An eProcurement System Made – and Serviced – in the USA

In a landscape dominated by Software as a Service companies based in faraway countries, PlanetBids stands as a shining example of Designed, Developed and Serviced in the USA. Founded in 2000 in California, PlanetBids is at the forefront of delivering intelligent and innovative cloud-based Procurement solutions to a diverse range of clients, including governmental, educational, nonprofit, and private entities.

A proven and trusted solution for streamlined procurement processes, PlanetBids unites public purchasing professionals, contracting staff, emergency operations professionals and the vendor/contractor community under one virtual roof. The company has a remarkable track record boasting over $52 billion in sourced funds, more than 400,000 unique registered vendors nationwide, and a staggering 3.9 million e-bids received.

PlanetBids' third-generation PB System™ is the leading Section 508 compliant eProcurement management hosted software system, serving U.S. government agencies for the past 24 years. This robust system covers all types of procurements, including public works and construction projects, making it indispensable for a wide range of clients, from airports, ports, first responders, and transportation districts to cities, counties, colleges and universities, K-12 educational systems, water districts, and construction contractors.

The PB System™, hosted on servers within the United States, is continuously monitored 24/7. Customers and vendors alike can access support via phone, internet, and email, with complimentary monthly webinars offered to show clients how to harness the system's full potential.

PlanetBids takes immense pride in its stellar customer service reputation, with current response times to support tickets averaging a mere 10 minutes or less. Additionally, each agency is assigned a dedicated account manager who serves as their trusted partner. These account managers bring firsthand experience in government procurement, ensuring they understand the unique challenges clients face.

An eProcurement Ecosystem

The PlanetBids platform offers 8 interconnecting modules - PB System™ - that encompass all facets of purchasing, on the agency side and the vendor side:

1.    Bid Management – the heart of PB System™ where procurement officers manage the process of issuing, monitoring, evaluating, and awarding bids.

2.    Vendor Management – a powerful component of the modular PB System™ consisting of a registration process that keeps track of all vendor contact information and statistics.

3.    Business Certification – a robust system for managing Small Business Enterprise, Minority and Diversity applications and multiple levels of construction prequalification, including architectural and construction management vendors.

4.    Contract Management – the hub, where all contract information resides and whence all tasks, automated emails, and reports are scheduled and generated.

5.    Insurance Certificate Management – request, track, and calendar renewals – and protect the agency from risk.

6.    Evaluation Management – eliminates in-person evaluation meetings by facilitating online evaluation of bidders and selection of the best proposal under the supervision of the contract manager.

7.    Emergency Operations – clients can retrieve and manage up-to-date information on vendors that provide goods and services in an emergency.

8.    Bid Spec Library – for PlanetBids clients only, unlimited access to thousands of projects where bid specs, agency contacts, pricing and cooperative or piggy-backable contracts can be utilized.

Depending on which modules are selected by the client, the implementation process typically takes two to four weeks after contract execution. As a cloud-based SaaS provider, minimum resources are required, and the implementation process itself is streamlined. The PlanetBids team works with the client to configure the modules to meet the organization’s business processes as closely as possible. Then it’s on to testing, training, and posting the PlanetBids vendor portal link to the client’s website.

eProcurement Champions

“What I find impressive about PlanetBids is not the ease of use of the online RFP system, but the people who stand behind it,” John Tamura said as Interim Director of Procurement and Risk Management for El Camino College. “Instead of waiting for days for support or to have a simple question answered, PlanetBids met and exceeded my expectations.”

“The rapid implementation of the PlanetBids’ bidding platform has streamlined our bidding process and reduced cycle time by 50%,” notes Roy Ditching, Manager of Procurement Services for Golden State Water Company. “PlanetBids has made their bidding portal easy to understand. Our Procurement Administrators had a seamless transition from paper to electronic bidding.”

"PlanetBids is always ready to help to any extent and very patiently, even with someone like me who is not very computer savvy,” remarks Amir Ilkhanipour, Senior Civil Engineer for the City of San Clemente. “We at the city appreciate it since bidding can be stressful at times.”

“Our vendors have given high praise to the PB System compared to the others that local municipalities use,” proclaims Jennifer Dyment, Assistant Executive Director of the Bay Area Clean Water Agencies.

“If we need a modification, they’re there, and they’re quick. They listen, and they understand the needs of their customers,” says Jana Vargas, Director of Procurement and Contract Services for the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. With more than 16,000 vendors, the airport uses the entire PB System™ ecosystem for procurement and related activities and has renewed its contract with PlanetBids four times since 2007.

To learn more about how eProcurement can streamline your work and how easy it is to get automated contact PlanetBids.