Indian River County, Florida, is a growing coastal community on the Atlantic coast, serving departments that span fire rescue, utilities, stormwater, public works, parks and recreation, and three libraries. The county’s four-person procurement team manages a wide range of solicitations for all Board of County Commission offices, and over Jennifer Hyde’s 15-year tenure, the team has had to grow with the county, including navigating the shift from physical plan sets and paper bid documents to a fully electronic procurement environment.
The County previously used Euna OpenBids—Euna Solutions’ free sourcing tool that agencies use to broadcast their solicitations digitally—but decided to upgrade to the full capabilities of Euna Procurement’s Sourcing and Contracting modules to maximize their reach and efficiency.
Challenges
Before adopting Euna Procurement’s full Sourcing and Contracting capabilities, Indian River County’s procurement process was time-consuming, manual, and difficult to scale:
- Paper-based evaluations and scoring. Evaluation committees used printed score sheets distributed by email, which evaluators would print, complete by hand, and return to be scanned. Scores were then compiled manually in Excel spreadsheets with custom formulas.
- Fragmented document management. There was no single place to track active solicitations, upcoming projects, or awarded contracts. Teams lacked real-time visibility into what was out to bid, when contracts were expiring, or whether suppliers’ credentials were current.
- An ERP that couldn’t keep up with specific procurement needs. During COVID, the county explored a procurement module within their ERP system but the module wasn’t flexible enough to support the way their procurement operation actually ran. The experience reinforced that they needed a purpose-built procurement platform.
“We were too busy chopping wood to sharpen our axe,” said Jennifer Hyde, Procurement Manager at Indian River County. “We just could never get the tools set up and running the way we needed them to. There’s definitely a better way to do things.”
Solution
After evaluating Euna Procurement alongside other platforms, Indian River County chose Euna Procurement based on a combination of cost, functionality, and the quality of the relationship throughout the evaluation process. The implementation was structured, collaborative, and involved the entire procurement team from day one.
- Centralized solicitation management. All bid documents, project timelines, and active solicitations now live in one place, giving the team and their internal stakeholders a clear view of what’s in progress and what’s coming up.
- Digital evaluation and scoring. Evaluation committee members now score submissions directly in the system, eliminating the paper shuffle and manual Excel compilation that previously slowed the process.
- Contract management and supplier credential tracking. The team uses Euna Contracting to monitor expiration dates and keep supplier credentials current, which has extended the platform’s value well beyond solicitations.
- Communication tools and supplier engagement visibility. Jennifer specifically called out the ability to see which suppliers have viewed documents and how many times, giving the team actionable insight into supplier interest and engagement using the Public Q&A feature.
- A structured, low-stress implementation. The onboarding process was designed as a step-by-step build, with clear weekly agendas and homework assignments that made the rollout feel manageable. Post-implementation, monthly check-ins with the Euna Procurement team keep the relationship active and give the county a direct channel for feedback.
“It felt like a partnership more than a sales pitch,” Jennifer said. “It was very structured, like eating the elephant one bite at a time. We knew exactly what we were going to be meeting about each week. It didn’t feel overwhelming at all.”
Results
Since going fully live in January 2025, Indian River County has seen meaningful improvements across their procurement operations:
- Faster, less stressful evaluations. The shift from paper score sheets and Excel to in-platform scoring was immediate and widely embraced. Internal stakeholders loved the system the first time they used it, and the team no longer manages boxes of paper submittals.
- Greater internal transparency. County commissioners and department heads can now view active solicitations directly, without needing a login or going through procurement staff. The portal is more intuitive than the previous experience, and leadership has greater visibility into what’s happening in real time.
- A stronger professional profile. Indian River County’s investment in e-procurement has contributed to its recognition for the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award in 2025. The team has been able to point to their platform as part of a broader commitment to innovation, helping procurement earn credibility as a forward-thinking function within the county.
- Smooth supplier adoption. The county’s supplier community has engaged with the new platform without any major friction.
- A true partnership model. Jennifer described the ongoing relationship with the Euna Procurement team as a genuine partnership, noting that monthly check-ins, responsive support, and the ability to provide product feedback make the county feel valued as more than just a customer.
“We feel more efficient — we know we are,” Jennifer said. “And having the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award, being able to say that our e-procurement solution played into that, helps build credibility. It shows that we’re always trying to do things smarter, not harder.”
Looking Ahead
For a small team managing procurement across a growing Florida county, Euna Procurement has delivered something that goes beyond features and functionality: it’s given Indian River County a platform that grows with them. From contract management to supplier credential tracking to evaluation tools, the team is continuously finding new ways to support their internal stakeholders and expand what procurement can do for the county.