Improvements can be made for tendering processes to solve B2B interoperability and integration problem by means of Web services technology. In this paper, we detail our tendering process model (TPM) based on Web services with SOAP messages exchange in XML format to improve inefficient manual or semiautomated tendering process. Adopting TPM, seeking ideal tender-supplier couple (TSC) with a business-tobusiness (B2B) application is illustrated as a real example to find best tender for suppliers and best quotation for tenders respectively. The approach discussed in this paper is a novel application in tendering process of logistics industry and is beneficial to stakeholders involved.
Lick Lun Nick Ng, Dickson K. W. Chiu, Patrick C. K