Stretegic sourcing

PROCUREMENT is the acquisition of goods and/or services at the best possible total cost of ownership, in the right quantity and quality, at the right time, in the right place for the direct benefit or use of governments, corporations, or individuals, generally via a contract.[citation needed] Simple procurement may involve nothing more than repeat purchasing. Complex procurement could involve finding long term partners – or even 'co-destiny' suppliers that might fundamentally commit one organization to another.
E-PROCUREMENT (Electronic Procurement) is either the business-to-business or Business-to-Consumer purchase and sale of supplies and services through the Internet as well as other information and networking systems, such as electronic data interchange (EDI) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). An important part of many B2B sites, e-procurement is also sometimes referred to by other terms, such as supplier exchange. Typically, e-procurement Web sites allow qualified and registered users to look for buyers or sellers of goods and services. Depending on the approach, buyers or sellers may specify costs or invite bids. Transactions can be initiated and completed. Ongoing purchases may qualify customers for volume discounts or special offers. E-procurement software may make it possible to automate some buying and selling. Companies participating expect to be able to control parts inventories more effectively, reduce purchasing agent overhead, and improve manufacturing cycles. E-procurement is expected to be integrated with the trend toward computerized supply chain management.
There are six main types of e-procurement:
• Web-based ERP (Electronic Resource Planning): Creating and approving purchasing requisitions, placing purchase orders and receiving goods and services by using a software system based on Internet technology.
• e-MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Operating): The same as web-based ERP except that the goods and services ordered are non-product