Business Leaders at SciQuest's NextLevel Conference Predict Another Pivotal Year for Purchasing Professionals

CARY, N.C., March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The consensus of the more than 350 business leaders who attended NextLevel, SciQuest Inc.'s annual strategic procurement conference held last month, is that 2010 will be another pivotal year for purchasing professionals. The increasing reliance on savings generated through procurement strategies and practices emerged as a common thread during the more than 50 interactive sessions and panel discussions at the event.  

"It's no secret that challenging economic conditions focused greater attention on the proven ability of procurement and supply management professionals to drive the bottom-line results organizations need," said Andrew K. Reese, editor of Supply & Demand Chain Executive and moderator of the Procurement Leaders Panel that included leaders from Charles River Laboratories, Spend Partners, the State of Georgia and the University of Missouri. "Procurement is now facing a 'new normal,' and these changes are permanent. This panel discussion was further proof that the only way to succeed in the new normal is with a focus on developing people, implementing best-in-class practices and utilizing proven technologies."

Reese's contention emerged as a central point of agreement among the government, healthcare, higher education and life sciences procurement leaders, industry analysts and suppliers in attendance. Despite the diverse nature of the organizations represented, many – including Reese – also noted that the economic challenges now endemic in many industries carry with them an opportunity to elevate the role of procurement departments and practitioners.

In his panel with industry analysts, Frank Quinn, editor of Supply Chain Management Review, noted that for procurement and supply management professionals, current economic conditions present those in the industry with an unprecedented opportunity to advocate on behalf of the organizations they serve. Quinn discussed this and the many issues, trends and best practices shaping the field with Andrew Bartolini of Aberdeen Group, Patrick Connaughton of Forrester Research, Inc. and Deborah Wilson of Gartner.

"In our seventh annual survey of supply chain progress in 2009, we saw for the first time that sourcing and procurement professionals are viewed by corporate leaders as being best positioned to uncover savings," said Quinn. "The global economic crisis was a painful experience for far too many, but it presents procurement and supply management professionals with an unprecedented opportunity to shine and make a difference. Top management is expecting a lot from these professionals—and most seem to be stepping up to the challenge."

Some of the many topics explored in greater detail at NextLevel included:

• How procurement enables states to operate like businesses: Tim Gibney, assistant commissioner for the purchasing division of the State of Georgia's Department of Administrative Services, discussed the state's first-in-the-nation approach to procurement transformation.
• Improving the integration of procurement with ERP systems: Procurement leaders from East Tennessee State University, Gen-Probe, and Northwestern University discussed enterprise resource planning (ERP) and procurement integration best practices in a panel moderated by Ceiba Solutions.
• Procurement's impact on core missions: Sourcing leaders at The Scripps Research Institute shared with attendees how procurement strategies and practices directly benefit researchers and accelerate the discovery process.
• Procurement as a revenue generating center: Leaders from AOC Solutions, Emory University and J.P. Morgan explored funding options and models in a panel moderated by Archstone Consulting.
• The power of buying consortia: Procurement leaders from Kent State University and Youngstown State University shared insights on how they created a powerful group purchasing solution that enables the member institutions of the Inter-University Council of Ohio to significantly lower the cost of goods and services, better serve the members of their campus communities, and eliminate bureaucracy.
• Look beyond price for real savings opportunities: Jim Knight, managing director from Huron Consulting Group, shared insights and industry experiences to help organizations uncover new opportunities, levers and approaches to achieve strategic sourcing excellence.
• The landscape for suppliers: Leaders from Cardinal Health, Dell – the platinum sponsor of NextLevel – Fastenal and QIAGEN discussed the impact of the economy on supplier/buyer relationships, sustainability and the future of e-commerce.

"The goal of NextLevel has always been to provide business leaders with a unique opportunity to share ideas that enable them to strengthen their procurement operations and achieve more for the organizations they serve," said Gamble Heffernan, vice president of marketing and strategy for SciQuest.  "The spirited dialogue at this year's conference clearly indicates that the best practices these luminaries are defining and perfecting are making a difference."  

For more information about NextLevel, visit www.sciQuest.com/nl2010.

About SciQuest

SciQuest's procurement automation and supplier enablement solutions empower leading organizations to realize the potential of strategic procurement. The company's specialized knowledge, on-demand software, and service-first approach enable public and private enterprises across the globe to manage spend, drive ROI, and advance their critical missions.

SciQuest's deep understanding of its served vertical markets combined with a broad supplier network and intuitive, online shopping experience increase user and contract adoption while improving operational efficiencies. Through software-as-a-service (SaaS) deployment, organizations can quickly implement the right eprocurement solution to augment existing ERP investments or fully enable all aspects of purchasing from sourcing to settlement.

For more information about SciQuest, please visit www.sciQuest.com or call 877-710-0413 in the U.S. or +44 1794 341182 in Europe.

SciQuest is a registered trademark of SciQuest, Inc. Other trademarks contained herein remain the property of their respective owners.

    
    
    SciQuest media contact:
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SOURCE SciQuest, Inc.