Governments Look for Ways to Improve Economic Development by Utilizing Modernized Procurement Systems
Austin, TX, April 16, 2012 — The State of Maryland replaced its old legacy eMaryland Marketplace system with Periscope Holdings’ BuySpeed solution, a new streamlined single portal for vendors to register, obtain solicitations and award contracts. In less than 100 days, Periscope went live with the State’s new eMaryland Marketplace on January 3rd, 2012, on-time and on-budget.
With no interruption in service, Periscope’s staff migrated data from the State’s old system to the new BuySpeed solution. The transfer included data for over 16,000 vendors, 261 state and local agencies, and more than 2,500 buyers. The new Marketplace includes one portal for vendor registration and solicitation management for both state and local governments. Once live, eMaryland hit the ground running. On day one, 164 new vendors registered in the system. Currently there are over 1,600 bids in the new Marketplace.
Periscope also worked with Maryland to deploy BuySpeed’s new Small Business Engine (SBE) module. The new module qualifies and certifies vendors as small business participants within the eMaryland Marketplace during vendor registration. Maryland went live with SBE functionality on February 20, 2012, and already has over 4,500 small businesses in the eMarketplace. The State expects to revive small business involvement through its consolidated paperless vendor qualifying system.
BuySpeed’s SBE offers Maryland the ability to:
- Set configurable vendor qualifying questions;
- Certify small businesses within system – eliminating paper affidavits and certificates;
- Identify small business vendors and invite them to participate in set aside procurements;
- Track contracts awarded to small businesses;
- Monitor small business involvement goals;
- Send renewal notifications to vendors; and
- Report expired and renewed small business vendors
“Maryland has opened a new door into small business involvement,” said Maryland Governor, Martin O’Malley. “This new tool helps the State accomplish our economic development strategy to generate, grow and sustain the State’s economy from within.”
The State of Maryland understood the impact its economic engine had on the small business community and implemented a solution that would improve the landscape for small businesses to compete for contracts. The SBE enhancement strengthens small business vendor outreach and opens bid opportunities that have previously been difficult for small businesses to compete in.
“Political officials nationwide are instituting new programs to stimulate small business participation; however, most governments lack a way to manage new policies,” said Brian Utley, President & CEO of Periscope Holding, Inc. “We’re pleased to have successfully worked with Maryland to level their vendor playing field with BuySpeed’s one-stop-shop for vendor registration, solicitation management, contract/catalog management and small business certification.”
ABOUT PERISCOPE HOLDINGS, INC.
Periscope Holdings, Inc. (www.periscopeholdings.com) is a privately held technology company headquartered in Austin, Texas. Periscope works with public entities to achieve best practices in procurement through its comprehensive software solution BuySpeed and consulting services.
Periscope eradicates waste in procurement delivering time- and money-saving results for more than 100,000 users in the United States and Canada. BuySpeed customers include the states of Arizona Maryland and New Jersey; the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Baltimore, New Orleans and Tucson; the counties of Harris and Knox as well as Virginia Beach Public Schools, Alaska Department of Transportation and the Chicago Housing Authority.
Periscope also holds the exclusive license to maintain, enhance and market the NIGP Commodity/Services Code on behalf of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, Inc. (www.nigp.org).
Contact:
Brian Utley
Periscope Holdings Inc.
512.472.9062
or
Rick Abbruzzese
Office of Governor O’Malley
410.974.2316
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