Technical product identity
State the commercial description, grade, applicable standard and critical parameters. In fuels, metals and raw materials, a specification difference can change value, marketability and logistics.
Commodity Knowledge Centre
Product & Specification
Establish what product actually exists, to which specification, in what quantity and origin, and how the evidence connects to it before price or payment becomes the focus.
Core verification controls
Treat each control as a separate evidential question. A credible transaction should remain coherent when the documents, parties and physical sequence are tested together.
Quantity, units and tolerances
Reconcile metric tonnes, barrels, parcels, contractual tolerances and delivery frequency. Offered volume, available volume and deliverable volume are not automatically the same.
Origin and producer
Separate country of origin and producer, refinery, mine or processor from the identity of the seller. Origin claims should be capable of independent corroboration.
Batch, lot or cargo linkage
Require certificates, analyses, inspections and logistics records to connect to the actual commodity under review rather than a historic cargo or unrelated third party.
Inspection and sampling chain
Identify who sampled, where, when, under which procedure and which laboratory or inspector issued the result. A certificate copy does not prove that the underlying asset remains available.
Customs and regulatory classification
Where material, test HS/TN VED or other classification, export/import restrictions, sanctions, licences and destination requirements against the technical description.
Evidence that should exist
- Consistent contractual specification and technical data.
- Certificates or analyses with a verifiable issuer and batch linkage.
- Production, inventory or availability evidence tied to the correct counterparty.
- Origin, customs or inspection records capable of independent corroboration when required.
Red flags requiring escalation
- Publicly copied specifications with no batch identity.
- Exceptional volumes unsupported by production or logistics capacity.
- Certificates with incompatible dates, unverifiable issuers or unrelated third-party references.
- Declared origin inconsistent with regulatory restrictions or proposed routing.
- Repeated changes to product, port, volume or standard during negotiation.
Verification sequence
- Normalise the technical and contractual description.
- Map each material claim to a specific item of evidence.
- Verify issuer, date, batch and documentary authority.
- Corroborate origin, capacity, inspection and relevant restrictions.
- Record evidence status and residual risk before moving to storage, logistics or payment.
Decision output
Record what is confirmed, what remains unverified, the residual risk, the conditions precedent and one explicit decision state.
GO
Evidence supports proceeding.
CONDITIONAL GO
Proceed only after stated conditions are satisfied.
HOLD
Pause until material evidence is obtained.
NO-GO / STOP
Risk or missing evidence makes continuation indefensible.
Frequently asked questions
Does an SGS or assay certificate prove the product exists today?
Not by itself. It proves what the document establishes within its scope and date; current batch, location, title and availability still need to connect.
Is the specification in an SCO or FCO enough?
No. It is a commercial statement. The specification should align with contract terms, technical evidence and a verifiable product.
What if origin cannot be substantiated?
Treat it as unverified. It may become a condition precedent, HOLD or STOP where legality, sanctions, tax, traceability or bankability depend on origin.
Continue the verification
Use this module together with the other Commodity Knowledge Centre controls and the MGS DD1/DD2/DD3 methodology. If a real transaction requires review, start with a preliminary assessment before committing to a full mandate.