by Janice Marquardt | Oct 7, 2025 | Definitions, Org Chart, Processes
A perennial favorite topic in procurement is category management. It’s one of the first steps in improving an organization’s supply chain maturity and is a huge step in going from a purchasing team of PO-cutters and expediters to building real, strategic, long-term...
by Janice Marquardt | Sep 23, 2025 | Savings, Uncategorized
I like conferences. Even when I’m still recovering from a cold and wedging a conference in between personal and client trips, they’re a good chance to expand my network, learn what’s “hot” and what’s “not,” and step a little outside my standard routine. For many years...
by Janice Marquardt | Sep 9, 2025 | Contracts, Definitions
When I started helping businesses with their supply chains, I was surprised to learn how few had written contracts beyond purchase orders or maybe blanket POs. But I get it. Contracts are expensive, they don’t always seem to have value, and they take forever to...
by Janice Marquardt | Aug 5, 2025 | Savings, Supply Chain Career
Like any industry, procurement has its lingo. RFP, RFI, RFX, bids, suppliers vs. vendors (that’s a whole other topic!), maverick spend, cost avoidance, tail spend, e-auction, TCO, punchout, and a myriad of other things. But presiding over all of these other terms:...
by Janice Marquardt | Jul 15, 2025 | Supply Chain Career
Like most supply chain/procurement professionals, I definitely didn’t start here. I was going to be an engineer, climbing the expected chain from Design Engineer to Project Engineer to Engineering Manager and then maybe VP of Engineering. It was going to be organized,...
