SoloWorks — Sourcing and procurement
From the factory
to your island
Suppliers found and vetted abroad, quotes compared on landed cost, permits arranged, orders raised and goods followed through freight, customs and delivery to the island.
Service profile
- Service :
- Sourcing and procurement
- Markets :
- Asia, Middle East, Europe
- Pricing :
- Landed cost to the island
- Fee :
- Fixed, no supplier commission
[01] Services
What we do
Almost everything used in the Maldives is imported, from the tiles in a new house to a shop's stock and a resort's furniture. We find and vet suppliers, compare quotes on landed cost rather than price alone, check which goods need a permit before they ship, raise the orders and follow the goods through freight, clearance in Malé and the last leg to the site.
Supplier sourcing
Manufacturers and distributors found and vetted in China, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the UAE and Europe.
Samples and inspections
Samples checked against the specification, factory visits and pre-shipment inspections.
Tenders and RFQs
Request-for-quotation packs, bid evaluation and negotiation, documented for audit, and run to the Public Finance Regulation where a government body is buying.
Orders and contracts
Purchase orders, payment terms and Incoterms written so the risk sits where you expect it.
Permits and duty
Duty checked against the Maldives Customs tariff before you order, permits for restricted goods arranged in advance, and duty-exemption applications prepared where a project qualifies.
Freight and customs
Consolidation and shipping, documents checked, and clearance in Malé with Maldives Customs, filed through Tradian, the national single window.
Delivery to site
Truck in Malé and Hulhumalé, or cargo dhoni, landing craft or barge to the island, offloading and a signed delivery note.
What we buy
Building materials and MEP for houses, flats and offices; stock and equipment for shops, cafés and workshops; FF&E and OS&E for hotels and resorts.
[02] Sample deliverable
| Cost | Supplier A (recommended) | Supplier B | Supplier C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ex-works price | 162,000 | 144,000 | 189,000 |
| Freight to Malé | 41,500 | 58,900 | 27,800 |
| Insurance | 1,600 | 1,500 | 1,800 |
| Import duty, HS 6907 at 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Clearance and handling | 6,200 | 6,200 | 6,200 |
| Delivery to site | 8,500 | 8,500 | 8,500 |
| Lead time | 8 wks | 14 wks | 6 wks |
| Landed | 219,800 | 219,100 | 233,300 |
When you need it
- —You are building a house, a block of flats or a commercial building and want materials at a fair landed price
- —You import stock for a shop or business and your supplier is late, short or overpriced
- —You are fitting out an office, a hotel or a resort
- —Your board, lender or a government buyer needs a documented tender
Outcome
Goods on your site, to specification and cleared, with a documented price trail from quote to delivery note.
[03] Process
From brief to handover
Each stage closes with something you keep and sign off. Hire us for the whole run or for the stage you need.
- 01
Specification
What you need, how many, to what standard and by when, and whether any of it needs an import permit.
- —Specification
- —Budget
- —Permit check
- 02
Sourcing and quotes
Suppliers found, samples checked and quotes compared on landed cost, duty included.
- —Supplier shortlist
- —Landed-cost comparison
- 03
Award and order
Terms negotiated and purchase orders raised in your name.
- —Purchase orders
- —Payment schedule
- 04
Freight and clearance
Shipping booked, documents checked and goods cleared through Maldives Customs in Malé.
- —Shipping documents
- —Customs clearance
- 05
Delivery
The last leg by truck, dhoni, landing craft or barge, checked against the order on arrival.
- —Delivery note
- —Close-out report
Do you take commission from suppliers?
No. We charge you a fee agreed up front, so our only interest is getting you the best landed price.
Who pays the supplier?
You do, directly, against invoices we have checked. We never hold your money.
Which goods need a permit to import?
Food and medicines go through the Maldives Food and Drug Authority, plants and animals through the Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources, radio equipment through the Communications Authority, and ozone-depleting refrigerants such as HCFCs need a National Ozone Unit clearance under a yearly quota. Chemicals, fireworks, flares and anything explosive need approval from the Ministry of Defence and National Service, and alcohol and pork can only be imported with special approval. We check every line of the order before it ships, because a missing permit holds the whole container.
Does our business need to be registered to import?
Yes, but the old import licence is gone: since 2019 a business registers once with Maldives Customs, and only controlled goods need a separate permit. Importers must also register for GST whatever their turnover. If you are not set up to import, we can bring goods in through a registered importer for you.
Can a project get duty exemption?
Some can. Exemptions are granted case by case through the Ministry of Economic Development, Transport and Trade: new tourism investment, resort building in less-visited atolls such as Haa Alifu, Thaa, Laamu and Addu, and capital goods for large Special Economic Zone projects. Most houses, shops and offices pay full duty, so we price every order with it from the start.
Can you handle small orders?
Yes. We consolidate smaller orders into shared containers to keep freight costs down.
Other services
Start a project
Send us the
shopping list
Send the specification, the quantities and when you need it on the island. We reply with a sourcing plan and a fixed fee.