More and more organisations that are looking to grow their business activities through procurement are using eProcurement software to help manage the process. Delta eSourcing offers an end-to-end web-based service for predominantly public sector buyers (as well as the private sector) to manage tenders, suppliers and contracts in one simple solution.
In this guide, we explain the important role eProcurement can play in the procurement software process, the numerous benefits it can bring to your organisation, and how Delta’s eProcurement software can support your organisation’s procurement strategy going forward.
What is eProcurement software?
eProcurement software is a web-based solution to manage all aspects of a procurement exercise. Its objective is to achieve procurement which is more user-friendly, automated and streamlined – allowing users to access tender documentation no matter where they are in the world, with varying user privileges based on their job title and dependent on the role they play in the tender process.
According to Wikipedia’s definition, eProcurement is “the business-to-business or business-to-consumer or business-to-government purchase and sale of supplies, works and services through the internet.”
It encompasses the entire process, from the moment a decision is taken to make a purchase, through the interaction between buyers and suppliers, to the invoicing system and delivery once the goods, works or services stated in the tender specification have been supplied. eProcurement software covers every aspect of procurement and ensures secure document creation, exchange and storage.
eProcurement software and Regulation 22
From 18 October 2018, it is the law under Regulation 22 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 that all public sector organisations must ensure that communication and information exchange for above-EU threshold procurement is conducted using eProcurement software.
This covers important stages of the procurement process, including the electronic submission of pre-qualification questionnaires and tenders, as well as call-offs from framework agreements.
The law was introduced by the UK Government to improve transparency across the UK procurement process for buyers, suppliers and other key stakeholders across the supply chain. Visibility of the progress of the project, from start to finish, is a crucial aspect that ultimately determines how successful procurement can be, and eProcurement software makes this possible most efficiently and effectively.
Delta eSourcing’s eProcurement software is fully EU-compliant. Our Tender Manager module helps organisations to increase their knowledge of the entire procurement software process by evaluating and managing what is needed at each stage and streaming contracts which fit into certain categories. The tool effectively supports organisations to manage huge volumes of contracts in an increasingly competitive environment.
The benefits of eProcurement software
There are many pluses to implementing eProcurement software over traditional procurement methods, and they benefit all parties involved in the procurement process.
- Communicate 24 hours a day
Buyers and suppliers can submit questions and answers about a bid 24 hours a day from all around the world. Instead of paying for postage and spending money as in traditional procurement practices, eProcurement software brings needed flexibility that speeds up the procurement process and avoids delays in communication, making the market more accessible to the relevant people who are involved in the tender.
In turn, this saves costs on printing, postage and physical document storage, offering instead a single place where all conversation history is available to view. Effectively, by communicating through eProcurement software, a complete audit trail is created at each stage, ensuring buyers and suppliers are literally on the same page.
As part of Delta’s powerful Workspace Manager module, Delta users can benefit from a discussion forum which allows anyone who is involved in a tender to share information remotely, securely and in real-time. The entire interaction is recorded and time-stamped, which is invaluable to understanding the progress of a tender.
- Manage contract documentation all in one place
Each contract published by the OJEU carries a vast amount of information, and an audit trail of contract documentation is necessary to track software procurement progress throughout the completion of a tender. Delta eSourcing provides a centralised platform for document management.
The Workspace Manager module essentially hosts an online document repository for all information and documentation, ensuring quality control and the correct audit trail is being achieved at all stages of the procurement exercise. This tool is essential in modern procurement, as it is becoming increasingly important for public sector buyers to be able to demonstrate their procurement methods are sustainable and good value for money.
- Streamline your procurement strategy
eProcurement software is all about using simple, powerful and user-friendly tools to maximise your business productivity. Part of this is understanding what your business needs are, to begin with, and how eProcurement can help you achieve these objectives in both the short term and the long term.
By evaluating your performance and analysing the areas where improvement is needed, Delta’s eProcurement software can boost your organisation’s resources, skill-sets and knowledge with tools that are rich in functionality.
Delta supports efficient and collaborative eProcurement
Delta’s modules are designed to support collaboration and efficient working across multiple teams. Our platform is segmented into tools including Tender Management, Supplier Management and Workspace Manager, all within an accessible web-based service which multiple teams can jump in and out of all the time, continually updating their work in progress. This maximises effective collaboration by ensuring everyone is working towards the same goal and can feedback on what is being achieved and what more needs to be done.
If your organisation is seeking a solution to help you stay abreast of developments in the rapidly changing procurement environment, Delta’s powerful eProcurement software will fit your needs and requirements.
For a full list of Delta’s eProcurement suite and the types of eProcurement software we host, see below:
- Tender Manager
- Supplier Manager
- Contract Manager
- Dynamic Purchasing Systems
- Workspace Manager
- Quick Call
- eAuction
We support public sector organisations to transform the way they procure goods, works and services using an electronic procurement system.
The Delta team will ensure making the switch is as easy as possible for you.
Request a free demo to find out how you can join Delta eSourcing today.
