GSA Approves AMS-Ariba E-Commerce Solution

By Jennifer Freer, Staff Writer

MAY 24 - American Management Systems Inc. and Ariba Inc., a business-to-business e-commerce platform provider, announced May 24 that their combined government-to-business e-commerce solution has been approved by the General Services Administration and will be included on AMS' Financial Management Systems Solutions Schedule Contract.


The AMS-Ariba solution allows federal purchasers to obtain detailed product information online, create purchase requests, route requests through predefined approval cycles, place orders, reconcile credit card purchases, and make electronic payments. Automating the process enables federal agencies to save time and money, consolidate purchasing power and specify purchase vehicles, such as pre-negotiated contracts, company officials said.


"With GSA's approval of the AMS-Ariba solution, the availability of an industry-standard commerce platform in the government to business space can change the way government works," said Ray Bjorklund, a senior consultant at market research firm Federal Sources Inc., McLean, Va.


For AMS, an international business and information technology consulting firm in Fairfax, Va., the GSA approval will aid its strategy in providing e-commerce solutions to the government. GSA's action also will allow Mountain View, Calif.-based Ariba to move into the public sector market through its government-to-business e-commerce solutions.


The e-commerce solution represents a combined effort of Ariba's Buyer Application, part of its B2B commerce platform that is being integrated into the next maintenance upgrade of AMS' financial management solutions, called Momentum and FFS.