Keep track of activities during the tendering process, prevent manipulation, and obtain an audit trail

Every procurement software I know includes information about activity that a manager can easily open and check. These activity logs, or change records, track: who opened the tender, when exactly, what exactly, and what was changed.

Often these are natural and completely legitimate activities:

• correcting a human error,

• clarifying information,

• checking the status of bids and notifying a supplier of a mistake,

• changing an essential requirement and extending the tender.

However, there are also cases where the activity may appear suspicious. From my own practice, I can highlight:

• an internal customer “looked” into the bidding room and then “whispered” to their preferred supplier how the others were doing. And an hour later, that supplier was already the best!

• a buyer added a criterion (which suppliers could not see) that steered the result toward one supplier.

• suppliers coordinated their bids so clumsily that they submitted them every 15 minutes, from the most expensive to the cheapest … …

A good manager should know which irregularities to focus on and how to interpret them. Perhaps there is an innocent explanation — but perhaps not.

When you show internal audit an analysis of the activity logs, they will surely praise you for this audit trail.

Promitea is a simple and intuitive procurement platform comparable to competitors that are an order of magnitude more expensive. And on top of that, you gain access to our know-how. Real procurement that brings you added value is something we need to discuss face to face.