In PayStream Advisors upcoming 2014 eProcurement Report, the various aspects of electronic procurement are dissected, analyzed, and then reassembled to illustrate how effectively a solution can be in transforming an organization’s entire P2P process. The strength of an eProcurement software lies not only in its dynamic components, but also in the innovation and strategy of its users. To not only utilize, but to optimize an eProcurement system, best practices must be employed—if they are, the benefits of visibility, control, and connectivity will spread throughout the functions of an organization to create a brilliant eProcurement and P2P success story.

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In recent global news, PayStream has seen the evidence of such a success story. Last week, the Kenyan National Treasury announced the official launch of an electronic procurement system in their Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) Department. The goal of this implementation is to bring the use of public money under greater transparency and accountability, easing the difficulty and improving the management of the process.

The President of Kenya, President Kenyatta, believes that an eProcurement system will ensure prudent use of the public financial resources—for the correct and intended purposes. With the system, Kenya wants to eliminate the abuse of the procurement system through greater openness and accountability of transactions, and they hope it will ensure that people with disabilities and other target groups receive the aid they need. The system will also make Kenya a more attractive destination for investments, potentially improving the economy.

Kenya is the first African country to incorporate an eProcurement system into a devolved government. The system will monitor all transactions through the purchasing life cycle and will provide features that include approval hierarchy and an item master to standardize and manage the use and price inflation of items within government departments. A supplier portal will also be initiated, meaning all government suppliers will be duly registered with the Registrar of Companies, bringing greater tax compliance and certification accuracy, as well as enabling productive collaboration with suppliers.

It is clear that the Kenyan government has the goals of visibility, connectivity, and control in mind, and that they are using several eProcurement best practices as they implement their solution, including a focus on systematic synchronization and supplier relationship enhancement. They are also utilizing the system for humanitarian reasons, as streamlining this process has the potential to improve living conditions for the country’s disabled and others in need of aid.

“Implementation of the e-procurement will no longer be a matter of politicizing issues,” said President Kenyatta. “This is about delivering efficient services to our citizens. It is about ensuring that the days of wasteful spending using taxpayers money is over. It is about strengthening the government-supplier relationship by streamlining the procurement procedures, to provide easy access to information and documents, to increase the number of bidders as the bidding process gets simplified, and to ensure cost savings for the government and all taxpayers.”

PayStream hopes that Kenya’s use of eProcurement best practices will bring them success in streamlining their public spending, and in improving the conditions of those in need of government support. For more insight into the potential efficiency and effectiveness of electronic procurement on any type of organization, look out for our upcoming 2014 eProcurement Report.