There are some changes coming to Virginia’s procurement system, and public sector procurement agents at all levels of the government may want some help navigating the upcoming transition. CGI, a global IT, and business consulting firm, has recently been awarded a contract to modernize the state’s procurement system. The Virginia Department of General Services (DGS) has asked CGI to upgrade the eVA procurement platform with additional technology solutions and advancements.
During the transition period, business suppliers and local and state agencies are making considerable changes to their processes to incorporate the new features—and these changes may slow down the flow of projects they need now. There needs to be a stop-gap solution so that procurement can keep moving in the state of Virginia while the eVA system is overhauled, and agencies and vendors become accustomed to the new system. There are free services that suppliers and businesses can use during this transition and beyond that will work extremely well with and complement the eVA system.
DemandStar is an online procurement platform that is free for government agencies nationwide. In Virginia alone, DemandStar already includes 27,000 suppliers and 45 agencies as members. Large state procurement systems like eVA procurement are complicated and time-intensive for suppliers. As such, and even though eVA is the system of record for the state, fewer suppliers may sign up. DemandStar has seen quick adoption with suppliers in its network and e-bidding platform, and contracting opportunities are sent out to qualified suppliers that already do business with other governments. Suppliers who can easily find contract opportunities with DemandStar are then much more motivated to get through eVA’s complicated registration process to compete for bids.
The DemandStar marketplace also offers a host of technological advancements that are already built into the system. This includes instant notifications to vendors that match with new RFPs, online responses, updates, and e-bidding, competitive intelligence insights, sorting algorithms to help procurement agents swiftly review bids and save time, bulk supplemental supplier upload to facilitate vendor connections, subscription level options with free accounts and more. For business owners and procurement professionals looking for an easy and modern procurement system that’s already up and running, DemandStar can help their communities succeed.
In the middle of the pandemic, a technology-first solution to procurement that offers up-to-the-minute updates is vital. Procurement agents need to be able to work remotely and connect with vendors quickly to keep the state running. It’s also important to keep an eye on the cost to taxpayers. CGI has been awarded $137 million of taxpayer funds to overhaul the eVA procurement system. This cash is precious as the pandemic pushes into its one-year mark and citizens are becoming increasingly reliant on government services.
DemandStar offers a free, comprehensive and technologically advanced solution to not only fill in the gap while CGI updates the eVA procurement system, but that could work side-by-side or in place of the updated eVA system. Request a demo today to learn more!