If you’re part of any government procurement team, you’ve likely been asked, “What are you doing to increase supplier diversity?” It’s also likely you’ve heard of and possibly conducted disparity studies to improve your procurement process and identify the needs of different types of suppliers. … Read More »Why Disparity Studies Aren’t Enough to Improve Supplier Diversity
SEATTLE, March 22, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DemandStar, the free and easy electronic procurement marketplace for government contracts, announced it has passed 1,000 local governments on the DemandStar platform, accelerating its industry-leading growth. DemandStar achieved a 32% increase in government annual contract value, now totaling over… Read More »Leading Public Sector Online Marketplace Adds 1,000th Local Government, Surpassing $4.6B in Annual Contract Value
Good help can be hard to find. Nobody knows that better than government procurement agents. Trying to staff a multitude of projects all with varying scopes, government procurement agents must often sift through numerous bids to find the perfect contractor for each job. Occasionally, you… Read More »Looking to Neighboring Counties for Contractors
As the nation ramps up for the new school year, government procurement agents may find themselves in the market for educational software that facilitates remote learning. This could be a relatively novel purchase as our focus shifts from in-person to online learning. Many of the… Read More »How to Vet Good Educational Software
Not all procurement networks are built the same. When moving into online procurement, it’s important to choose a network that offers all the features and benefits your business needs to secure government contracts. DemandStar recognizes how important their service is not only to government procurement… Read More »The Benefits of the DemandStar Procurement Network
One area of education in the United States that has gained quite a bit of attention in science, technology engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Globally, the American school system is behind in this type of education. A 2017 study of graduate students showed that foreign nationals… Read More »STEM Programs Mean More Technology RFPs. Take These Three Steps into consideration when responding to RFPs for STEM Services.
When government procurement agents create a request for proposal (RFP), they’ll want to get back high-quality responses from qualified vendors. This can lead them to make the RFP incredibly detailed. While being detailed is good and can help vendors know what is needed, RPFs that… Read More »All in the Details, and Then Some. When RFPs Are Too Long for Their Own Good.
Maintaining a fleet of vehicles is a colossal responsibility. In the public sector, a fleet could consist of school buses, waste management vehicles, fire engines, police vehicles, animal control trucks, and numerous other types of department vehicles. It’s a lot to keep track of and… Read More »Procurement Strategies for a “Smart Fleet” That Are Safe and Economically Sound
by Ben Vaught, Founder, and CEO of DemandStar Not all manufacturers are the same, and selecting the right manufacturer can mean the difference between a successful project and one that’s full of headaches and frustration. While selecting the lowest bid can be an attractive option… Read More »Not All Manufacturers Are the Same. What to Look for in Manufacturing Bids
Government procurement agents can play a huge role in supporting underrepresented groups by increasing supplier diversity. Since they’re the people looking for bids and making final decisions, a conscious effort to increase supplier diversity can help government agencies reach their inclusion goals. Whether you already… Read More »The Best Way to Increase Supplier Diversity