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Technical Data

Technical Name of Business Function

SRM_SOURCING_1

Type of Business Function

Enterprise Business Function

Available As Of

SAP enhancement package 1 for SAP SRM 7.0

Technical Usage

SRM

Application Component

RFx (SRM-EBP-BID)

Directly Dependent Business Function Requiring Activation in Addition

Not relevant

This business function enables you to speed up your sourcing cycle times: Suppliers can create RFx responses by entering data using an electronic form that closely resembles a paper form. This form is intuitive to use, thus minimizing supplier training. For more information, see the Offline Bidding section.

You can grant higher flexibility to your suppliers when submitting RFx responses by enabling them to modify the RFx response at line item level. For more information, see the Bid and RFx Response Modification at Line-Item Level section.

For purchasers, the comparison of bids and RFx responses has been enhanced. For more information, see the Comparison of Bids and RFx Responses section.

The Live Auction Cockpit, the user interface component for live auctions, can be implemented on an ABAP server. This allows you to avoid installing a Java server for this purpose. For more information, see the Live Auction on ABAP Server section.

Note Note

We strongly recommend that you use the Live Auction on ABAP server.

End of the note.

As part of the extended RFx process, you can use functions for collecting tender fees and earnest money deposits (EMD) from the interested bidders. The extended RFx process also allows for two-envelope RFx responses that include technical and price RFx responses. It also provides a simultaneous logon feature, enabling multiple stakeholders to log on to SAP SRM and provide their consent for technical RFx response opening or the price RFx response opening.

For more information, see the corresponding sections below.

Note Note

You can revert this business function. To do so, perform the following steps:

  1. Check whether there are limitations at Customizing switch level. You can find this information in the business function description and in the documentation of the Customizing switch in Customizing for SAP Supplier Relationship Management. If there are no limitations, deactivate the Customizing switch or switches in Customizing for SAP Supplier Relationship Management.

  2. Run transaction Switch Framework Customizing (SFW5), select the business function, and deselect the Revertible checkbox. To do this, you need special authorizations.

  3. Save and activate your changes.

End of the note.

Note Note

If you do not deactivate all the Customizing switches assigned to a business function, a warning is issued.

End of the note.

Prerequisites

You have installed the following components as of the version mentioned:

Type of Component

Component

Is Needed Only for the Following Features

Software Component

SRM_SERVER 701

Features

Offline Bidding

You can use an offline bidding form to allow your suppliers to respond to an RFx without having to log on to the SAP SRM application. When a purchaser publishes an RFx, an SAP Interactive Form by Adobe is sent as an e-mail attachment to all suppliers who are authorized for offline bidding.

This document supports the following:

  • Data entry for fields such as quantity, price, and price unit

  • Possibility to ask and respond to questions

If the suppliers decide to bid offline, they complete and submit the form using e-mail. The purchaser's SAP SRM system receives the e-mail, reads the attachment, and creates the RFx response.

The offline bidding form is a simplified alternative to, but not a general replacement for, the existing online creation of RFx responses. If the RFx and the supplier are enabled for offline bidding, suppliers can choose to submit an RFx response online or use the offline bidding form.

To implement this function, activate the Customizing switch Offline Bidding (SRM_701_OFFLINE_BIDDING) under   SRM Server   RFx   Offline Bidding   Activate/Deactivate Offline Bidding  .

For more information, see:

Note Note

This Customizing switch is compatible with Procurement for Public Sector (PPS) and can be reverted under certain conditions. For more information about reverting the Customizing switch, see the related Customizing documentation.

End of the note.
Bid and RFx Response Modification at Line-Item Level

You can allow your suppliers to modify their bids or RFx responses at line-item level. This provides them with greater flexibility when submitting their bids or RFx responses.

To enhance this function, activate the Customizing switch Adaptable RFx Response Handling (SRM_701_RFX_RESP_FLEXIBILITY) under   SRM Server   RFx   Extended RFx Process   RFx Response   Activate/Deactivate Adaptable RFx Response Handling  .

For more information, see Bid or RFx Response Processing.

Note Note

This Customizing switch is compatible with Procurement for Public Sector (PPS) and can be reverted.

End of the note.
Limits in Bidding Documents

Limit items in procurement documents represent unplanned services, which play an indispensable role in service industries.

To enhance this function, activate the Customizing switch Limit Items in Bidding Documents (SRM_701_LIMITS_IN_BIDDING) under   SRM Server   RFx   Activate/Deactivate Limit Items in Bidding Documents  .

For more information, see RFx.

Note Note

This Customizing switch can be reverted.

End of the note.
Tender Fee Processing

Tender fees are paid by prospective suppliers to access RFx documents and submit an RFx response.

To implement this function, activate the Customizing switch Tender Fee (SRM_701_TENDER_FEE) under   SRM Server   RFx   Extended RFx Process   Tender Fee and Earnest Money Deposit (EMD)   Activate/Deactivate Tender Fee  .

For more information, see Tender Fee Processing.

Note Note

This Customizing switch is compatible with Procurement for Public Sector (PPS) and can be reverted.

End of the note.
Earnest Money Deposit Handling

Earnest money deposits are paid by prospective suppliers as a guarantee of fulfillment of contract.

To implement this function, activate the Customizing switch Earnest Money Deposit (SRM_701_EARNEST_MONEY_DEP) under   SRM Server   RFx   Extended RFx Process   Tender Fee and Earnest Money Deposit (EMD)   Activate/Deactivate Earnest Money Deposit  .

For more information, see Earnest Money Deposit Processing.

Note Note

This Customizing switch is compatible with Procurement for Public Sector (PPS) and can be reverted.

End of the note.
Two-Envelope RFx Response

Two-envelope RFx responses allow suppliers to submit technical RFx response information separately from price information.

To implement this function, activate the Customizing switch Two-Envelope RFx Response (SRM_701_TWO_ENVELOPE) under   SRM Server   RFx   Extended RFx Process   Two-Envelope RFx Response   Activate/Deactivate Two-Envelope RFx Response  .

For more information, see Two-Envelope RFx Response Processing.

Note Note

This Customizing switch is compatible with Procurement for Public Sector (PPS) and can be reverted.

End of the note.
Multi-Party Verification at RFx Response Opening

Multi-party verification uses the simultaneous logon process to allow multiple users to approve RFx response opening by logging on to the system.

To implement this function, activate the Customizing switch Simultaneous Logon at RFx Response Opening (SRM_701_SIMULTANEOUS_LOGON) under   SRM Server   RFx   Extended RFx Process   Simultaneous Logon   Activate/Deactivate Simultaneous Logon at RFx Response Opening  .

For more information, see Simultaneous Logon at RFx Response Opening.

Note Note

This Customizing switch is compatible with Procurement for Public Sector (PPS) and can be reverted.

End of the note.
Live Auction on ABAP Server

Live Auction on ABAP server provides you with an alternative to the Java-server-based live auction component and enables you to use the live auction functionality without installing and configuring the Live Auction Web Presentation Server separately. For business users, working with live auctions on the ABAP server is identical to working on the Java server.

Note Note

We strongly recommend that you use the Live Auction on ABAP server.

End of the note.

For more information, see Live Auction Cockpit.

Note Note

This Customizing switch is compatible with Procurement for Public Sector (PPS) and can be reverted.

End of the note.