Put your capacity procurement pedal to the metal
Build a Better RFP with Automated Procurement Tasks
The annual transportation procurement RFP process is a critical component of budgetary planning for many organizations. Unfortunately, most of them use antiquated processes for gathering and evaluating carrier proposals.
TMS technology can help by saving time and removing frustration caused by outdated, manual touchpoints by automating the communication, information collection, and analysis associated with RFPs.
Integrated Bid Solicitation
- If necessary, review carrier performance and down-select those to be included in your RFP
- Utilize pre-built templates to craft your RFP
- Communicate RFP process and requirements to carriers
- Send requests for bids on specific lanes and modes directly from the TMS
- Set notifications to alert you when new bids are received
Automate for Rapid Responses When Time Runs Short
Sometimes, even the best-laid plans go awry and you are left trying to secure capacity in unusual circumstances. There is likely very little time for deep analysis, but this is where rating automation in the TMS can deliver. Using integrated business intelligence technology, the TMS procurement tools can rapidly calculate rates for multiple carriers and modes based on key factors like past performance, on-time service percentage, and average price. From here, the system selects the best-matching carrier(s) and can immediately tender any associated loads. The result can be significant savings with no decrease in performance.
Smarter Bid Analysis
- Service levels – compare service preferences against past carrier performance
- Price – view bids from multiple carriers and benchmark against previous years to understand budgetary impacts
- Safety and risk – incorporate carrier safety data from the TMS compliance module to evaluate potential risk
Centralized Contract Awards
Awarding contracts is where the true value of robust transportation procurement functionality is revealed – both in terms of efficiency and cost-savings. Again, the TMS provides a single interface for all communication and information exchange for contract management, allowing you to:
- Automatically convert selected proposals and rates into contracts for execution
- Notify selected carriers of bid awards and assign action items required for contract execution
- Build performance and cost-based dashboards to measure against contract requirements
