On a group level, BESIX spends about 2 billion euros on materials, equipment, supplies, and services per year. That's quite an amount and that’s why it’s so important to select the right vendors! Today, BESIX launches the VENDOR DIRECTORY, a new unique vendor database to help you find the right vendor for all your purchasing needs, wherever you work in the company.
We asked Pauline Dumont, Procurement Competence Centre and Sustainability Director, to tell us what this new tool is all about.
What kind of information can you find in the Vendor Directory?
All information related to vendors such as their address, contact persons, sector of activity, country of activity, or evaluations from past or current projects. You will also see whether the vendor is one of BESIX’s 700 preferred vendors or if we have signed a Framework Agreement with this supplier. In certain cases, you will even find the pre-qualification questionnaire (which is called ‘Onboarding’ in the tool) completed by the vendor itself before the collaboration can be started.
Why is this tool so important?
Our projects are influenced by commercial, financial, technical, and human factors, but they can also stand or fall with procurement aspects. That’s why a good selection of vendors is so important. The vendor directory will help you find the right vendor whenever you have to make purchases for your project. Several sections are available such as subcontracting, materials, equipment, utilities, consumables and PPE, and services.
How do you find a vendor in this directory?
Finding the right vendor has never been easier. The Vendor Directory uses a Google approach for searching data. Several filters are available to help you in your search among the 30,000+ vendors. By default, the results of your search show you the highest recommended vendors, i.e. first all BESIX group suppliers (the ‘One-stop shop’ principle), then preferred vendors, then vendors with whom Procurement negotiated a Frame Agreement, and, finally, in alphabetical order, all other vendors.
How does it work?
In the tutorial below, the essential features of the tool are explained.
Where is it available?
It is accessible on the intranet in Competence Centres/Procurement. For the moment it is only available in English, but it will also be translated into French and Dutch.
Next steps
A Smart Coffee is planned on 13 June to present the Vendor Directory. You can attend the Smart Coffee online or live if you are at the Brussels HQ. Check your mailbox or the intranet for the invitation. Procurement will also organise specific meetings for some projects where the Vendor Directory will be addressed.
If you have a question or comment on the tool, you can contact the procurement department via Procurement@besix.com.