Edinburgh Napier University

  There is an ever-increasing amount of applications for Information Technology (IT) for use in procurement systems in all forms of business. This paper describes the role Electronic Procurement and Global Sourcing techniques can play in the United Kingdom Construction Industry. E-Procurement is not new as a concept in industry as it has been apparent in one form or another for around 30 years. Such forms have included Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) which is still used but is increasingly being replaced by Internet-based tools as the technology makes advances. Internet E-Procurement offers the prospect of Global Sourcing, in that normal restrictive boundaries can be crossed offering the advantage of world-wide human, material, energy and capital resources. Procurement methods in the construction industry have been changing from the traditional Competitive Tendering system to that of Design and Build or Management Contracting. For the construction industry, E-Procurement can complement these methods and offer the construction industry the advantage of improved buying standards, improved buying efficiency, increased business profile, opening new markets and the opportunity to avoid and manage risks.