Patent ID: 7440911

Claim:
A system for distributed quote management at a seller computer system, comprising: one or more quote modules stored in a memory medium and collectively operable to: receive a buyer request for quote (RFQ) from at least one buyer, the buyer RFQ requesting a quote from the seller computer system and identifying a plurality of items; automatically access a buyer profile for the at least one buyer; automatically determine whether historical quote data is available for at least one of the plurality of items; if historical quote data is available, automatically determine a best cost of each of the plurality of items in the buyer RFQ according to the historical quote data; if historical quote data is not available, automatically determine a best cost of each of the plurality of items in the buyer RFQ according to one or more contracts between the seller and one or more suppliers; using the determined best costs of the plurality of items in the buyer RFQ, automatically generate a quote for the buyer RFQ; automatically generate a bid package for the buyer RFQ that comprises the generated quote; and automatically communicate the generated bid package to the at least one buyer.