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Providing highly automated procurement services

  • US 7,236,947 B2
  • Filed: 01/25/2002
  • Issued: 06/26/2007
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2002
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for providing highly automated procurement services, comprising the steps of:

  • (a) accessing a database initialized with information regarding a plurality of trading partners;

    (1) said plurality of trading partners including customer and non-customer trading partners;

    (2) said information including trading relationship information and pricing information involving at least a customer trading partner and another of said trading partners;

    (b) receiving a purchase request of a first trading partner among said trading partners;

    (c) automatically selecting at least one qualified trading partner from said trading partners based on said purchase request;

    (d) generating a purchase order based on;

    (1) a portion of said trading relationship information and pricing information pertaining to said at least one qualified trading partner;

    (2) said purchase request; and

    (3) without requiring direct communication between said first trading partner and said at least one qualified trading partner and without revealing said pricing information to said first trading partner;

    (e) forwarding said purchase order to said at least one qualified trading partner;

    (f) receiving a notification pertaining to said at least one qualified trading partner; and

    (g) automatically processing said notification, including forwarding said notification to said first trading partner.

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