In brief
An intermediary should identify the represented side, explain how direct the relationship is and separate confirmed facts from information still awaiting verification. Independent intermediaries and sole traders may submit enquiries without inventing a company: the form explains how to record their status and business base. REVDICO’s initial review is free and focuses on whether the opportunity, access and proposed role are clear enough for a practical next step.
1. Name the role you actually perform
“Intermediary” can describe a producer’s sales representative, buyer’s procurement agent, authorised mandate, consultant, broker, introducer or a participant in a longer chain. State which description is accurate and which side you represent. If you are only making an introduction and will not negotiate product or contract terms, say so.
The REVDICO form uses three broad roles—Buyer, Seller and Intermediary—to keep the first contact simple. Select Intermediary and use the free-text field to describe your exact involvement. If you operate independently, enter “Independent intermediary” or “Sole trader” in the company field and give your country of business base. There is no need to create a corporate identity that does not exist.
2. Explain authority without oversharing
State whether the principal has authorised you to introduce the opportunity, communicate information, negotiate selected terms or coordinate a process. Authority can be confirmed progressively. A full unredacted mandate is not automatically required with the first message, but a generic claim such as “direct to seller” is not enough to understand the relationship.
Useful initial wording is factual: “authorised to introduce the exporter and coordinate initial information exchange” or “engaged by the buyer to identify possible supply, with commercial approval retained by the buyer”. If written authority does not yet exist, disclose that status instead of implying otherwise.
3. Measure the distance to the principal
Explain whether you communicate directly with the buyer, producer, seller or another representative. If another intermediary is involved, state the number of layers and each participant’s practical function. Long chains create duplicated information, inconsistent terms and uncertainty over who can make decisions, so REVDICO may require a clearer route to a principal before proceeding.
Directness does not mean the intermediary must be removed. It means that the parties can verify the opportunity and reach authorised decision-makers when needed. A useful intermediary improves communication and sequencing rather than becoming a barrier between principals.
4. Submit a minimum viable commercial brief
For a buyer-side opportunity, provide the buying entity or an appropriately described principal, commodity, specification, quantity, destination, delivery basis, timing and stage of the requirement. For seller-side supply, provide the seller’s role, product, origin, current or expected quantity, loading point, availability window, proposed delivery basis and document status.
If the principal’s name cannot be disclosed at the first stage, provide enough non-identifying context for an initial assessment and explain when identity can be shared. Confidentiality may protect commercial relationships, but it should not conceal the product, origin, destination, legal permissibility, decision-making route or whether the opportunity is real.
5. Label every fact by its current status
An intermediary often transmits information received from another party. Distinguish among facts stated by the principal, supported by a document, independently confirmed by the parties, and still awaiting confirmation. For example, “seller states 10,000 tonnes are expected next month; current allocation and loading slot not yet confirmed” is more useful than “10,000 tonnes guaranteed”.
The same discipline applies to specifications, price indications, proof of funds, proof of product, inspection records and authority letters. Historical or representative documents should not be described as current lot evidence. If a fact changes, update the recipients promptly and identify the revised source.
6. Prevent duplicate and uncontrolled circulation
Before asking REVDICO to approach a party, say whether the opportunity has already been circulated and whether named companies have been contacted. Duplicate introductions can create confusion over access, protection and authority. A targeted discussion with a defined counterparty profile is generally more useful than distributing the same offer or requirement through multiple chains.
Do not forward passports, banking records, signatures, unredacted contracts or sensitive certificates to broad mailing lists. Use staged disclosure, identify the reason a document is needed and obtain the principal’s permission where appropriate. REVDICO’s Privacy Notice explains how enquiry information is handled on the website.
7. Discuss protection and commission at the right time
A legitimate intermediary may need its introduction and economic interest protected. Describe the expected role early, but do not assume that a fee, commission chain or protection instrument has been accepted merely because information was shared. The structure must correspond to real work, the represented party’s authority and the proposed transaction.
If the opportunity progresses, responsibilities and any commission or fee are discussed during negotiations and agreed in writing before binding work begins. REVDICO does not promise to adopt an existing fee structure or compensate undisclosed participants. All arrangements remain subject to the actual parties, transaction and applicable requirements.
8. Make direct evaluation possible
At an appropriate stage, buyers and sellers normally need to evaluate each other, clarify technical and commercial terms, and conduct their own due diligence. An intermediary should help arrange that progression while remaining transparent about its role. Preventing any direct verification can make an otherwise interesting opportunity impossible to assess.
The parties retain responsibility for legal, financial, technical and commercial decisions. REVDICO may coordinate information or a potential introduction, but it does not certify the commodity, guarantee a counterparty or replace transaction-specific professional advice.
9. What follows the first intermediary submission
The enquiry reference is displayed on the confirmation screen after submission. Save it or use the print option, because no automatic acknowledgement is sent to the email address entered in the form. REVDICO normally sends a manual initial response from info@revdico.com within two business days. The response may request clarification of the represented side, authority, commercial facts or chain; confirm that the opportunity is suitable for further review; or explain why it cannot progress in its current form.
The initial assessment is free. A complete mandate and document package are not required simply to ask whether the opportunity is within scope. Additional material should be supplied after a specific request, with its status and purpose made clear.
Intermediary submission checklist
- Your name, business status and country of company registration or business base.
- Buyer side or seller side, plus the exact function you perform.
- Directness of access and any additional intermediary layers.
- Current authority: introduce, communicate, negotiate or coordinate.
- Commodity, specification, quantity, origin or destination, Incoterm and timing.
- Status of each material fact and supporting document.
- Previous circulation or named counterparties already approached.
- When principal identity and direct communication can become available.
Frequently asked questions
Can an independent intermediary use the form?
Yes. Select Intermediary, use “Independent intermediary” or “Sole trader” in the company field, provide your business-base country and explain whom you represent and how you are involved.
Must the principal be named immediately?
Not always in the public-facing form. Provide enough context for an initial review and explain the conditions and timing for disclosure. Identity and authority must be established before confidential or formal work progresses.
Does REVDICO sign fee-protection documents before reviewing an opportunity?
No automatic commitment is created by a submission. If a workable opportunity progresses, the relevant roles, responsibilities and fee arrangements can be negotiated and recorded for that specific engagement.
Submit an agricultural opportunity as an intermediary
Identify the represented side, your access and authority, the essential transaction facts and what has already been confirmed. Use the free-text field for the structure that does not fit standard fields.