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As part of its e-government strategy, e-procurement
and specifically the Marketplace allows our staff to purchase goods
and services using an online ordering system called the London
Marketplace. This system supports catalogue-based ordering and
focuses initially on corporate contract suppliers.
The London Marketplace
The London Marketplace is a website which allows users to buy goods
from designated suppliers online with the option of either payment
by invoice or, even more efficiently, by Purchasing Card
(Pcard).
By using the Marketplace we order goods from approved corporate
suppliers with, where applicable, the discounted contract price. It
saves time, reduces large amounts of paperwork and if used with a
Purchasing Card eliminates the need for raising cheques and invoice
matching.
Plus Purchasing cards can provide us with useful VAT accounting
details and can significantly reduce the need for petty cash
holding. Suppliers are also keen to receive these types of order as
purchasing cards provide them with prompt payment. This, combined
with the obvious advantage of having all suppliers in one easy to
find online location, makes the Marketplace the ideal place to
order our everyday purchases.
To be able to use the system, staff members must first request a
Purchase Card and then attend a 45 minute training course.
Who is in the London Marketplace
The London Marketplace includes five London
Boroughs: Newham, Tower Hamlets, Barnet, Lewisham and Redbridge,
plus the Greater London Authority.
The Marketplace
includes:
- E-Catalogues, for most goods oriented
suppliers
- E-Quotes, a Request For Quote system
- E-Tendering, for selected goods &
services
- E-Invoicing, for major companies with high volumes of
invoices
- Purchasing Cards, as a payment option, and
- Email, as the primary method of sending and receiving
orders and invoices
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