Deutsch
EspanolRhenag Rheinische Energie AG directly supplies the end user with electricity, gas and water in its supply area; In addition, however, it also holds interests in other utility companies and is a service provider for municipal utilities and energy supply companies.
At rhenag, corporate group purchasing and materials management plays an extraordinary role, as it not only handles the internal procurement volume with its employees, but also offers the member companies of the rhenag purchasing association products, materials and services at particularly favorable terms and beyond that also consulting services "by Purchasing Practitioners for Purchasing Practitioners".
SC-Manager
Since 2011, rhenag has relied on the SC-Manager of Simmeth System as the central purchasing information system "rhenag EIS". As an information center of the purchasing department, rhenag EIS calculates all key figures required for purchasing controlling, ensures an automated purchasing reporting system, provides a central supplier management overview of all relevant data and documents and ensures the regular evaluation of suppliers and construction site projects.
Supplier Portal
As a further module, the supplier portal was put into operation in 2017. Jörg Koch, Head of Group Purchasing and Materials Management, formulates the objective of this part of the project as follows: "We want to communicate with our suppliers directly, without delay and detours." In the first step, the supplier portal is used for the prequalification of suppliers. The previous prequalification procedure should be made more direct, simpler and more transparent. In the next step, the portal will also be used for the exchange of information and regular communication with existing suppliers.
Reusable standard
The existing prequalification procedure for suppliers of municipal service providers was revised and optimized in a joint project with the supraregional electricity, gas and water utility supplier EWV / regionetz. In line with the rhenag purchasing association, efforts were made at this point to create a reusable standard for all municipal service providers.
The process is now very easy for both sides, the purchasing department and the suppliers. After setting a check mark in the portal by the responsible purchaser, the supplier automatically receives an e-mail with his access data to the portal. There it is structured and clearly guided step by step through the questions necessary for prequalification. These include, for example, general information on the company, bank and payment terms, up to company certifications, certificates and special education. The supplier can upload the corresponding documents directly. If the supplier has completed the questionnaires, the responsible purchaser is automatically informed by email and can check the answers and documents. An integrated checklist facilitates the testing process via color markings (green / red). If a supplier has successfully passed the prequalification, he appears in the supplier master as a "green" supplier and can be accepted as an existing supplier.
Relief in the daily business
"For us, as purchasing managers responsible for operations, the supplier portal is a tool that means immediate relief in day-to-day business. Thanks to the integrated workflows and automatisms, mistakes are avoided on both sides, with the suppliers and with us in the purchasing department, "explains Anna Houben, project manager of purchasing at rhenag.
The supplier portal is a module of the SC-Manager of Simmeth System. The members of the rhenag purchasing network are provided with the modules as a preconfigured and flexible industry solution. Jörg Koch, Head of Purchasing and Materials Management at rhenag, says: "Energy suppliers of the purchasing network can not only purchase specialist modules tailored to their needs cost-effectively, but also with the certainty that they are technically the right solution for you and actually work."
