According to a variety of sources, the role of e- procurement continues to become more and more strategic each year. Driving cost of goods and services control is one of the most important above the line initiatives a company can undertake. Given the dramatic financial impact driven by these types of tools and the potential positive impact on earnings these initiatives should have the visisibility and oversight of senior executives.

Experience indicates that in order to successfully implement an enterprise wide e-procurement initiative, executive management must provide sponsorship and visibly promote these projects within their organizations. Executive sponsorship is required by the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Procurement Officer or Chief Logistics Officer. The potential impact to earnings regardless of Industry vertical are so significant with a properly deployed e-procurement program that officer level executives require visibility based on the impact to stockholders and stakeholders alike.

In fact Sarbanes-Oxley section 404 requires the following of all companies.

1. Demonstrate reasonable & consistent governance & compliance monitoring.

2. Assure proper use of tools that have been placed into practice.

3. Employ proper reporting & management oversight. Implementing e-procurement tools has the potential to offer significant earnings changes.

Once executive management has sponsored these initiatives, some form of accountability must be implemented to ensure maximum participation in order fully realize organization wide savings opportunities. A company’s successful transition to e-procurement requires a transition from a cumbersome paper RFX processes to one that focuses on using the speed and efficiency of an electronic forum. Successful change management professionals focused on sustainability realize that this shift must be a combination of the use of not only the latest software advances, but also reengineering of internal processes in order to drive sustainable results.

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