HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 02281995 - 1.87 ^�
�- �taTO: 130ARD OF SUPERVISORS PV 7"
rCOStd
FROM: Barton J. Gilbert
Director of General Services
County
DATE: February 15, 1995
SUBJECT:
Pilot Project for Electronic Bidding System
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
I. RECOMMENDATIONS
AUTHORIZE the Purchasing Agent to enter into a contract with
Datamatix Inc. of Plymouth Meeting, PA to establish a pilot
program for electronic bidding for goods and services.
II. BACKGROUND
Through new applications of information technology and the use
of electronic data interchange (EDI) , organizations are able
to re-engineer their business practices. EDI means exchanging
business transactions electronically using standard formats.
The process of an electronic bidding system (EBS) , is one of
the capabilities of EDI. Through EBS, the County Purchasing
staff will be able to "broadcast" solicitations to a large
number of suppliers quickly and efficiently, electronically
receive responses to solicitations within minutes of close
date and time, and issue purchase order automatically based on
bid responses. The County's vendors will be able to receive
"profiled" solicitations based on their products or services
from numerous buying agencies in one electronic mailbox,
respond to solicitations from their desktops using a PC and a
modem, search additional bid opportunities from State and
Federal government.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S)I,
ACTION OF BOARD ON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED Ae!f_ OTHER
FEB
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS(ABSENT AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC:. ATTESTED FEB 2
Contact: B.J. Gilbert - 313-'1100
8 SM
General Services Department PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
Administration SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
Purchasing
M382 (10/88) 9Y DEPUTY
1.`d7
Electronic Bidding System - Page 2 -Z•
The benefits from EBS are:
For Buyers
-Reduced prices .
-Greater competition
-Reduced order time
-Savings from reduction of inventory
-Increased outreach to minority- and women-owned businesses
For Sellers
-Increased business
-Improved profitability and cash flow
-Increased operating efficiencies
-Competitive market information
-Increased efficiency by eliminating solicitations outside
business profile
To participate in the program, vendors register with
Datamatix, which distributes front-end software that allows
them to access bids from their vendor mailbox. The charge to
vendors is $150. 00 for software and $25. 00 a month for up to
50 transactions. For those vendors not participating, a free '
access station will be established to allow them into the
system.
The electronic bidding system is currently being piloted by
the State of California and the County of Orange.
III. FISCAL IMPACT
There is no additional cost to the County to implement the
electronic bidding system pilot project. Estimated savings of 10
to 17% in the cost of goods purchased have been experienced by
users of EBS, as well as a reduction in costs of clerical support
time and mailing bids.