This enables suppliers to differentiate themselves with value-added components. We as suppliers look at our commerce solution very broadly. ShareMax, which launched in January, has on its site a set of Strategic Sourcing research and analysis tools to help buyers filter through exchanges to find the right supplier. After weeding out unqualified candidates, participants get together on ShareMax for one of several auction systems. The final piece to closing a bid may actually occur offline, said Ali Naqvi, chairman and co-CEO of the Parsippany, N.J., startup.
Customers say the process shaves months and millions of dollars off the procurement process.
The suppliers were always there, but this will provide a means to identify them. For its part, Commerce One's new Auction Services, announced last week, empower both the buyer and supplier, officials said. The Walnut Creek, Calif., company has signed up Boeing Co., Lockheed Martin Corp., BAE Systems plc. Commerce One helped form between the Big 3 auto makers last month. Commerce One also inked a deal with PeopleSoft Inc. to embed Commerce One's MarketSite Portal Solution into People Soft's enterprise resource planning-based exchanges.