Category: Office supplies
ITMO Attains Contract for State CDL Manual and Driver Handbooks at True Market Value
COLUMBIA, S.C., Nov. 10– When South Carolina’s Information Management Technology Office needed help procuring a contract for Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) manuals and driver handbooks, the State purchasing office knew exactly who to approach.
Since establishing a state contract in July 2009, the State of South Carolina has engaged Louisville-based BidBridge, a proven eProcurement services provider for the public and private sectors, for large capital expenditures. The successful events have yielded massive savings against budget.
To help organizations get the best price possible, BidBridge creates a dynamic purchasing environment by offering a secure, real-time electronic sealed bidding platform that allows suppliers to place multiple bids. The ensuing bid process provides entities with an alternative to the public sector’s traditional process of a one price per supplier response.
The 55-minute bid event took place between three suppliers, logging 30 total bids, 11 first place turnovers and 21 time extensions. First and second place vendors were separated by a mere .03 percent, indicating market value had been achieved on the new printing contract.
Since entering in to a state-wide contract with BidBridge, the State of South Carolina has saved 26 percent overall against budget for the events run. The five events have been spread across three other state entities: the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Department of Transportation (DOT) and the state’s public television station, ETV.
“BidBridge’s work with the State of South Carolina stands as a testament to the countless applications reverse auctions have for the public sector,” remarked BidBridge CEO Jim Headlee. “Especially in a shaky economic rebound, making the most of public money is an important step for public entities towards a more efficient allocation of tax dollars.”
A medium sized city partnered with BidBridge to purchase a fire apparatus. Four suppliers competed for the business.
The bid lasted one hour, two minutes. 72 bids were placed among the four suppliers, yielding 34 time extensions and 27 first-place-turn-overs. First and second place bidders were separated by a mere 0.06%, indicating true market value for the fire apparatus had been achieved.
During the bid event, the BidBridge operations coordinators monitored the bid closely to ensure integrity of the bid.
The approximate savings on the fire apparatus was 18%.
Save 12 Percent Against State Contract
ST. CHARLES, Ill., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ – Prior to the start of the school year, the St. Charles Community Unit School District (CUSD 303) took time to reevaluate its existing state contract price for copy paper. Cathy Koch, Director of Business Services for CUSD 303, recognized the potential for savings and sought out Louisville-based BidBridge, a proven eProcurement services provider for the public and private sectors.
In order to provide an alternative to the public sector’s traditional process of a one price per supplier response, BidBridge facilitates a secure, real-time electronic sealed bid platform that allows suppliers to place multiple bids. In CUSD 303’s copy paper bid, five suppliers competed for a copy paper contract to supply 7,132 cases of paper consisting of six total line items, varying products based on coloring, size, and recycled/non-recycled factors.
“With help from BidBridge’s expert support team, we were able to complete the bid in an efficient, professional manner,” said Ms. Koch. “The electronic reverse auction process that BidBridge provides is truly a step forward in public procurement across the country, especially for schools and school districts.”
Over the course of the 52-minute bid event, the 8.5×11 white copy paper line item logged 50 total bids, resulting in 20 first place turnovers and 21 time extensions. CUSD 303 saw a 20 percent overall savings against budget for non-recycled product and a four percent savings for recycled paper. Accounting for all line items, CUSD 303 saw a final low bid price that was 12 percent lower than its existing contract.
“The St. Charles bid serves as further proof that public entities can beat state contracts if they give suppliers the opportunity to compete in a dynamic purchasing environment,” said BidBridge CEO Jim Headlee. “Education is the backbone of this country, and the more money we can save for our schools, the more money they have to allocate towards areas of greater need.”
Sees a 45 Percent Budget Savings on Walk-Thru Metal Detectors; 27 Percent Savings Overall
DENVER, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ — While constructing a brand new courthouse for the merged city/county government, Denver officials were looking for innovative ways to help them procure expensive, high-tech security equipment. To satisfy the new courthouse’s security needs, Denver needed to purchase five pieces of security equipment in varying quantities. The equipment evaluated included whole body imagers, conveyor-type x-ray machines, walk-thru metal detectors and dual- and single-entry employee restricted access turnstile gates.
To assist them in their procurement process, the City of Denver engaged Louisville-based eBridge, a proven eProcurement services provider for the public and private sectors. eBridge facilitates a secure, real-time electronic sealed bid platform that allows suppliers to place multiple bids, which provides an alternative to the public sector’s traditional process of a one price per supplier response.
On July 7, Denver used eBridge’s reverse auction process to procure the high-tech security systems at a competitive price, achieving a 27 percent savings against the overall budget. The savings made it possible for Denver to afford the most cutting-edge, efficient technology for the courthouse.
Denver attained the highest savings on its walk-thru metal detectors, where five suppliers competed, logging 24 bids, six first-place turnovers and 50 time extensions during the reverse auction. A 1.79 percent difference between first and second place serves as proof that the City of Denver reached true market value, saving 45 percent against budget on the item.
eBridge CEO Jim Headlee remarked, “Denver has proven to be a leader in innovative procurement practices. It is exciting to work with a city such as Denver because of its commitment to spending tax payer dollars responsibly.”
About eBridge
Founded in 2005, Louisville-based eBridge provides e-procurement services to both the public and private sectors, including cities, towns, municipalities and the medical, educational and corporate sectors. Through its competitive sourcing and online procurement system, eBridge assists its buyers in achieving true-market value for the goods and services needed for ongoing business operations. Significant cost reductions and procurement efficiencies have allowed eBridge’s buyers to save millions of tax payer, corporate and investor dollars, ultimately producing a positive effect on compressed budgets.
For more information, please visit: www.ebridgeglobal.com.
The state commerce department partnered with BidBridge to establish a print service contract. Five suppliers competed for the printing of SCENE Magazine for one year. Four of the five suppliers were sourced in state, with the remaining supplier based in a bordering state, keeping the supplier base near the distribution area.
The event lasted nearly an hour-and-a-half during which the five suppliers placed 131 bids. The event allowed for 45 first place turn-overs and 92 time extensions. At the conclusion of the event, first and second place were separated by only .63%, indicating that true market value had been achieved.
Based on the lowest, final bid, the state’s commerce department achieved a 43% savings versus budget and a 47% savings versus last years’ cost for the magazine printing cost.
A nationwide insurance company partnered with eBridge to purchase office furniture.
Two suppliers competed against one another to provide Steelcase furniture. The suppliers placed 50 lowering bids over the course of the 45 minute bid, generating 22 time extensions and 28 first place turnovers.
At the conclusion, the two suppliers were separated by a mere .16%, indicating that true market value was achieved for this purchase. Additionally, the winning bid came in 23.8% below the initial amount budgeted for the furniture. This budget number was established using catalog pricing given by Steelcase.
The company was unsure before this bid whether Steelcase suppliers would compete against one another, so they asked eBridge. By polling our supplier network, we were quickly able to discover that Steelcase distributors will in fact go head to head with one another. eBridge’s unique position as neutral party between buyer and supplier allows us to be such a resource.
This company typically uses negotiation with suppliers to ensure that dollars are spent effectively. The buyer, however, has found that the reverse auction format is the most effective way to maximize spend.
In this school district’s fifth bid with BidBridge, 5 suppliers competed on a copy paper contract. The 5 suppliers placed a total of 76 bids over the course of the 35 minute bidding event, leading to 15 first place turnovers and a differential of only .19% between the first and second place suppliers at the conclusion of the bid.
This competition allowed this copy paper bid to beat the established state contract price by over $3.00 per case. Had the school system simply purchased their desired 18,480 cases on state contract they would have spent an extra $55,440.