by Janice Marquardt | Feb 17, 2026 | Creative Solutions, e-Auctions, Processes
This week was the week of shifting sands. I’m not sure why this was the week, but multiple e-auctions I’ve been involved with had last-minute changes, unexpected challenges, and a bit of a scramble. This is a learning opportunity for how to deal with very specific...
by Janice Marquardt | Jan 27, 2026 | Definitions, Processes
After filling out first day paperwork and sitting through more cybersecurity training than anyone thought possible, the first thing a procurement professional is asked to do is run a bid. Also known as a “tender” in Europe, a bid is fundamental to procurement –...
by Janice Marquardt | Dec 16, 2025 | Creative Solutions, Processes
First, there was the procurement department. Six months later, someone said, “We should do a procurement transformation!” (probably). If you’ve been in or worked with a procurement department for any amount of time, you’ve likely been through a procurement...
by Janice Marquardt | Nov 18, 2025 | Definitions, Org Chart, Processes
I once had a supervisor who was obsessed with what he called “the 4-box model” of procurement. His version graphed supply chain complexity/risk on the y-axis and supply chain cost on the x-axis, classifying suppliers into one of the four resulting quadrants. Low cost...
by Janice Marquardt | Sep 30, 2025 | Definitions, e-Auctions, Supply Chain Career
When someone sends me a list of items to negotiate using an e-auction, one of the first questions I ask is: “What is your award scenario?” While a procurement professional should consider this question long before a negotiation, Request for Proposal, or even before...
