Tempe, AZ November 6, 2001 As the convention and tourism industry struggles to cope with the aftermath of September's terrorist attacks, some organizations in the field are going after the cost side of their operations by implementing e-procurement systems.
The Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB), for example, is implementing Verian Technologies' ProcureIT system to automate the bureau's purchasing and bid processes.
The 88-year-old ACVB, a nonprofit organization, supports Atlanta's $3.5 billion convention and tourism industry and serves as the liaison between the city's 19 million annual visitors and the bureau's 1,500 member organizations.
The bureau is looking for ProcureIT to provide its purchasing manager with a more efficient and cost-effective means of handling the ACVB's $16.5 million annual spend. The installation is due to be complete by the end of November.
The ACVB plans to use ProcureIT to purchase office supplies, printing and promotional items. Charlotte, N.C.-based Verian Technologies will also help the ACVB create a formal bid process that will include creating a catalog of items and suppliers, preparing and distributing requests for quotes, analyzing bids and creating a purchase order or contract for the winning supplier.
"Being a small organization with a limited budget, we needed a system that would strengthen relationships between our local vendors and members," said Gregory Pierce, chief financial officer and vice president for technology at the bureau. "The ProcureIT system has the functionality to help us meet all our needs without having to increase our staff. We expect our biggest ROI in human assets, where our few employees can support vendor relationships through a formal catalog and bid process."
Elsewhere, Avon, Mass.-based Champion Exposition Services has tapped PurchasingNet to help the trade show and event company move from manual to Web-based purchasing processes.
Champion, with seven U.S. offices that produce more than 400 events annually, will use PurchasingNet-SQL to streamline processes such as requisitioning, ordering, receiving, invoice matching, approval, budgeting, asset tracking and inventory control.
"A company like Champion has a very wide variety of procurement needs," said Tim McEneny, CEO of Red Bank, N.J.-based PurchasingNet. PurchasingNet-SQL software streamlines capital goods purchasing, facilities buying, expense purchasing, maintenance buying and the purchasing of miscellaneous services, McEneny said.
Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau - www.acvb.com
Champion Exposition Services - www.championexpo.com
PurchasingNet - www.PurchasingNet.com
Verian Technologies - www.procureit.com
