How scores work
A score is only useful if you can see how it was made. This page sets out exactly how ProcureRank turns reviews into a benchmark. The same rules apply to every supplier, and the code that implements them is tested against each rule below.
The ProcureRank Index
Each supplier gets an index from 0 to 100 in each category they work in. 0 means every buyer scored every criterion 1 out of 5. 100 means every buyer scored every criterion 5 out of 5. The category average is shown alongside every score, because a 68 in civil works and a 68 in IT managed services don’t mean the same thing.
Criteria and weights
Every category has its own criteria, weighted by what matters most in that market. As an example, here are the weights for freight and linehaul:
| Criterion | Share of score |
|---|---|
| On time, in full | 23% |
| Damage and claims handling | 12% |
| Tracking and visibility | 11% |
| Chain of Responsibility compliance | 17% |
| Responsiveness and account management | 11% |
| Value for money | 17% |
| Contract management | 9% |
Criteria and weights are reviewed each year with founding members. Changes are announced in advance and applied to all suppliers in the category at the same time.
Fairness rules
One organisation, one voice
Reviews are averaged within each buyer organisation first, and each organisation’s total influence is capped. Twenty reviews from one friendly customer count the same as one review from them.
Recent experience counts more
The weight of a review halves every 24 months, measured from the end of the engagement. Ongoing contracts count at full weight. Suppliers that improve will see it reflected.
Small samples are pulled towards the average
Every score starts with the equivalent of 3 organisations scoring at the category average. Real reviews then move it. A supplier with three perfect reviews won’t outrank one with excellent results from twelve organisations.
No score below 3 organisations
A supplier isn’t ranked until at least 3 separate buyer organisations have published reviews. Until then, their profile shows as not yet benchmarked and no individual reviews are shown, which protects reviewers from being identified.
Reviewers can’t be singled out
A score needs 3 organisations, but that alone doesn’t hide who said what: a supplier often knows which client was the state agency with the $1m contract in 2023. So each detail shown on a review (type of organisation, state, contract value band, procurement route) must be shared by at least 3 of that supplier’s reviews, or it is shown more generally (for example, “government buyer”) or not at all, and no combination of details may be unique to one review. Every review of a supplier gets the same level of detail. The period is always shown as a band, never a date. Scores for each criterion and the reviewer’s own answer on re-engaging appear only once 5 organisations have reviewed the supplier. Moderators remove identifying detail from written comments before publication.
Regional views
When you filter by state, scores use only reviews of work delivered in that state. The category average still uses national data so a small state sample can’t distort it.
Evidence strength
Every score shows how many independent buyer organisations sit behind it:
- Limited evidence: 3 to 4 buyer organisations
- Developing evidence: 5 to 9 buyer organisations
- Established evidence: 10 or more buyer organisations
Evidence strength is a count of organisations, not a statistical confidence interval, and we don’t draw one. Treat a limited-evidence score as a useful signal to check, and an established-evidence score as a settled pattern. The small-sample rule above already pulls limited-evidence scores towards the category average.
Integrity and moderation
- Only verified Australian buyer organisations can join, by invitation, using an approved work email domain.
- Reviewers declare that they have first-hand experience, have no conflict of interest, and have received no inducement.
- Reviewers can attach a purchase order or contract reference. Moderators can verify it, but it is never published.
- Every review is moderated before publication against our content standards. Comments must be factual and about the work, not about individuals.
- Suppliers have a right of reply on every review and can request corrections.
- ProcureRank never accepts payment to change, hide or reorder scores or reviews. Every moderation action is logged.
What scores don’t tell you
Scores describe buyers’ past experience. They don’t replace your own evaluation criteria, financial checks, insurances, licences or probity process. Use ProcureRank to inform market sounding, shortlisting and referee checks, and always run your procurement under your own policies.