BiP Solutions to provide new Procurement Agency for Essex portal
27 March 2007
BiP Solutions has been selected by the Procurement Agency for Essex (PAE) as the provider of its new web portal. After completing a competitive tender exercise BiP has been awarded a three year contract which will see the existing PAE website and related content incorporated into a new web portal, which features a range of services for both buyers and suppliers.
The PAE, established in April 2004, represents 15 member authorities in the county of Essex and acts as a voice for Essex procurement on a regional and national scale. It also provides training and procurement related commercial support for its members and acts as a best-practice resource, encouraging the use of collaborative projects.
Peter Quinn, Director for the PAE, said: ‘We completed a detailed market survey of possible providers and the solution proposed by BiP best fitted the needs of the PAE and its members. We look forward to delivering a service that will play a pivotal role in helping the PAE to transform Collaborative Procurement in Essex. The solution will be responsive to the needs of our both our membership and their supply base.”
The portal may also be used as a regional pilot by the Regional Centre for Excellence (Eastern Region).
Included in the new PAE web portal will be a number of services for both the buyers and suppliers along with the incorporation of the Agency’s current website each PAE member authority will now have its own branded buyer profile linked to the central PAE portal.
BiP’s new Select accreditation service is an important component of the new portal. Select is a national pre-qualification accreditation service that is fully compliant with the EU Treaty, EC Public Procurement Directives and UK Regulations, and has been endorsed by the Society of Procurement Officers in Local Government. PAE members will have full access to this supplier database and the supplier management tools.
Scott Smith, Commercial Director of BiP Solutions, said: “We are delighted to be chosen as service providers for the new PAE web portal. We believe this will help deliver efficiency savings for the public sector and improve knowledge transfer and best practice across both the public and private sector.”
The new portal will be launched in phases giving the PAE the ability to incorporate feedback from all users as the service progresses. Phase one is planned for launch within the next three months.
