Hi Howard--
This is a common issue with PunchOut Catalogs—how can they be audited? Right now, there isn't a contract product that can validate prices for items returning from a PunchOut Catalog.
This is where the relationship between the Supplier and your company becomes paramount. Because the PunchOut pricing control resides with your Supplier, it is important that your company:
- Engage only a trusted partner Supplier when utilizing a PunchOut catalog
- Have a contract in place for the items being purchased on the PunchOut site
- Have specific language in the contract, dealing with PunchOut Catalogs and price updates, and specifically around price-volitile commodities
- Conduct periodic audits on a sample group of SKUs, that can be compared on a periodic basis—monthly, quarterly, or whatever makes sense in your industry
Hope this helps.
-M