It has appointed @UK PLC, the UK’s largest online business marketplace, to enable its suppliers to trade online with the council.
The @UK PLC network allows organisations to conduct all of their purchasing through an online network of suppliers, allowing requests, quotes, orders, payments and invoices all to be transmitted online. Cllr Tony Lake, North Somerset Council’s executive member for corporate organisation, said: “We are committed to using e-procurement to help deliver value for money services. Over the next few months we will be working closely with @UK PLC to bring the companies currently supplying the council on to the @UK PLC network to take advantage of this system for the benefit of the council, our suppliers and potential suppliers.”
Cllr Alan Hockridge, Leader of the Council, said: “A key benefit of the system to the supplier is that it can use the network to trade not just with North Somerset Council, but with other businesses, councils and consumers. This way of working can create a greater level of productivity, reduced costs, increased sales activity and improved cash-flow.”
Over the next few months the council will work with its suppliers, from large and national organisations to small and local ones, to help with the adoption of this network. Local companies who are not trading online will be able to access subsidised training, free support and information from Business West’s IT@Work programme.
Additional information can be found at this link.
Quelle: Publictechnology, 22.09.2005
