These companies automate the requisition, purchase-order creation, and payment processes and help clients develop plans for managing sourcing and logistics. Sourcing is the process through which companies determine which suppliers best meet their procurement needs. Relationships between seller and buyer, between buyer and market, and between buyer and technology are complicated, not just in terms of implementation but in terms of sourcing strategy. KPMG has more than 300 consulting professionals dedicated to E-procurement. CEOs are demanding more in terms of procurement, but IT is tapped out when it comes to strategy, says Lawrence Kohn, president and CEO of EDS CoNext, a wholly owned EDS subsidiary.
Companies appear to be buying into the services model.
Still, not all companies are convinced that E-procurement services are the way to go.