The essential checklist for labs aiming to streamline procurement

How Does Your Biotech Lab Score on Our Procurement Best Practices Checklist? 

Procurement in biotech isn’t always strategic. In fast-paced labs, it often evolves reactively – responding to immediate needs, funding deadlines, or rapid growth. But as your lab scales, those improvised processes can introduce hidden costs, delays, and compliance risks. 

This best-practice checklist is designed to help you benchmark your procurement setup against what “great” looks like. It’s built on Amici’s experience supporting high-growth biotech and life sciences labs with scientific purchasing. 

So, how does your lab score? Let’s find out, benchmark your lab with our procurement best practices checklist..

1. Are You Involving Procurement Early Enough in Project Planning?

Planning a new project, setting up a new lab, or onboarding a fresh grant? These are pivotal moments where procurement can either be a value-adding partner or a last-minute bottleneck. Early involvement isn’t just about speed – it’s about control, efficiency, and avoiding surprises. 

Too often, procurement is looped in after key project decisions are already made. That might seem efficient, but it can increase delays, cost, and risk. Engaging procurement from the start helps: 

• Align budgets and funding with real-world pricing
• Flag lead-time risks early
• Reduce last-minute purchases or duplicated orders
• Ensure compliance and documentation is built into the process 

Best Practice: Procurement is consulted during the initial planning and funding stage of any new project, not just once purchases are needed. 

SCORE YOURSELF:    

1 = Procurement is typically reactive; only involved when issues arise
2 = Sometimes consulted at project kickoff, but not consistently
3 = Involved in high-value projects, but smaller ones are still ad hoc
4 = Usually looped in early, but not yet formalized as policy
5 = Embedded in project planning by default with clear process triggers

2. Is Your Procurement Process Scientist-Friendly?

In many labs, scientists are still stuck navigating outdated or overly complex ordering systems. When the tools don’t work for them, they bypass the process altogether, creating more work for procurement and finance later. The right setup should support scientific autonomy without sacrificing structure. 

Scientists aren’t procurement professionals – nor should they have to be. But they do need autonomy and speed. The right system enables: 

• Self-service ordering with built-in approval workflows 

• Instant access to multiple suppliers’ catalogues with built in discounts 

• Full order management and visibility on order status 

• Access to expert support when complex orders arise 

Labs that overlook this often end up with scientists spending hours chasing quotes, duplicating orders, or working around the process. 

Best Practice: Your procurement tools are intuitive, clearly scoped, and actively support scientists to get what they need, fast. 

SCORE YOURSELF: 

1 = Manual or email-based ordering; no clear process
2 = Scientists order directly from suppliers with little oversight
3 = There is a system, but it’s clunky or hard to use
4 = Most scientists can order via an internal platform with clear guidance
5 = User-friendly interface + responsive procurement support for scientists 

3. Are You Consolidating Supplier Management?

A fragmented supplier landscape leads to duplication, missed opportunities, and administrative drain. Every extra supplier means another account to manage, discounts to negotiate, another invoice to approve, and another potential risk to mitigate. The more you consolidate, the more leverage and visibility you gain. 

Depending on the size of the lab, it’s not unusual for biotech labs to juggle 100+ supplier relationships. Consolidating purchasing through a single platform or partner helps: 

• Reduce invoice and payment complexity 

• Negotiate better pricing with bulk spend 

• Avoid duplicated orders and fragmented data 

Best Practice: The majority of purchasing flows through one managed procurement system or platform, with minimal exceptions. 

SCORE YOURSELF: 

1 = Every order is managed individually; no consolidation
2 = Some recurring suppliers, but no centralized control
3 = Occasional use of a central platform, but scientists often bypass
4 = Majority of orders are consolidated, but some categories still manual
5 = Over 90% of spend managed via one central platform 

4. Do You Have Year-Round Pricing and Budget Visibility?

Lack of visibility is one of the most common pain points for both scientists and finance teams. Without reliable, up-to-date pricing or spend tracking, budgets are easily overshot, and strategic planning becomes guesswork. Consistent, year-round insight gives labs the data they need to stay in control. 

Procurement can’t just be about getting a good deal once. Best-in-class labs build lasting savings and budget confidence with: 

• Negotiated catalog pricing with fixed rates 

• Real-time spend dashboards and usage tracking 

• Approval flows that align with budgets and actual pricing 

This not only helps labs track financial performance but ensures accountability across teams. With clearer visibility of spend, labs can plan budgets with greater accuracy for the year ahead. 

Best Practice: You operate with structured pricing agreements and have real-time access to procurement data. 

SCORE YOURSELF:  

1 = No negotiated pricing; no budget tracking or oversight
2 = Some discounts negotiated but no central pricing model or visibility
3 = Catalog pricing or dashboards exist, but usage is inconsistent or siloed
4 = Spend is tracked consistently with some automation in place
5 = Real-time budget visibility + negotiated catalog pricing across all categories 

5. Is Compliance Embedded in Your Procurement Workflow?

For biotech labs, compliance isn’t optional. Regulatory bodies demand robust, traceable processes, and procurement is often the first place they look. The more manual or fragmented your system, the harder it is to demonstrate compliance under scrutiny. 

FDA audits. GMP requirements. Export controls. The compliance stakes in biotech are high – and procurement can be a hidden weak spot. 

The right system should: 

• Automate audit trails and documentation 

• Ensure approval steps are embedded into workflows 

• Flag issues before they become regulatory risks 

Best Practice: Compliance isn’t something you check later; it’s baked into how you procure. 

SCORE YOURSELF: 

1 = Compliance is manual, reactive, and often missed
2 = Some steps are documented, but inconsistently
3 = Approval processes exist but require manual enforcement
4 = Workflow includes compliance gates, but some exceptions exist
5 = Fully automated, audit-ready procurement workflows 

Scoring Guide: How Did You Do? 

Add up your scores across the five best-practice areas. Maximum score = 25. 

• 0–10: Needs Attention – Your current setup may be costing more than you think. Delays, duplication, and missed compliance could be holding your lab back. Time to rethink the foundation. 

• 11–20: On the Right Track – You’ve got some good practices in place, but there’s room for optimization. Streamlining systems and involving procurement earlier could unlock serious gains. 
• 21–25: Best-in-Class – Your lab’s procurement is in excellent shape. You’re building for scale, managing risk, and empowering your team. Continuous improvement will keep you ahead. 

Final Thoughts: How Amici Can Help 

If you scored below 20 overall, your procurement might not be keeping pace with your science. 

Amici helps biotech labs streamline procurement and LabOps from day-to-day ordering to long-term strategy. Our platform gives scientists autonomy with built-in guardrails, consolidates supplier management, ensures compliance, and unlocks pharm-scale discounts to drive better pricing outcomes. 

Let’s turn your score into a strategy. Get in touch with our team to see how we can help. 

Book a free consultation call with MyAmici today