once it's live.
Launch a vendor-neutral RFQ opened to qualified international suppliers, with financing available.