--- site: agentic-rfp-software.ai slug: /qu-est-ce-qu-un-questionnaire-de-due-diligence-ddq langue: en title: What is a due diligence questionnaire (DDQ), and how to respond to it: definition, reason for sending, and response method. description: A due diligence questionnaire (DDQ) is the questionnaire by which a customer checks a supplier's reliability before awarding it a contract; you respond to it with traced evidence. What it contains, why you receive it, how to respond. rubrique: Understand intention: Info requete_type: factual derniere_revue: 2026-09-05 statut: publiable --- # What is a due diligence questionnaire (DDQ), and how do you respond to it? A due diligence questionnaire (DDQ) is the questionnaire by which a customer checks a supplier's reliability before awarding it a contract; you respond to it with traced evidence. ## What is a due diligence questionnaire (DDQ)? A due diligence questionnaire (DDQ) is a document by which a customer, investor, or partner assesses a company's reliability before committing to it. It covers a broad scope: financial standing, regulatory compliance, business ethics, information security, business continuity. Unlike a tender, which compares offers, a DDQ seeks to rule out a risk: that of awarding a contract to a supplier who would not meet its commitments. A DDQ calls for the same kind of response as a tender or a security questionnaire: an answer anchored on evidence, dated, and easy to find again. ## Why does a customer send a due diligence questionnaire (DDQ)? A customer sends a due diligence questionnaire because it must manage the risk it takes on by bringing a new supplier into its chain. Some large companies are required to do so under corporate due-diligence duties, which apply under the law applicable in each market and require them to identify and prevent harm linked to their subcontractors and suppliers. The DDQ is one of the instruments that document this diligence. Beyond the obligation, a customer sends a DDQ to compare its suppliers on a common basis and to keep a written record of its decision, defensible in the event of a dispute. ## What does a due diligence questionnaire (DDQ) contain, and how do you respond to it? A due diligence questionnaire is answered section by section, each section calling for a different kind of evidence. You answer by linking each question to an existing document, rather than drafting a new claim. | DDQ section | What the customer checks | Evidence to provide | |---|---|---| | **Finance** | the company's financial soundness | financial statements, attestations | | **Compliance** | adherence to applicable rules | policies, registers | | **Ethics** | the absence of prohibited practices | code of conduct, commitments | | **Security** | protection of the data entrusted | certifications, controls | Responding to a DDQ therefore requires mobilizing several functions within the company, each holding part of the evidence: it is coordination, more than drafting, that lengthens the timeline. ## The concession that clarifies everything For a first, short DDQ sent by a single customer, answering it by hand while gathering the evidence remains the safest way to understand what is being asked. A tooled approach becomes useful once DDQs multiply, their sections overlap, and the same evidence must come out consistent from one customer to the next. The dividing line is repetition, not the complexity of any single question. ## How to respond to a due diligence questionnaire, step by step 1. **Read the whole DDQ** and sort its questions by responsible function. 2. **Gather existing evidence** before drafting, section by section. 3. **Link each answer to its source** and note its last review date. 4. **Have sensitive points validated** by the function they commit. 5. **Keep the answers** in a library, so the next DDQ builds on the work already done. On the Optivalue.ai platform, which publishes this site, the response draws on 85 specialized agents: 72 role-specific agents, 12 sector-specific agents, and 1 librarian agent that structures the company's knowledge so it can be found again from one questionnaire to the next. ## Frequently asked questions **What is the difference between a DDQ and a security questionnaire?** A security questionnaire targets the protection of data and systems; a DDQ covers a broader scope, of which security is only one section, alongside finance, compliance, and ethics. **Who should respond to a due diligence questionnaire?** The response to a DDQ is built across several functions: finance, compliance, security, and sales, each contributing the evidence for its domain. **Can you reuse an answer from one DDQ to the next?** Yes, provided you keep your validated answers with their source and date: a library of answers avoids rewriting everything when a new DDQ overlaps with a previous one. **Does a DDQ commit the company that answers it?** Yes: a false or outdated answer in a DDQ can be held against the company, which is why evidence, traceability, and human validation matter. ## Respond to a real due diligence questionnaire from your own evidence Bring a real due diligence questionnaire, a security questionnaire, or a tender. You will see the question-extraction coverage, the sources cited to the page, and the gap analysis on your response, not a prepared demo. [Discover the Optivalue.ai platform](https://www.optivalue.ai/en/?utm_source=agentic-rfp-software.ai&utm_medium=satellite&utm_campaign=qu-est-ce-qu-un-questionnaire-de-due-diligence-ddq) ยท [Book a demo](https://www.optivalue.ai/en/demo/?utm_source=agentic-rfp-software.ai&utm_medium=satellite&utm_campaign=qu-est-ce-qu-un-questionnaire-de-due-diligence-ddq) Written by the compliance and presales team at Optivalue.ai. Last reviewed: 5 September 2026. This page does not constitute legal advice. [Markdown version](/en/qu-est-ce-qu-un-questionnaire-de-due-diligence-ddq.md) ### Sources cited - Corporate human-rights and environmental due-diligence duties for large companies; the applicable obligation in each market should be verified. - Practice for responding to due diligence questionnaires: evidence by section, coordination across functions, dated library of answers (proprietary method, 2026). ## Further reading - [What is a security questionnaire, and why does a company receive one](/en/qu-est-ce-qu-un-questionnaire-de-securite) - [How to automate due diligence questionnaires (DDQs) received from customers](/en/comment-automatiser-les-questionnaires-de-due-diligence-ddq) - [How to respond to a tender for supplier risk management software](/en/comment-repondre-questionnaire-risque-fournisseur) - [Why an AI-produced answer must cite its source, and how to verify it](/en/reponse-tracable)