eVA, Pioneering e-Procurement - Eva.virginia.gov - Commonwealth ...

eVA, Pioneering e-Procurement
When you think of new age technology
pioneers, you might think Apple, Google,
FaceBook…even Amazon …but do you
ever think eVA Just like these well known
innovators, the eVA name has become synonymous with
innovation in e-procurement.
Before there was SaaS…there was eVA. Before
there was Cloud Computing…there was eVA. eVA
helped redefi ne electronic procurement, not just for
the Commonwealth of Virginia, but for public sector
purchasing.
Before eVA, government was dependent on technology
consultants to be successful. Consultants were the
ones trying to drive improvements, attempting to be
both the technical and business experts. They would
identify a single issue within the purchasing process
and introduce new technology perceived to fi x that
INSIDE
Got New Commodity Codes.........................pg 3
Help Fast From eVA Customer Care..............pg 4.
eVA Extra: Outreach Events...........................pg 5
Welcome to Buyer Corner. This section is dedicated
to you, the Buyer. Here you will find announcements,
updates, tips and other information specifically designed
to keep you informed.
Spring Cleaning Time!
BUYER CORNER
Too many ‘Watch Requests’ in your ‘Watch Requests’ folder
Too many can cause a particular user’s folder to become
Continued on page 2.
problem. eVA saw the fl aw in this strategy. So
how did eVA do it different It leveraged in-house
business and technical expertise. It looked at
the complete procurement process across the
entire Commonwealth—adopting a philosophy
of “protect the procurement” as its focus verses
focusing on automation alone. eVA empowered
its users to ask how technology could help them
do their job better, setting the expectation that
user feedback would result in change. Now eVA
defi nes innovation—driving the consultant to
deliver the desired solution.
Before eVA, the state and local government
purchasing process was primarily paper
based. E-procurement was typically little more
than entering requisitions, printing POs and
posting solicitation notices on a web page.
Improvements and effi ciencies were focused on
fi nancial systems, not purchasing. But eVA’s
approach did focus on procurement, believing
that going “electronic” could, and should, benefi t
everyone in the process…fi nance, end users,
buyers, receivers, and vendors.
Also during this time, e-commerce and doing
business electronically was something
mostly for those who could afford
the high cost of Electronic Data
Interchange (EDI). eVA envisioned,
VENDOR CORNER
Welcome to Vendor Corner. This section is dedicated to
you, the Vendor. Here you will find announcements, tips
and other vendor information designed to help you get
more value out of eVA.
FREE eVA Vendor Training Coming Soon!
eVA will be hosting regional training sessions through out
the state during the months of June & July. Join us for an
Continued on page 2.
1st Quarter 2011 Virginia’s Total e-Procurement Solution www.eva.virginia.gov

eVA, Pioneering e-Procurement (continued)
and made real, a new way of doing business electronically through
fax, email and cXML transactions, while also leveraging the, then,
newer world of the Internet. It split its focus between making access
to opportunities available for the less tech-savvy vendors, while at the
same time stirring the more sophisticated vendors from costly EDI to
effi cient and cost effective cXML. eVA expanded e-commerce and e-
procurement—opening the door for all vendors to have access to the
same opportunities.
One of the best examples of how eVA has changed the landscape of
Virginia purchasing is eVA’s Quick Quote tool, which provides buyers
a seamless, electronic way to solicit eVA registered vendors. Prior to
Quick Quote, buyers used “fax back” or “phone quote” approaches to
obtain quotes for goods and/or services. Quick Quote’s total on-line
process automated, streamlined and speeded up the entire process
(request, quote, evaluate, order) for both buyers and vendors—all with
BUYER CORNER Continued
inaccessible and the speed and
performance of the eVA eMall to
be impacted. Please remember to
keep this ‘Watch Request’ folder
cleaned out.
Need Help Contact your Account
Executive or eVA Customer Care
(1-866-289-7367) for assistance!
Savings
$308+ Million since 2001
$30 million/year
Efficiency
$25 Billion electronic orders since 2001
$4 Billion/year
Opportunity
153,000+ Solicitations since 2001
Transparency
Free, Public Access to what VA is buying
the added benefi t of more competition for buyers and more opportunities
for vendors. The Small, Women and Minority (SWaM)-owned business
community alone realized an increase, on average, of 30% participation
in these procurements. eVA created a fundamental shift in the
Commonwealth’s focus and support of SWaM businesses—taking the
opportunities to the vendors and leveling the playing fi eld so everyone
can participate.
For buyers, eVA has automated and centralized Virginia’s purchasing
workfl ow. For vendors, eVA has removed barriers for SMaM businesses
and created one standard way to do business with the Commonwealth.
For the Commonwealth’s taxpayers, eVA has saved more than $308+
million since 2001. And over the past 10 years, Virginia’s eVA system
has transitioned from a pioneer in the e-procurement industry to a model
for e-procurement excellence.
VENDORS Continued
opportunity to learn more about
how to sell to the Commonwealth.
Topics will include:
• Understanding state
purchasing policy
• How buyers use eVA to “shop”
• Finding your target audience
using eVA’s free public reports
• Exploring the eVA website
• Live Demos & more!
Look for sign-up information soon
on the eVA website at
www.eVA.virginia.gov!
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Got New Commodity Codes
Have you struggled to find the right commodity codes If your answer is yes, then you’ll be excited to know
that we’ve recently updating the NIGP Commodity Codes from version 11 to version 20!
What does this mean for you It means more than 1500 new codes have been added. There are also new
categories of products & services like: solar heating units (03180), hybrid vehicles (07100), defense system &
homeland security equipment (25700), e-commerce consulting (91836), geese control services (96133), and
many, many more!
For a first hand look at what’s new, use the NIGP Look Up tool (left navigation menu of the eVA website
homepage) or download the entire NIGP book at http://www.eva.virginia.gov/cd/files/nigp-book.pdf. (A link to
the book is also available from the NIGP Look Up tool page.
Celebrating Purchasing
Month (in March)!
APSPM BID BUYER
COMMODITY CODE eMALL eVA
eVA CUSTOMER CARE IFB PCARD
PROCUREMENT QUICK QUOTE RESPONSIBLE
RESPONSIVE RFP SPECIFICATIONS
STATE CONTRACTS SUPPLIER VBO
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Help Delivered Faster with New Phone System
On average, eVA Customer Care answers about
1500 live calls and 775 emails a month--all while
maintaining an above industry customer satisfaction
rating between 94-98%. For a modest staff of only
10, those numbers are pretty impressive.
But if you’ve ever contacted Customer Care, then
you know first hand the level of customer service
eVA Customer Care Specialists deliver everyday.
Continuing their quest to deliver outstanding customer
service, eVA Customer Care recently implemented a
new phone system.
“We are always looking for ways to improve our
service and the new phone system provides
some significant improvements as well as a better
experience for our customers.” says Ghania Matias,
eVA Customer Care Manager and newest member of
the eVA Project Team.
Top Reasons Callers Contact
eVA Customer Care
(1) Password reset and login information,
both buyers and vendors
(2) Registration assistance
(3) eVA Account Maintenance, especially
updating eVA commodity codes
(4) Accessing and responding to Quick
Quotes or Virginia Business Opportunity
(VBO) solicitations
(5) Technical assistance with using eVA
site and online tools particularly assisting
with troubleshooting browser and other
computer issues
(6) Creating, changing, and canceling
purchase orders.
The old system provided very basic information about
calls coming into and going out of eVA Customer
Care. The new system, a Cisco Voice Over IP,
provides a wealth of information about each call.
Callers can now choose the reason for their call from
an options menu--helping to route them faster to the
appropriate specialist for assistance. Matias shared
that she thinks the best thing about the new phone
system is being able to assist with time sensitive
issues much faster. “For instance, if a vendor is
having a problem responding to a Quick Quote that
is closing that day, we can now help that caller faster
because of the call routing features the system
provides.”
The phone system also tells the caller their expected
wait time, as well as providing eVA management with
real-time stats on calls and historical data.
“With this data we can better manage staff planning,
call volume forecasting, specialist education
scheduling and specialist productivity analysis.”
said Janne Erbe, eVA Customer Care Analyst and
Assistant Manager.
So far customers have been receptive to the change.
“We are excited about the possibilities these added
features bring to Customer Care and look forward to
finding ways to provide even better service!”
Contact eVA Customer Care!
866-289-7367
Hours of Operation 8-5 EST M-F
except major holidays, and open with
limited staff for a lot of the non-major
state designated holidays
Page Four

eVA Extra
Attention Vendors! Coming soon to an area near you...
The eVA outreach team is joining forces with other state agencies and local governments to bring you
more information about How to Sell to the Commonwealth. Look for eVA at these events coming soon:
Henrico County’s 5th Annual SWAM Supplier Event
April 18th at Deep Run Recreation Center
Department of Business Assistance-Growing Sales Seminar
April 29th in Glenns, VA
May 25th in Hanover, VA
June 3rd in Va Beach, VA
Log-on to www.vastartup.org for full details
Save the Date...
http://dps.dgs.virginia.gov/Forum2011/
November 14-16 Hampton Convention Center
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More Events for Vendors!
Hosted by the Department of Business Assistance
Free, half day program for entrepreneurs and evolving businesses! To register for one of the events or to
learn more, go to www.vastartup.org or call 804.371.0488
Growing Sales Seminar Charlottesville VA
April 13, 2011 - 08:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Virginia Department of Forestry 900 Natural Resources Drive Suite
#800 Trainig Room, 1st Floor Charlottesville, VA 22903
Bristol VA/TN Growing Sales - Navigating and Cultivating
State Government Markets Workshop
April 20, 2011 - 09:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Bristol Public Library The J. Henry Kegley Meeting Room 701 Goode
Street Bristol, VA 24201 Phone: (276) 645-8780
Hanover Growing Sales Seminar
May 25, 2011 - 08:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Richmond Times-Dispatch Hanover Plant 8460 Times-Dispatch Blvd. Mechanicsville, VA 22949 For more info, call
804.371.0058
GROW SALES SEMINAR - Virginia Beach
June 03, 2011 - 08:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Tidewater Community College, Advanced Technology Center, 1800 College Crescent, Virginia Beach, VA Directions:
www.vbatc.com/vbdirections.html
Writer/Editor
Kim Madison
eVA Outreach & Marketing, eVA Bureau
DGS, Division of Purchases and Supply
Writers/Contributors
Bob Sievert
Director, eVA Bureau
Division of Purchases and Supply, DGS
Janne Erbe
eVA Customer Care Analyst & Assistant Mngr
Division of Purchases and Supply, DGS
Ghania Matias
eVA Customer Care Manager
Division of Purchases and Supply, DGS
Wayne Waldrop
Director, Business Information Services
Virginia Department of Business Assistance
eVA Connections is published by the e-Procurement Bureau of the Division of Purchases and Supply, Department of General Services. Bringing together the
businesses, state and local government buyers, and other public servants, in recognition of the value that e-procurement brings to the Commonwealth.
Please submit feedback and story ideas to Kimberly.Madison@dgs.virginia.gov.
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