PROBLEM STATEMENT text and images.
Traditionally,,,, the procurement process has been a labor-intensive series of interactions between the buyer and seller. Prior to the advent of electronic records, organizations were forced to place bid notifications in paper publications and cultivate bidder lists. This system resulted in buyers doing more of the ‘heavy lifting’ than the sellers. By having to actively seek out qualified sellers, procurement officials wasted time and valuable resources.
With the rise of digital communication came a more efficient, less bulky method of bid dissemination: online solicitations. Using these systems, organizations no linger had to actively seek out their buyers. Rather, they posted RFP’s to a centralized location and buyers came to them. While bid solicitation systems expose RFPs to a wider audience, they do not automate the buying process. It is important for procurement organizations to understand the characteristics of an automated system.
Buyers are not automated if they:
1. email requests
2. upload and download bidding documents
3. copy and paste pricing into a bid tabulation worksheet or purchase order
4. have to make an effort to have a consistent work process
Buyers have organized processes to enable soliciting, collecting and evaluating bids from suppliers. These procedures require significant human data entry and control. With a more capable system that automates many user-controlled processes, procurement organizations can operate more efficiently than they are traditionally accustomed.