From the state's perspective, more vendors competing for their business should lead to lower prices. Connecticut's Web site also carries bid information for towns and schools and automatically e-mails that information to registered vendors. Before, we always told them how to do things. Now, we're trying to support them. North Carolina tries to make it easy for vendors to use the Web site.
Access is free to vendors.
In addition, to help vendors get online, the state established a help desk and disseminated information through the small-business community and community colleges. North Carolina is looking at receiving bids online but is in no rush. Leaston notes that some of the immediate drawbacks are that the systems are costly and the process may require e-signatures. Missouri is moving forward in accepting bids online, albeit with slow, measured steps. Its new system, which was part of a financial management package, came with an ability to handle interactive bidding.