The State of Oklahoma’s quest to modernize its services will hit another milestone this October with the implementation of the new Oklahoma Supplier Portal. The eProcurement project is a comprehensive procurement solution that streamlines accounts, bolsters state partnerships and makes doing business with the state easier than ever.
Replacing an outdated system
State Purchasing Director Dan Sivard said the new portal reduces costs by optimizing what was previously a cumbersome process for agency buyers and state suppliers. Sivard has been the State of Oklahoma’s purchasing director for just over two years. Since taking the position, he and his team have focused on implementing a modern digital procurement platform for the first time in state history.
“The state’s current procurement process is outdated and manual,” Sivard said. “A modernization is clearly needed to replace a scattered and largely siloed process that brings frustration to both suppliers and our state agencies.”
Historically, agencies depended on communicating with suppliers through email and phone calls and kept track of physical contract documentation within isolated systems. Additionally, it proved difficult for suppliers to speak with state agents or even understand how to receive notifications on bidding opportunities for state initiatives.
Finding a digital solution
In line with many other transformations, eProcurement will bring a uniform system to state agencies. The primary efficiencies of the new platform include simplifying the supplier registration process and empowering state suppliers to manage their business profiles more easily for state agencies to view. Ultimately, these improvements will save time, energy and taxpayer money by providing a modern, user-friendly system.
“The project itself has been a multiyear collaboration with the mission to simplify, centralize and streamline procurement for the state,” Sivard said. “By simply moving away from paper-based systems, we are able to build stronger relationships with our state supplier base and, ultimately, drive better services for our citizens.”
The Oklahoma Supplier Portal launches in early October. To learn more about this initiative, visit the project website and check out our Top 10 Modernizations for other state advancements in flight right now.
Interested in learning more about becoming a state supplier? Join cabinet secretaries, state agency leaders and our state procurement teams at the second-annual State Suppliers Expo on Oct. 11 at the Oklahoma City Convention Center. Registration is now open.
