Question 1

How do negotiation guardrails work?

Accepted Answer

You set the commercial and operational boundaries first: target and ceiling prices, lead-time limits, minimum-order thresholds, approved substitutes, and exclusions. Foldwright agents use those guardrails to frame a negotiation or flag a move; the buying team keeps approval authority and no agent signs a purchase order.

Question 2

What happens when a proposal exceeds a guardrail?

Accepted Answer

The proposal is surfaced as an exception rather than silently accepted. The agent shows which boundary was crossed, the supplier evidence behind it, and the available alternatives or trade-offs so an authorized buyer can approve, reject, or revise the guardrail.

Question 3

What does the weekly memo include?

Accepted Answer

Each memo organizes dated changes into WATCH, MOVES, and RISK. It connects supplier and market evidence to the affected material, explains the decision impact, and gives next-step guidance for sourcing, sustainability, and finance.

Question 4

How often is the memo delivered, and how should teams use it?

Accepted Answer

The memo is delivered once a week, with the same dated signal available for the team’s decision rhythm. Use it to choose the next negotiation, qualification, or evidence check while there is still room to act; it is a decision brief, not a replacement for the buyer’s approval process.

Question 5

How is substrate simulation different from a consultant deck?

Accepted Answer

A consultant deck is typically a point-in-time recommendation. Foldwright’s substrate simulation is an explorable decision model: change the material mix, cost, volume, or sustainability assumption and compare the resulting scenarios against the same baseline. It keeps the assumptions visible so the team can test a move before committing to it.

Question 6

What inputs and assumptions does a substrate simulation use?

Accepted Answer

The model can use the substrate baseline, recycled-content or virgin mix, reference volume, delivered-cost inputs, Scope 3 factors, qualification constraints, and the assumptions you choose for the scenario. Outputs are illustrative planning estimates, not a supplier quote or a verified customer footprint; confirm performance, evidence, and commercial terms before approval.