Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Department of Procurement Services today announced their intent to adopt an eProcurement system to transition from a highly paper intensive process to a modernized, cost-saving, online system. As a first step, they announced the candidate solicitation for the first official eProcurement Request for Proposals (RFP) solicitation to be advertised by the beginning of August.

“The establishment of eProcurement demonstrates our commitment to ongoing efficiency and transparency in procurement,” said Mayor Emanuel. “We are committed to creating an open and fair government to benefit vendors and potential vendors with new tools that will make it easier to do business with the City.”

The Department of Finance will be seeking a vendor to conduct its annual audit of federal grant dollars, as required by federal guidelines. This audit reaches across any and all departments that receive grant funding from the federal government, including police, fire, transportation, aviation, and many others. As stated above, the RFP will be advertised by the beginning of August.

eProcurement applies digital technology to the acquisition of goods and services. It will allow DPS to collaborate with City Departments to create solicitations and contracts online, greatly reducing the time it takes to complete procurements. The online web portal will offer full-service resources for vendors and those interested in doing business with the City of Chicago. This tool will allow users to:

• Respond to Bids, RFPs, and RFQs online
• View & Track payments and invoices online
• Electronic submission of invoices

“Under the leadership of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, we are continually working to be service-oriented and provide greater resources to the business community,” said Chief Procurement Officer Jamie L. Rhee. “The transition to eProcurement will benefit the entire Chicago business community by making their interaction with the City more convenient and efficient, so that they can keep their focus on their core business.”

Additionally, a dedicated microsite with resources, and added in-person and online workshops are available to ensure that the vendor community has the tools it needs to be ready. To learn more about eProcurement and to register, visit www.cityofchicago.org/eprocurement.

Today’s announcement is the latest in a series of efforts to improve the City’s procurement process, and are a result of the Mayor’s commitment to creating a competitive, fair, and transparent procurement services for the City of Chicago.

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