Purchasing Platform Launches for Zoos and Aquariums

ALBANY, NY--(Marketwired - November 11, 2015) - BidNet's e-Sourcing solution, SourceSuite, announces the launching of the Vendor Centric Purchasing Platform (www.VCPurchasing.com^[1]). The Vendor Centric Purchasing Platform is a new, web-based platform that provides zoos and aquariums across the country an opportunity to streamline their purchasing process and provide vendors easier access to targeted business opportunities.

The following zoos have already announced they will be posting current and future solicitations on the Vendor Centric Purchasing Platform as early adopters:

• The Dallas Zoo- Dallas, TX
• The Phoenix Zoo- Phoenix, AZ
• Woodland Park Zoo - Seattle, WA

Using the purchasing platform, buyers are able connect to a growing group of shared registered vendors in one central location, and notify them of RFPs and bid opportunities. Kerry Rhines, the Director of Purchasing at the Dallas Zoo, explains, "The Vendor Centric Purchasing Platform will really help us to expand our vendor base and make the bidding process much more efficient." The Platform is designed to not only streamline the bidding and vendor management processes, but also increase transparency and promote collaboration through a shared vendor pool, extensive bid library and time saving purchasing solutions for zoos and aquariums.

The core platform is currently being offered at no cost to eligible zoos and aquarium organizations through AZA Smart Source. Benefits to zoo and aquarium buying organizations include:

• Time and resource savings on bidding and quoting initiatives
• Access to larger database of shared vendors
• Increased vendor competition
• Collaboration with peers and access a shared bid library of documents
• Automated RFP, quoting and vendor management
• Improved transparency through audit, control & workflows
• Simplified processes with electronic bidding & bid tabulation

"Utilizing this Platform is a step in the right direction for the Woodland Park Zoo in terms of achieving a more effective bid process that is much more streamlined," responded Suzanne Frounfelter, Manager of Purchasing at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, when asked why her zoo became an early adopter of Vendor Centric Purchasing Platform. "The larger pool of vendors shared among all members with a very similar spend will be a huge asset and will allow us to easily find more qualified vendors more efficiently," Frounfelter continued.

Request a personalized, live demo to discover how the Vendor Centric Purchasing Platform can help simplify the purchasing process for zoos and aquariums.

About Vendor Centric Purchasing Platform

The Vendor Centric Purchasing Platform is a collaboration between BidNet and Vendor Centric. The platform is an intuitive, robust web-based platform being used by a growing number of zoos, aquariums and museums across the country. The platform is currently offered to eligible organizations through Vendor Centric's AZA Smart Source and the Alliance Purchasing Cooperative. Vendor Centric manages these cooperatives for the members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Alliance of Museums, respectively. For more information, visit www.VCPurchasing.com^[2].

About SourceSuite by BidNet

SourceSuite is an e-Sourcing SaaS that provides supplier management, document distribution and audit control tools to more than 1,100 various buying organizations across the country. For information about this powerful purchasing solution, visit www.SourceSuite.com^[3].

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2015/11/11/11G071587/Images/Vendor_Centric_Purchasing_Platform_Launches_for_Zo-1af8e1eadae991b6800672d3eadbb5cd.jpg^[4]