Sourcing
Identify strategic sourcing opportunities and seamlessly run RFx events — all in one place.
Centralize requests
Create a single front door for all sourcing requests, from tactical procurement to complex strategic sourcing, so procurement teams can maximize savings.
Increase visibility
Provide cross-functional stakeholders with full visibility into every step of the process, from RFx to contract — all in one platform.
Maximize savings
From sole source, 3-bid-1-buy, to full-scale RFx, Zip Sourcing makes every event run faster and smoother so you can source more to save more.
Smart RFx generation
Kick off an RFx in minutes with smart templates and AI-powered import of relevant data from documents and spreadsheets.
Frictionless compliance
Zip creates a permanent record for each RFx event, award, and all vendor communication conducted through Zip’s messaging center.
Easy vendor scoring
Zip loops in the right stakeholders and guides them on scoring vendors to deliver all the data you need for your award decision.
Seamless source-to-contract
Eliminate redundant administrative work by managing every step of the process from request to RFx to contract in one seamless platform.
Savings center and insights
View total spend, cycle times, and record savings in real time to inform goals and measure your team's impact.
Frequently asked questions
What is strategic sourcing?
“Strategic sourcing” is all about finding suppliers that can provide extra value by establishing a collaborative, ongoing relationship with the organization. This approach to supplier management is ideal for large or high-risk purchases where an organization may need the supplier to provide a white-glove experience.
What are the benefits of strategic sourcing?
Choosing a vendor after a rigorous strategic sourcing process provides both short- and long-term benefits. Short-term, the supplier provides a product or solution that effectively solves a problem for the organization. Long-term, an organization can develop a collaborative relationship with the supplier, often working together to improve the supplier’s product and solve new problems for the organization.
What is strategic sourcing software?
Sourcing is an important part of the procurement process that involves researching, evaluating, and selecting a supplier to provide a good or service. Zip’s strategic sourcing software helps with each part of the sourcing process with features like AI-assisted RFx generation, automatic compliance documentation, vendor scoring, and more.
What is an RFx solution?
An RFx – a “request for anything” – is a catch-all term. It refers to the communication that happens when an organization begins contacting potential vendors about goods or services they want to purchase. Historically, this has been a slow, manual process involving lots of documents and emails. Zip’s RFx solution drastically cuts down the amount of work involved by helping with RFx generation, facilitating stakeholder collaboration, and surfacing the right information for decision-making.
How do you select strategic sourcing software?
The right strategic sourcing software is one that meets the needs of your organization. Zip’s sourcing solution:
- Leverages AI automation to streamline the RFx process
- Visualizes spend analysis, cycle times, and cost savings in user-friendly dashboards
- Provides full visibility for stakeholders
- Helps create and maintain compliant documentation
- Tracks and moves renewals through appropriate workflows
What is the difference between strategic sourcing and operational sourcing?
Strategic sourcing tends to focus on supplier relationships, strategic planning, negotiation and contract management, supply chain stability, and a variety of other factors. Operational sourcing – sometimes simply called “procurement” – tends to focus on more tactical, day-to-day transactions.