State of Michigan Advances E-Commerce Initiatives With Epylon E-Procurement Solution Powered by Ariba.Business Editors and High Tech Writers SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 12, 2000 Epylon team to draw on Andersen Consulting See Accenture. public sector experience and skills Epylon Corporation, a leading provider of hosted eBusiness solutions for education and government institutions, today announced that the State of Michigan has awarded a contract to the corporation to implement Epylon's public sector eProcurement solution statewide in a secure, hosted environment. The Epylon team supporting this initiative includes Andersen Consulting, a leading management and technology consulting firm Noun 1. consulting firm - a firm of experts providing professional advice to an organization for a fee consulting company business firm, firm, house - the members of a business organization that owns or operates one or more establishments; "he worked for a , and Ariba, Inc., (Nasdaq: ARBA), the leading business-to-business (B2B (Business to Business) Refers to one business communicating with or selling to another. See B2B e-commerce, B2C and B2G. B2B - business to business ) eCommerce platform provider, whose technology powers Epylon's eProcurement solution. The State of Michigan will use Epylon's tailored eProcurement solution featuring the Ariba(R) Buyer application to streamline its entire procurement The fancy word for "purchasing." The procurement department within an organization manages all the major purchases. process, increase purchasing and process efficiencies, reduce operating costs operating costs npl → gastos mpl operacionales , electronically access their designated supplier base, and continue to meet audit and reporting requirements. The Epylon and Andersen Consulting teams will work closely with the State to assist Michigan suppliers in leveraging the process efficiencies available with this eProcurement solution. Private sector organizations that have implemented eProcurement solutions report 25 to 50 percent reductions in purchasing and processing costs. "This innovative eProcurement project is firmly aligned with our strategic vision of moving Michigan into the eCommerce arena, and positions the State nationally as a leader in the creation of eGovernment," said John Engler John Mathias Engler (born October 12, 1948) is an American politician. He served as a Republican governor of Michigan from 1991 to 2003. Engler, a Roman Catholic, was born in Mount Pleasant and grew up on a cattle farm in Beal City. , Michigan's governor. "The Epylon eProcurement solution will enhance the state's purchasing processes Purchasing Purchasing is the formal process of buying goods and services. The Purchasing Process can vary from one organization to another but there are some key elements that are common throughout The process usually starts with a 'Demand' or requirements , allowing the state to leverage the inherent efficiencies of eCommerce, more effectively take advantage of economies of scale, and position purchasers at the state's agencies to make better use of state-negotiated contracts, thereby saving taxpayer dollars." "Epylon, Ariba and Andersen Consulting are thrilled to be working with the State of Michigan, a clear leader in eGovernment nationally," said Stephen J. George, founder and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Epylon Corporation. "We look forward to supporting Michigan's initiative and to enabling the state to re-engineer current procurement practices and add efficiencies to the business of government." "The State of Michigan has shown tremendous foresight (graphics, tool) Foresight - A software product from Nu Thena providing graphical modelling tools for high level system design and simulation. and leadership among the public sector by implementing an eCommerce initiative to better manage its internal procurement processes," said John Baumstark, senior vice president for netmarkets with Ariba. "The combination of Ariba's proven B2B eCommerce technology, Epylon's knowledge of the public sector and Andersen Consulting's change management, process re-engineering and technical expertise, will provide the State of Michigan with a rapid return on investment benefiting the State and its taxpayers." Initially, Epylon and Andersen Consulting will perform a statewide system analysis to assess technology infrastructure and re-engineering requirements. Epylon will then host and configure See configuration. (software) configure - A program by Richard Stallman to discover properties of the current platform and to set up make to compile and install gcc. Cygnus configure was a similar system developed by K. its eProcurement solution to meet the State's requirements, incorporating agency and buyer workflow data. Epylon will also help Michigan's existing suppliers integrate into the Epylon Supplier Network, enabling these vendors to maximize the benefits of eCommerce and to gain a powerful, new distribution channel. To ease the state's transition, Epylon and Andersen Consulting will provide change management services, train the user community and integrate Epylon into Michigan's financial management system. "My colleagues and I at Andersen Consulting are pleased to have the opportunity to continue to serve Michigan, and applaud the state for embracing this leading-edge technology as Michigan reinvents itself to be a leader in the new economy," said Mark Joern, Andersen Consulting partner responsible for the firm's role in this engagement. Additionally, the State will make this cost-free eProcurement solution available to other qualified education and public sector agencies throughout the state, giving cities, counties and universities the opportunity to reap the benefits of electronic purchasing and to leverage state-negotiated contracts. Michigan's Department of Management and Budget sets purchasing policies and selects technology solutions for all state agencies. With its centralized cen·tral·ize v. cen·tral·ized, cen·tral·iz·ing, cen·tral·iz·es v.tr. 1. To draw into or toward a center; consolidate. 2. purchasing model, Michigan is well positioned to adopt eProcurement and quickly realize the economic benefits of eCommerce. Ariba Buyer enables companies and government agencies to electronically aggregate corporate purchasing from each employee desktop and direct spending to preferred suppliers and B2B marketplaces, resulting in higher-volume pricing. The Ariba B2B Commerce Platform drives further commerce process efficiencies by providing seamless integration An addition of a new application, routine or device that works smoothly with the existing system. It implies that the new feature or program can be installed and used without problems. Contrast with "transparent," which implies that there is no discernible change after installation. with the open Ariba Commerce Services Network, including auctions and reverse auctions, electronic payments, logistics, supplier enablement Supplier Enablement is the process of electronically connecting suppliers (or other trading partners) to a company's supply chain. Supplier enablement is achieved when suppliers of goods and services are connected to a company's back-office systems to exchange critical business and content services, streamlined transaction routing services and information and analysis services. Andersen Consulting's Government Practice works with the world's leading government organizations to create eCitizen-centered services that make a difference in their communities. More than 5,000 of Andersen Consulting's 65,700 professionals work with higher education higher education Study beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher education include not only colleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. institutions, federal, state and local government agencies, advising, implementing and even operating government services. The value of these government contracts is approximately $1 billion worldwide. About Epylon Corporation Epylon Corporation is the leading provider of hosted eBusiness solutions for education, government and other public sector institutions. Leveraging its alliances with Deloitte Consulting, Andersen Consulting, and Ariba, B2B eCommerce technology and network services provider, Epylon provides a tailored eProcurement solution that includes expertise in public sector business processes, technology designed around the public sector's unique operating and workflow environment, the leading business-to-business eCommerce platform, change management consulting Noun 1. management consulting - a service industry that provides advice to those in charge of running a business service industry - an industry that provides services rather than tangible objects and integration expertise. Both Andersen Consulting and Deloitte Consulting have purchased an equity stake in Epylon. The company currently has over 1,200 registered school districts and government agencies, representing over $7 billion in annual spending, and more than 1,400 registered supply partners including Office Depot Office Depot (NYSE: ODP) is one of the world's leading suppliers of office products and services. The Company's selection of brand name office supplies includes business machines, computers, computer software and office furniture, while its business services encompass copying, , Grainger, Staples, Xerox, Wesco and Barnes & Noble.com. Headquartered in San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden , Calif., Epylon is privately held and can be found on the Web at www.epylon.com. |
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