Redesigning Contracted Service Procurement for Internet-Based Electronic Commerce: A Case Study

This paper describes a case study focused on redesigning procurement processes for research grants management at the U.S. Office of Naval Research. These processes focus on the procurement of R&D services, and how they can be redesigned and supported using Web-based capabilities. Through the application of empirical results and theoretical concepts from business process reengineering, electronic commerce, and IT-based process management, we gain insight into issues and challenges to be addressed in redesigning the procurement of contracted services with Web-based EC capabilities. Accordingly, four research questions are identified and addressed which build from these results and concepts. Finally, in collaboration with other participants in this effort, the case study reveals that we could contribute to a substantial reduction in process cycle time and operational costs associated with the annual funding of thousands of research grant procurement actions at ONR.