Frequently Asked General Questions
Why is electronic procurement important?
Electronic procurement (or "eProcurement") makes use of the capabilities of the Internet to conduct transactions between buying organisations and suppliers. Conducting business electronically offers many benefits over paper-based processes including: ease of use; reduced process costs for both buyers and suppliers; increased contract compliance and adherence to business workflows; automated record-keeping; and improved management information.
I understand what eProcurement is, but what is "eProcurement Scotl@nd"?
eProcurement Scotl@nd is a hosted, managed eProcurement service which is capable of being used by any public sector organisation in the Scottish public sector. The Scottish Ministers believe that the benefits of eProcurement will be maximised by adopting a single system with the potential to be used by any organisation in the Scottish public sector. The service is provided by Capgemini (CG) and based on the PECOS system from the technology providers Elcom. A programme team is co-ordinating the delivery of what is the world's first national, public sector electronic procurement service.
How were this system and service provider chosen?
The requirement was advertised in the Official Journal of the EC and many systems and service providers were evaluated by procurement professionals drawn from across the Scottish public sector. A rigorous selection process resulted in the selection of Capgemini and PECOS software in November 2001.
What is "PECOS"?
The PECOS software has been designed to meet the specific needs of users. It is well-established and used by a wide variety of organisations worldwide. The software is remotely hosted and its flexibility allows implementation to be tailored to meet the requirements of different organisations. The software is provided by Elcom, a leading global provider of Internet-based electronic procurement solutions.
What functionality does the system have?
The PECOS system provides the following functionality:
- the electronic processing of purchasing transactions between buyer and supplier from requisition to invoice matching;
- messaging or interfacing with legacy systems; (Individual buying organisations can opt for more advanced forms of systems integration for an additional price.) purchase card functionality;
- electronic forms;
- requisition workflows which can be locally configured to match each organisation's business rules and approval paths;
- management information ;
In addition to PECOS, the service also provides an electronic sourcing including tendering and auction systems.
What services do Capgemini provide as part of the programme?
Electronic procurement is about more than technology. Capgemini are providing the following services:
- performing Scope and Readiness Assessments on buying organisations which are actively considering joining the service;
- assisting implementation in the buying organisation, including project planning and management, training, advice on integration, service delivery, and general support;
- supplier enablement activities, including marketing and communications materials, catalogue advisory services, and support to buying organisations' approaches to suppliers;
- development of a public sector procurement information portal;
- programme support, including planning and management
- Capgemini can also provide a range of optional services to individual buying organisations.
Which organisations is the service aimed at?
Any organisation in the Scottish public sector (including Central Government, Local Government (councils), the NHS in Scotland and Non-departmental Public Bodies) is able to join the service.
Can the service deal with the unique needs of, for example, the different Local Authorities?
Yes. The service specification was developed in consultation with Local Authority representatives to ensure that particular needs are recognised. The eProcurement Scotl@nd programme team recognises that each organisation is unique, and the flexibility of the service is intended to reflect that. While the core service is designed to meet the normal needs of most organisations, individual organisations can also draw upon a list of options to meet their specific requirements. The software itself is ideal for situations where purchasing is highly devolved (e.g., to individual schools or hospital departments) as it offers both contract compliance and ease of use.
How has the programme progressed so far?
As at May 2008 the service is in use with 87 public sector buying organisations (see the link to participating organisations for full details). There are over 43,068 supplier connections to these organisations, ranging from SMEs to major nationals including Dell, Vodafone, and Lyreco. The programme team produces a regular newsletter covering the programme's progress and maintains the eProcurement Scotl@nd portal www.eprocurementscotland.com where the latest information is published.
How do buying organisations take forward an interest in joining the service?
Buying organisations who are considering electronic procurement should contact the eProcurement Scotl@nd Programme Office, who will be able to discuss your individual requirements and organise a demonstration of the service.
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