Then think about the multimillion-dollar budgets of aid groups backed by the EU and U.N. Trouble is, those groups may not always spend that cash wisely. Using information efficiently can help you use your resources efficiently. Toward that goal, Mylrea and his six staffers began AlertNet's transformation last January from an information-only site to a trading site. Now five months old, the register includes 40 suppliers from 14 countries and 75 private and government organizations. Mylrea likens the project to the currency-exchange service Reuters established in 1973.
People deal with the same people they've always dealt with.
But there may be someone out there that's got a better price or product. So far, results have been modest. Only a handful of deals have taken place. Mylrea's staff is moving toward automation, new software, and larger servers. By summer, suppliers will be able to update and edit their company descriptions themselves.