Sudbury MA-based Xevo, founded in 1997 by former Lotus exec Hal Chapel, will launch its ASP service management platform at the Citrix iForum conference in two weeks' time. Lawson's Windows NT-based Insight suite becomes the second enterprise resource planning product offered as an outsourced service by USi, which a year ago launched the ASP market for ERP applications with its announcement of a Peoplesoft offering. The adoption of Lawson as USi's second ERP vendor comes after considering several alternatives. The bank has already deployed Rightworks for its own internal use and is now developing an outsourced service to offer to small businesses, using their combined purchasing power to negotiate special terms with suppliers. Rightworks has designed the ASP version to support multiple customers, giving each independent control over the business rules built into their purchasing profiles.
Providers can purchase the package either outright or on a per-transaction basis.
Many of Wells Fargo's small business customers are geographically-dispersed agricultural enterprises. It is the second major US bank within a month to unveil an ASP operation in partnership with an electronic purchasing vendor. The ASP Industry Consortium, launched three months ago in May, will announce on Monday that it has signed its hundredth member, officials confirmed to ASP News Review today. Conceived two months previously in early March, the organisation launched with 25 founding members on May 11th. The continuing diversity of the membership reflects the breadth of interest in the ASP concept across the telecoms, computing and business service sectors.