API Person

A proposal is requested, but the decision-maker is unknown

A friendly manager asks for a detailed quotation and says the team is keen. Nobody has explained who will authorize the investment or how alternatives will be compared.

A useful distinction

Do we know who can approve the purchase?

The approver is known, but not involvedThe team knows who decides, but has not tested the decision criteria with that person.Authority is still an assumptionNobody has verified who can authorize the commitment.
Not sure yet: general approach