Main/e-Commerce
NIGP PRESS RELEASE - February 8, 2001
NIGP Survey Concludes that Two-Thirds Are Already Engaged in Activities
A recent survey conducted by the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) concluded that two-thirds of the respondents are already engaged in some form of e-Commerce for their governmental jurisdictions. And of those respondents who are not currently engaged, five out of every six respondents are considering implementing some form of e-Commerce in the future.
The highest e-Commerce activities currently conducted by governmental entities include ordering goods and services electronically via electroniccatalogs (80%), posting solicitations electronically (79%), and soliciting informal bids electronically (70%). Entities that are considering e-Commerce in the future are attracted to similar electronic features.
Respondents also indicated that the strongest reasons for engaging e-Commerce activities were to achieve time savings (85%) and cost savings (75%). Finally, the survey also focused on systems integration and electronic signatures.
A full copy of the survey results can be found in the "Members Only Section" of the NIGP website under the subject of Research Surveys.
Thirty-seven percent (37%) of those public procurement officials invited to participate in the survey responded - ensuring high validity of theresults. (A survey using scientific random sampling needs to receive a minimum response rate of 15% in order to be considered valid). It should be noted however, that the survey was distributed to members with email addresses and who therefore, are already comfortable with using technology on the job.
The NIGP e-Commerce survey is the first in a series of web-enabled surveys that will be issued by the Institute in 2001. On odd-numbered months, theInstitute will issue research-based statistical surveys that benchmark public procurement practices and demographics. On even-numbered months, the Institute will issue member-based surveys that glean customer feedback on NIGP products and services. All of these web-enabled monthly surveys will involve a random sampling of 1,000 NIGP national members - and survey results will be posted in the Members-Only section of the web. Members who receive these surveys via their email address are encouraged to participate in these focused surveys in order to achieve reliability.