Earlier this year, the Delaware Senate voted 20-0 in support of a state-run website to advertise all solicitations valued at more than $50,000, and Governor Jack Markell recently signed Senate Bill 212 into law, which requires the state to implement an online procurement portal by January 1, 2013. The site will be available to vendors and the general public. Currently, the state has a basic purchasing website with projects listed in a directory by date. With the new site, state counties and municipalities will also have the opportunity to publicize bids. The portal will ultimately save the state millions of dollars by eliminating the requirement to post often-overlooked ads in newspapers.
Meanwhile, in Michigan, nine proposals are currently under evaluation for the state’s new e-procurement system. Michigan’s current bid site only allows for solicitation advertisements and online bidding. The goal of the new system is to link bid postings with the state’s internal purchasing system and electronic accounting system, the Michigan Administrative Information Network (MAIN), in a one-stop shop. MAIN is also planned to be replaced within the next five years at an estimated cost between $80 million and $150 million. The new system will also allow vendors to submit proposals electronically and improve communication with procurement officials. State localities and school districts will also have the option to utilize the new portal to post solicitations.
New Mexico is also on its way to procurement reform by ridding of paper procurement practices and employing an electronic bid portal. The state recently awarded SciQuest, Inc., a five-year contract to provide software, licensing and implementation services or an e-procurement package valued at $378,000 and estimated to save the state nearly $2 million within three years.
Last year, the Western States Contracting Alliance (WSCA) selected SciQuest to build its Cooperative Market Center of the States – an online marketplace for its multistate purchasing consortorium, which includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
With procurement reform on the rise and e-procurement solutions advancing to support and integrate diverse systems across the nation, Deltek is currently tracking several state and local electronic procurement projects, of which statewide initiatives include:
- Florida is in the final days of receiving bids for its e-procurement overhaul. The state released a solicitation in May seeking a vendor to manage the state’s online portal for buyers and vendors, MyFloridaMarketPlace. Proposals for the four-year contract are due by July 16, and Deltek will report on award details accordingly. (Opportunity 56250)
- Arizona is currently in its final year of a contract with NIC to provide portal operations for the state’s website. NIC was awarded a $5.7 million contract in 2007 for a base term of three years. With renewal options utilized, the contract now expires in June 2013. A procurement official with the state informed Deltek that a rebid solicitation is already in the work, with an anticipated request for proposals (RFP) release this fall. (Opportunity 42958)
- Massachusetts awarded Gartner a consulting contract to provide a roadmap for implementing a new e-procurement solution to replace the state’s legacy site. Once the consulting engagement concludes, the state plans to release a solicitation for software in fall 2012. An award is slated for late this year, and implementation is expected in spring 2013. (Opportunity 75923)
- SciComm, Inc., currently provides the state of Idaho with a Web-based electronic purchasing system. The initial contract was awarded in 2007 at a base five-year term, and a renewal option has been utilized to extend the contract through December 2013. Deltek is currently tracking the contract for future renewal or rebid activity. (Opportunity 66281)
- The Illinois Ethics Commission (EEC) awarded WisdomTech Consulting Inc. a contract earlier this year to conduct a vendor portal study to determine next steps in implementing a new procurement platform where vendors can go to pre-qualify their business. The $50,000 consulting contract concluded last month, and Deltek is attempting to obtain the results of the study to determine the commission's next steps. Deltek anticipates a follow-up solicitation will be released for the actual vendor portal later this year. (Opportunity 83471)
In addition to the above state initiatives, Deltek is tracking an array of e-procurement projects at the local and university level. Expect more analysis on procurement reform in the months to come.
For a complete analyst perspective on e-procurement, go here.