A major factor in the success of the Procurement Initiative is Supply Management Services' (SMS's) adoption of a standardized method of procurement and other procurement and reporting tools. One such tool is e-SHOP, Cornell’s preferred procurement method, which provides one-stop online shopping with most of Cornell’s preferred and contract suppliers. Two of the most recently implemented tools include Spend Viz, a spend analysis and reporting system, and reverse auctions.
e-SHOP provides an efficient process for faculty and staff to order the most commonly required products and specific services from university contract and preferred suppliers. Hosted by SciQuest, Inc., e-SHOP streamlines the order creation process, promotes utilization of strategic supplier relationships, provides cost-saving opportunities, and increases customer satisfaction. It contains catalog content from many of the university's contract suppliers and selected non-contract suppliers. Increased business opportunity resulting from participation in e-SHOP enables our top suppliers to further invest in the Cornell business relationship by lowering costs, offering value-added services, and committing resources and technology to ensure an efficient and effective purchase-to-pay process for faculty and staff.
e-SHOP delivers a significant return-on-investment by enabling SMS to significantly improve spend management by:
The e-Business Advisory Council was formed in June 2010 to help SMS achieve its goal of developing a world-class supply management function by providing value through strategic sourcing, efficient processes, and professional service. The council members obtain and present feedback from their constituents and provide high-level recommendations for enhancing and streamlining technological procurement tools such as e-SHOP.
Spend Viz is a tool developed by SMS staff that provides a complete view of Cornell’s spend by aggregating transaction data from 11 source systems. This tool provides us with the insight and information to make cost-saving business decisions. The tool is being deployed to senior finance groups and business service centers across campus to enable them to better understand their spending habits – who is buying, what they’re buying, from whom are they buying.
As a member of the Kuali Foundation, Cornell has partnered with other colleges and universities in a community-source model to develop the Kuali Financial System (KFS). KFS is a contemporary, comprehensive suite of financial accounting software based on Indiana University’s financial information system, and built to meet the unique requirements of higher education.
Cornell will implement the KFS Purchasing module in July 2011. SMS staff members are participating in the implementation project and developing training.
Unlike a typical auction in which the auctioneer seeks the highest price, in a reverse auction the goal is to receive the lowest price. This tool is effective for commodities such as electrical supplies, plumbing supplies, mattresses, and copy paper.
