Vendor Packet 2011

MANTTRADear Vendor, We are happy that you are communicating with us to do business with Big Lots Stores Inc.  As we proceed with receiving your offers and quotations please note our mandatory requirements which will aid you in your working:

VENDOR MANUALPlease refer to our current updated Vendor manual for any other details that you may need. This manual contains specific information and guidelines which may impact or effect pricing. You are requested to study this manual with care while quoting to Big Lots for any product.

The updated manual can be downloaded from the link below.http://www.biglots.com/images/corporate/vendor_relations/ImportVendorManual2_7.pdfhttp://www.biglots.com/images/corporate/vendor_relations/ImportVendorManual2_7Appendix.pdf

PRODUCT LIABILITY INSURANCEIt is mandatory that all merchandise imported by Big lots is to be insured. Attached herewith is the list of charges for your referral from TATA AIG. For all queries, you can contact TATA AIG or Alok Das @ Manttra.The contact point for PLI at TATA AIG is Prakashsingh KandariBranch Customer Services & Operations| TATA AIG General Insurance Company Ltd. Tel. No. - 00 91 22 66553884 | Mobile No. - 00 91 9833379504Also attached below is a brief snapshot of the PLI requirements for Biglots.

TESTINGAll items shipped to Big Lots will have to pass BV testing. Please contact the nearest available BV office and prepare suitable quantities for testing (under Big Lots’ testing protocol). BV contact is also enclosed. Test Results will be good for 12 months for an initial pass and 6 months for a fail followed by a pass.

INSPECTIONBiglots has implemented 3rd party B.V. inspection process for Home Textiles only. Kindly contact the relevant merchandiser to guide you through the process.Please note that the inspections have been implemented for Home Textiles from India and Pakistan only.

We urge you to call and have a word with Bureau Veritas on the costs & process involved in product testing & inspections. The contact sheet below, will guide you on all relevant contact points at B.V.

ISTA TESTINGAttached please find the list of Big Lots department, class and sub-class for which ISTA testing is required. Also, you will find more relevant requirements/documents per vendor letter from Big Lots Global Sourcing with vendor information zip file.

SHIPPING TIMELINESThe nominated Logistics and Freight forwarder is NYK Logistics. The contacts are:Rupali A. Nevarekar - Sr. Executive – INSD. Tel: +91 22 30914000 / 4099 (Dir Extn-4030)

Please make your shipment booking with NYK at least 21 days before shipment. Shipping on-time requirements –1. CY (full container) - Shipment must have sailed by the cancellation date.2. CFS/LCL (less than container load) – Shipment must arrive NYKL warehouse no later than cancellation

date.3. Penalties for late shipment – If shipment is late with prior written approval of Global Sourcing

Department, Big Lots will deduct the following amount from invoice payment.a. 1-7 days late: 4% of invoice valueb. 8-14 days late: 7% of invoice valuec. 15 days late or after: 10% invoice value

NYKL will notify the factory by sending a late penalty memo via fax or email and provide a hard copy with issuance of the FCR.

For all shipping documents required, please refer to vendor manual version 2.7 starting page 32.For any further queries/ details you can contact Alok Das at Manttra. Email [email protected]

Attached below is the list of charges that you need to consider while costing. Request you to re-check with NYKL of any changes.

SUPPLIER PROFILEFor all vendors who would like to be a part of the Big Lots vendor base, you are required to submit in your profile for review to the relevant merchandiser at Manttra. Attached form needs to be duly filled in and sent to the relevant merchant. Only on the completion of this form the vendor can participate in the quoting process.

POUpon receipt of the purchase orders, please do followings –1. Sign back the 1st page of purchase order to the responsible Merchandiser to confirm receipt of the PO

and ship date. 2. Reports of any errors. 3. Email the final IPDS for each sku and fill out the completed cost breakdown sheet.4. The timeline for this process is 3 working days from receipt of PO.

PRE-TICKETING AND PACKAGING1. Please study the pre-ticketing and packaging handbook attached. And, vendors are requested to sign

back the pre-ticketing and packaging cover sheet/confirmation sheet to Manttra once order placed.2. Manttra will forward the barcode information sheet to vendors. The vendor then has to follow the

procedure of pre-ticketing handbook, makes ticket samples, and e-mail to Manttra for approval. After approval, vendor needs to send the actual test printing sample to Big Lots for final approval.

3. Packaging – All artwork needs to be approved before mass printing.

All packaging will be coordinated through the Execution team. The recommended printer/design house is Printografik, Mumbai to maintain Color / quality consistency. Please note their contact details:Ajay Arora , Printogrfik, [email protected]: 022-23733334

Also, please note that there are packaging guidelines for orders that demand a PDQ and/or seasonal in nature. Please refer to the attached guidelines and if you have any queries, please feel free to ask.

FACTORY ASSESMENTAccording to Big Lots Vendor Manual, Manttra will do the assessments for all factories in India, Pakistan and Thailand for all shipments. Attached please find a general guide for you to start this program. Please revert back with the filled Audit Questionnaire and Request Forms to get the process started.

Pls Note: Questionnaire and request forms should be filled electronically, printed, signed and scanned to be sent back to us. Forms filled otherwise or without signatures will not be accepted.

IPDS SHEETS.Attached herewith is the quote sheet format in which all quotes are to be submitted:

Vendor is responsible for all details filled in the Quote sheet.  Currently this is the IPDS V 6.5. Please contact our merchandisers for any assistance in completing the IPDS.

HTS (Tariff # & duty %), the vendor is responsible for filling the right information. In any case if the Vendor filled incorrect  duty rate that leads to an increase in cost (caused by the higher duty), the vendor will be charged back the amount of the higher duty OR the purchase order will be revised by reducing the first cost to cover the duty difference. http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/bychapter/index.htm

WIP & T&AFor all the committed items, we would like to ask for your support to fill out attached WIP report on a weekly basis to help you and us to track every shipment. When you update this report, please do not delete the previous week’s record and simply add in the new information. All the updates must be emailed to your Merchandiser and Assistant Merchandiser.

The Time and Action (T&A) report is to be sent to the merchant upon receipt of PO. This is to be filled in at the placement meeting that will be at Manttra with your production manager, QA & merchant and merchandiser at Manttra. The timelines defined in the report are commitments on completion of orders at various stages. Attached format is a dummy example for your referral.

For any queries/ clarifications contact the relevant merchandiser for assistance.

GSP CLAIMS.All vendors claiming GSP on the IPDS, relevant documentation will have to be submitted to Manttra before the shipment is handed over to NYKL. If the necessary documentation is not submitted on time, there will be a debit note raised inline with the duty applicable. For all queries on GSP, feel free to contact Alok Das at Manttra on [email protected]

SUPPLIER CHAIN FINANCEBig Lots Accounts Receivable Financing program has been launched. This program is designed to provide both vendor and Big Lots with productivity, expense management and working capital improvements. Please refer to relevant documents attached below for more details. If you have any question on the program, please contact Sandipan Das at Manttra. Email [email protected]

For on-line registration, below is the web link -http://www.primerevenue.com/scf/biglots/

- Login id: biglots- Password: biglots

Thank you for your cooperation and support. If you have any question, please feel free to contact the relevant person at Manttra

1. Mr. Bhagath Reddy: DMM: [email protected] 2. Mr. Amardeep Mahanta: Sr. Merchant: Domestics: [email protected]. Ms. Gyamar Yamang: Merchant: Domestics: [email protected]. Mr. Vibhor Saxena: Merchant: Hardlines: [email protected]. Mr. Kunal Madan: Merchant: Hardlines: [email protected] 6. Ms. Prisana: Thailand Office: All categories: [email protected]. Mr. Sandipan Das: Logistics & Finance: [email protected]. Mr. Alok Das: GSP & Logistics: [email protected]

MANTTRA818, ILD Trade CenterSector 47, Sohna RoadGurgaon – 122001Haryana – IndiaTel – 0124 4363001/4883200