IDEA: Alternate buyers/vendors to keep bids honest and competitive.

Some companies which are large enough alternate buyers and the vendors who they buy from.  This helps tremendously to keep the process honest and keep vendors’ bids competitive now that they deal with a buyer they do not know.  You want the vendor to think twice before submitting ‘fat’ bids to an easy buyer who looks forward to the doughnuts every Friday.  When the vendor no longer knows who is evaluating his next bid, he will sharpen his pencil.