System and method for enabling and maintaining vendor qualification

• US 8,515,823 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IQNavigator Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Volt Information Sciences Incorporated
• Inventors: Cullen, Andrew A. III
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEIKH, ASFAND M
• Application Number:
  US12/342,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20090157524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,701 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/26.35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A computer system and method is disclosed for pre-qualifying vendors for buyers and/or industries using vendor criteria information associated with buyers and/or industries and vendor qualification information associated with vendors. Vendors and buyers enter the vendor qualification information and vendor criteria information, respectively, into a database in a hierarchical and relational manner. The computer system compares entered vendor qualification information to stored vendor criteria information to pre-qualify vendors for buyers and/or industries. The computer system further monitors the stored vendor qualification information and requests updated vendor qualification information from the vendors to maintain vendor qualification on a per industry and/or per buyer basis.

Claims

1. A computer system for qualifying a vendor, comprising:

a web server configured to;

receive vendor criteria information for each of a plurality of qualifiers, the plurality of qualifiers comprising at least one qualifier already existing on the computer system and at least one new qualifier;

wherein, for each of the plurality of qualifiers, the vendor criteria information comprises a set of requirements for the vendor to do business;

wherein the plurality of qualifiers comprises at least one qualifier selected from the group consisting of;

a buyer-defined qualifier and an industry-specific qualifier; and

receive vendor qualification information associated with the vendor for each of the plurality of qualifiers;

wherein the vendor is a business entity selected from the group consisting of corporation, partnership, and company;

a database configured to store said vendor qualification information and said vendor criteria information for each of the plurality of qualifiers;

at least one tool configured to;

for each qualifier of the plurality of qualifiers, each time said vendor qualification information or said vendor criteria information is updated, compare said vendor qualification information to said vendor criteria information to determine for the qualifier whether the vendor is pre-qualified to receive requests for goods or services independent of any specific request for goods or services;

wherein the at least one tool is utilized to create and maintain, for each of the plurality of qualifiers, a list of pre-qualified vendors to which a request for goods or services may be made;

for each of the plurality of qualifiers, responsive to a determination that the vendor is pre-qualified, add the vendor to the list of prequalified vendors; and

for each of the plurality of qualifiers, enable a buyer to select, from the list of pre-qualified vendors, one or more vendors to receive a specific request for goods or services.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said database is further capable of storing additional vendor qualification information associated with an additional vendor.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said at least one qualifier comprises a buyer-defined qualifier for a buyer and said web server is associated with the buyer, said vendor criteria information comprising buyer-defined vendor criteria information established by the buyer.

4. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein said database is further configured to store vendor fields containing vendor selection data for use by the vendor in entering said vendor qualification information;

a vendor module configured to populate one or more web pages with said vendor selection data from said vendor fields and store said vendor qualification information entered by the vendor within said database; and

wherein said vendor fields are arranged in a hierarchical and relational structure and said vendor qualification information stored in said database is arranged in a hierarchical and relational structure mirroring select ones of said vendor fields.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein said vendor fields are in a table-driven format that is configurable and scalable based upon the vendor and the computer system.

6. The computer system of claim 4, wherein said vendor qualification information includes vendor profiling information to categorize the types of goods and services the vendor provides, said vendor fields including vendor profiling fields to solicit said vendor profiling information from the vendor.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein said vendor profiling fields are organized into hierarchical tables, each of said hierarchical tables including vendor selection data having one or more vendor profiling selections, said one or more web pages including said one or more vendor profiling selections of a first one of said hierarchical tables and said one or more additional web pages including said one or more vendor profiling selections of a second one of said hierarchical tables.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein said vendor profiling information entered by the vendor in response to said one or more web pages includes a select one of said vendor profiling selections, said second hierarchical table being selected by said vendor module based upon said select vendor profiling selection entered by the vendor.

9. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said web server is further capable of pushing one or more web pages at a time, said one or more web pages including buyer selection data for use by the buyer in entering said vendor criteria information.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein said web server uses said vendor criteria information entered in response to said one or more web pages to determine one or more additional web pages to be pushed.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein said database is further configured to store buyer fields containing said buyer selection data.

12. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising:

a buyer module configured to populate said one or more web pages with said buyer selection data from said buyer fields and store said vendor criteria information entered by the buyer within said database.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein said buyer fields are arranged in a hierarchical and relational structure and said vendor criteria information stored in said database is arranged in a hierarchical and relational structure mirroring select ones of said buyer fields, said vendor qualification information being further arranged in a hierarchical and relational structure to enable comparison of said vendor qualification information and said vendor criteria information by said at least one tool.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein said buyer fields are in a table-driven format that is configurable and scalable based on the buyer and the computer system.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein said vendor criteria information includes vendor profiling information to categorize the types of goods and services the buyer has a need for, said buyer fields including vendor profiling fields to solicit said vendor profiling information from the buyer.

16. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one qualifier comprises an industry-specific qualifier for an industry and said vendor criteria information comprises industry-related vendor criteria information associated with the industry, said industry-related vendor criteria information indicating industry-defined requirements for the vendor to do business in the industry.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein said industry-related vendor criteria information is arranged in a hierarchical and relational structure and said vendor qualification information is arranged in a hierarchical and relational structure to enable comparison of said vendor qualification information and said industry-related vendor criteria information by said at least one tool.

18. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

an input device configured to enable a user of the computer system to enter verification information associated with said vendor qualification information into said database; and

a user interface configured to provide the user with verification request information requesting the user verify said vendor qualification information and enter said verification information into said database.

19. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said database is further configured to store a vendor list capable of including one or more qualifiers of the plurality of qualifiers, said at least one tool populating said vendor list with each qualifier when said vendor qualification information matches said vendor criteria information associated with the qualifier.

20. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said list further includes at least a portion of said vendor qualification information associated with the vendor.

21. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

a buyer database associated with the buyer, said list being downloaded to said buyer database from said database storing said vendor qualification information and said vendor criteria information.

22. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one qualifier comprises an industry-specific qualifier and said database is further configured to store an industry list capable of including one or more qualified vendors, said at least one tool populating said industry list with the vendor when said vendor qualification information matches said vendor criteria information associated with the industry.

23. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the at least one tool is configured to interface with said database to monitor said vendor qualification information, request updated vendor qualification information from the vendor and store said updated vendor qualification information in the database to maintain qualification of the vendor for the plurality of qualifiers.

24. The computer system of claim 23, wherein said vendor qualification information includes a data renewal date, said at least one tool being configured to request said updated vendor qualification information prior to or on said data renewal date.

25. The computer system of claim 24, wherein said vendor qualification information further includes a data expiration date associated with a particular data entry within said vendor qualification information, said at least one tool being configured to request said updated vendor qualification information prior to or on said data expiration date.

26. The computer system of claim 25, wherein said at least one tool is further configured to remove the vendor from a qualifier list containing one or more qualified vendors associated with each of the plurality of qualifiers when said updated vendor qualification information is not received by the at least one tool by a pre-configured date associated with said data renewal date or said data expiration date.

27. A method for qualifying a vendor comprising:

receiving, on a computer system comprising at least one server computer, vendor criteria information for each of a plurality of qualifiers, the plurality of qualifiers comprising at least one qualifier already existing on the computer system and at least one new qualifier;

wherein, for each of the plurality of qualifiers, the vendor criteria information comprises a set of requirements for the vendor to do business;

wherein the plurality of qualifiers comprises at least one qualifier selected from the group consisting of;

a buyer-defined qualifier and an industry-specific qualifier;

receiving, by the computer system, vendor qualification information associated with the vendor for each of the plurality of qualifiers;

wherein the vendor is a business entity selected from the group consisting of corporation, partnership, and company;

the computer system storing, in a database, said vendor qualification information and said vendor criteria information for each of the plurality of qualifiers;

for each qualifier of the plurality of qualifiers, each time said vendor qualification information or said vendor criteria information is updated, the computer system comparing said vendor qualification information stored in said database with said vendor criteria information stored in said database to determine, for the qualifier, whether the vendor is pre-qualified to receive requests for goods or services independent of any specific request for goods or services;

the computer system creating and maintaining, for each of the plurality of qualifiers, a list of pre-qualified vendors from which a buyer selects vendors to receive a specific request for goods or services may be made; and

wherein the creating and maintaining comprises, for each of the plurality of qualifiers, adding the vendor to a list of prequalified vendors responsive to a determination that the vendor is pre-qualified.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said storing comprises:

storing vendor qualification information associated with each of a plurality of vendors.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

selectively providing a notification message to the vendor indicating whether the vendor is qualified for each of the plurality of qualifiers.