PMA Provider Auction, RFQ & RFP

The provider auction, request for quotation (RFQ) and request for proposal (RFP) process (short: RFQ process) consists of obtaining quotes or proposals from a potentially large number of providers.

]project-open[ allows to define a variety of auction, RFQ and RFP types, by using dynamic fields:

• Simple RFQ:
  The answer to the RFQ basically consists of a price and optionally a comment.
  Request fields: Description of the good or service requested, delivery date.
  Answer fields: Price for the requested good or service
  
  
• Complex RFQ:
  A complex RFQ may require a number of answer fields, and possibly multiple answers per provider.
  Request fields: Description, delivery date, ...
  Answer fields: Price and a number of custom fields specific for the RFQ.
  
  
• Request for Availability (RFA):
  RFAs are useful if the provider's price has been negotiated beforehand, and only the availability of the provider is requested. This type of auction is frequently used with freelancers in consulting and translation business sectors.
  
  
• Reverse Auction:
  A reverse auction consists of a RFQ where participants are informed about the quotes of other participants.
  
  
• Demand Aggregation:
  This RFQ type allows participant to buy products or services together, aggregating their demands to achieve a lower price from a large vendor.
  

System administrators can define additional RFQ types and create specific RFQ types using a number of administration screens (without changing the source code). The ]po[ systems only needs to be modified in order to implement custom specific notifications like in reverse auctions or demand aggregation.

Process Activities

• Auction/RFQ/RFP Definition:
  Define which information fields should be presented to providers and what fields the provider should complete for an answer.
  
  
• Candidate selection and invitation:
  Create a list of suitable candidates for the RFQ based on the ]po[ [skill database].
  
  
• Taking a decision:
  The auction owner takes a decision about the winner(s) of the RFQ.
  
  
• Result notification:
  The auction owner informs the winners and losers about the RFQ outcome.
  

Process Input

• A list of providers from provider maintenance
• A list of skills per provider from skill management
  
• An RFQ type defined as the list of request fields to be sent and answer fields to be received.
  

Process Output

• A list of anwers from providers answering the RFQ answer fields.
• The winners and losers of the RFQ.
• Statistics on provider answers and their reaction speed.
  

Process Support

• Freelance Request for Quote (RFQ) provides functionality to perform RFQs/RFPs
• Freelance package provides information about skills 
  
• Unified HR Record - ]po[ provides all available information about a provider

Process Performance Indicators

• Number of RFQs per month
• Percentage of valid answers from providers
• RFQ specific indicators including the quoted price of the RFQ etc.