In the Business Buying Process, What Is the Purpose of Soliciting

In the business buying process, what is the purpose of soliciting an RFP?

A) to offer qualified potential suppliers the opportunity to submit a proposal to provide the products as specified in the previous stage of the buying process
B) to give interested suppliers the opportunity to be evaluated for their capability to provide the preferred solution to the buyer's problem
C) to assess the performance capabilities of existing suppliers
D) to signal to competitors that the buyer is looking for new sources of supply