Virginia Launches eProcurement Mobile App by Bob Sievert

Governor Bob McDonnell announced the launch of a free mobile application for eVA, Virginia’s award-winning electronic procurement system. The eVA Mobile 4 Business app allows anyone with an Internet-enabled mobile device (iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry, Samsung, HP, etc.) to have real-time access to Virginia government business opportunities-anywhere, anytime.

Virginia is the first state to launch a mobile app that brings bid opportunities and solicitations literally to the fingertips of its suppliers and the general public, giving them immediate access to the thousands of business opportunities published every year and providing increased visibility into how state government spends the taxpayers’ dollars.

“Success in business today requires real-time, mobile access to business opportunities,” said Governor McDonnell. “The eVA Mobile 4 Business app turns every smart phone into a portal to Virginia’s cutting edge e-procurement system. This app increases access and transparency for businesses and individuals, and by expanding the pool of potential bidders, will save taxpayer dollars. This first-of-its-kind mobile application will unleash the power of the private sector to deliver better, more cost-effective services to the citizens of Virginia.”

“Our company has utilized eVA since its inception to see what the Commonwealth is buying,” said Sandra Sylvester, President & CEO of Superior Global Solutions. “We are growing our reach within the Commonwealth and eVA is the key facilitator between small and diverse companies like ours and our public-sector customers.”

Whether in the office or on the move, the eVA Mobile 4 Business app gives businesses immediate access to all bid opportunities and solicitations published on eVA’s public Virginia Business Opportunities (VBO) page. The app also includes personalized features allowing businesses to follow specific opportunities by adding them to a Watch List. With a variety of other exciting features this app brings real business value to the world of mobile computing.

Getting the app is simple. Find it in the Apple and Android app stores by searching for eVA Mobile 4 Business or use your mobile browser to access the mobile web version at http://www.eva.virginia.gov/evamobile.

 

The eVA Mobile 4 Business app is just the latest example of Virginia using technology to make it easier to do business with government, especially for small businesses to do business with Virginia, while increasing public visibility and government accountability.

Virginia’s eVA Program also recently launched Quick Quote Reverse Auction, an exciting addition to the system’s already powerful online bidding tools. This tool allows suppliers to bid multiple times offering better and better pricing for a single business opportunity thus increasing their chances to receive a contract. Unlike a standard auction where bid prices increase during the bidding period, Reverse Auction is designed to seek the lowest price for goods and services. King George County was the first to take the new tool for a “test drive” recognizing opportunities for increased competition and resulting savings. They were excited to see their first auction prices for a specialized fire department vehicle, which began at a high of $67,890, result in a winning low bid of $37,100, a savings of 45 percent.

Forbes.com recently lauded Virginia and the eVA Program as one of the top 10 state/local governments to storm industry by transacting into the Cloud. Cloud computing has proven that government agencies can provide improved services at lower cost. The Commonwealth of Virginia saves about $30 million annually through its eVA Program by leveraging a Software as a Service in the Cloud, which, to date, has conducted more than 3.7 million purchases for over $33 billion for hundreds of state agencies, institutions and local governments.

Bob Sievert is Virginia’s eProcurement Bureau Director and responsible for the implementation of their eProcurement system called eVA.  Launched in 2001 this system utilized Cloud and SaaS technologies before the terms were even invented.  With a successful deployment across all Virginia state government, higher education and almost 600 local governments, eVA continues to hit unheard of benchmarks with over 53,000 suppliers and 22,000 users processing annually more than 25,000 sourcing events and 400,000 orders or $4.5 billion in spend.   With annual savings over $30million, eVA has an estimated total savings to-date of more than $338 million.

 

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