WFP procures food only from approved suppliers. The approval process requires a Food Quality and Safety Assessment. The supplier's Quality Management (QM) must be in line with WFP requirements. The requirements for Food Quality and Safety Assessment are as follows:

1. An Initial Paper Assessment (IPA) questionnaire is sent to a potential supplier;
2. The potential supplier must return the completed questionnaire and all the requested documentation within the required time frame;
3. Different WFP Supply Chain experts evaluate the IPA. WFP Food technologist evaluates the QM of the supplier; 
4. Based on the documentation and analysis provided, the supplier is:
   1. Accepted;
   2. Rejected; or
   3. Requested to facilitate an audit:
      1. An audit of a supplier is performed as per GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) check list;
      2. Depending on audit results the supplier is either accepted, rejected or requested to implement corrective actions; and
      3. The supplier must provide proof of corrective action implementation in order to be accepted.