Getting the Process Right Before Adding AI
AI can save procurement teams time, but where it specifically helps depends on the work. A team developing a solicitation may need help identifying missing requirements before publication. Another may be dealing with an intake problem, a messy review process, or an approval that takes too long. Those problems call for different solutions.
This eBook looks at how procurement teams can understand their process before deciding where AI belongs in it. Using solicitation development as an example, it looks at the manual steps that create extra work, the different tasks AI can take on, and the questions teams should ask before choosing a use case.
Download Your eBook
An average public procurement project takes 87 staff hours, according to the National Cooperative Procurement Partners’ 2023-2024 RFP Tracking Project. Half of that time is spent before the solicitation is published.
That workload gives procurement teams plenty of reasons to consider AI. But identifying a time-consuming task is only part of the evaluation. Teams also need to understand why the work takes so long, what information AI would need, and who will be responsible for checking the results.
Download Foundation First: AI in Public Procurement to explore:
Where Manual Processes Create Extra Work
Copying requirements from past solicitations, managing revisions through email, and correcting issues after publication can add hours to an already lengthy process. Learn how to identify which problems need attention before deciding whether AI could help.
Choosing the Right Role for AI
AI can retrieve information, summarize specifications, compare documents, flag potential issues, draft language, and make recommendations. Learn why the job you give AI matters and how it affects the amount of review and judgment required from staff.
Eight Questions Before You Add AI
What problems are you trying to solve? What happens if the output is wrong? Who reviews the results? Use eight questions to evaluate a proposed AI use case, including its inputs, risks, and staff responsibilities, and expected results.
AI-Assisted Solicitation Review
A buyer working in an unfamiliar category may not know every requirement to check before publication. See how AI-assisted review can help identify potentially missing requirements, conflicting criteria, and unclear instructions while leaving final decisions with procurement staff.
Foundation First: AI in Public Procurement is a step-by-step guide for public procurement professionals considering where AI could help their teams. It focuses on understanding existing processes, identifying specific problems, and evaluating potential AI uses before introducing new technology.
The eBook includes eight questions teams can use to evaluate a proposed AI use case, whether they’re exploring options, planning a pilot, or assessing a vendor. It also walks through an example of AI-assisted solicitation review to show how those questions apply to everyday procurement work.
Instead of focusing on AI tools or features, the eBook examines the decisions procurement teams need to make before using them. It looks at the different roles AI can play, the importance of staff review and accountability, and why the right approach depends on the problem a team is trying to solve.
