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Rosslyn Analytics Offers Up A FREE SaaS Spend Analysis Solution…

Posted by Patrick Connaughton on November 3, 2009

  • 235 Recommendations

Rosslyn announced today the launch of its free SaaS automated spend analysis tool, RA.Pid. This effort to bring spend analysis to the masses enabled by a SaaS deployment model is long overdue. Traditionally we see spend analysis solutions deployed as license based solutions installed locally on site. In today’s economy, companies are looking for alternatives to that model and Rosslyn really hits the mark with this offering. What was previously reserved for the most advanced procurement and sourcing teams is now being packaged into a simpler to use and setup solution -- enabling less advanced companies to get their feet wet. Click here to see the press release.

We followed up with some key questions you are likely asking about this free solution. Here are the highlights:

Forrester: How long can the user stay active without a fee? What other terms and conditions should we know about?
Rosslyn Analytics: Organizations can use RA.Pid for free as long as they want.  The only caveat is that one person per company is permitted to use RA.Pid for free. Subsequent corporate licenses cost $150 per person, per month. 

Forrester: Are there any limitations on the volume of data? Number of uploads? Interfaces? 
Rosslyn Analytics: The data limit is 100 MB. This means a user could upload as many completed data templates (as many times as they want) up to this limit. 

Forrester: Who owns the data? For example, does Rosslyn own it and could you in turn use it for benchmarking with other clients?

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Customs’ 10+2 Regulations Are Coming Soon — How Can Importers Prepare?

Posted by Patrick Connaughton on June 23, 2008

  • 201 Recommendations

The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published the Importer Security Filing and Additional Carrier Requirements documents in January, a notice of proposed rulemaking better know to the industry as ‘10+2’. Since then, CBP has continued to refine the ruling and gather feedback from the trading community. And the writing is on the wall, this rule will very likely be put into motion later this year. So what does this mean to importers?

 

In a nutshell, 10+2 is the pending regulation that will require filing for US bound ocean shipments to be electronically sent 24 hours prior to the vessel loading at its origin. This is intended to help allow enough time for Custom’s Automated Targeting System to flag high risk containers for inspection and security screening. The proposed penalty for failure to file the importer security filing is 100% of the value of the imported merchandise.

 

There are 10 categories of data the CBP wants from the importers and two sets of data from the carriers. The rule is controversial because it will mean most companies will need to adjust and update their processes and systems to handle this. Importers are worried because they are not 100% sure where the data is going to come from. In some cases, its not that the data is not available, it’s that it is intentionally hidden. For example, a reseller may not include the original manufactures’ details because what’s stopping buyers from now going directly to the source? The other wrinkle in this regulation is making importers directly accountable where most of these supply chain processes are typically handled by their carrier, customs brokers and other 3rd parties.

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CHEP Brambles Acquires LeanLogistics

Posted by Patrick Connaughton on March 5, 2008

  • 262 Recommendations

CHEP Brambles, best known for their pallet and containers services, announced on March 3rd that it has agreed to acquire LeanLogistics for $45 million cash.

LeanLogistics is a transportation management solution (TMS) provider who competes directly with Sterling Commerce as well as other smaller hosted TMS players like MercuryGate and Transplace. (See the January 29, 2008 "The Forrester Wave: Transportation Management Solutions, Q1 2008" report for more information)

This acquisition does raise a few questions. First and foremost, why would a pallet provider buy a TMS vendor? Certainly, there is an opportunity to leverage the software within their own operations, but does CHEP really want to be in the software business?

To learn more, we spoke with Pete Stiles, VP of Marketing and Strategy, and Dan Dershem, President and CEO of LeanLogistics.

Forrester: Can you give us some insight into why CHEP made this acquisition?

LeanLogistics: Because of the way CHEP charges for and tracks pallets they have quite a bit of information on the movement of goods, but they were lacking two things to really leverage that data: 1) an enabling technology platform, and 2) domain expertise to deliver a service offering around it. They look at LeanLogistics as an enabler to both.

Forrester: Leverage the data how?

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Wal-Mart Commits to a Greener Supply Chain

Posted by Patrick Connaughton on April 5, 2007

On February 1st, 2007, Wal-Mart CEO, Lee Scott unveiled “Sustainability 360” – a series of projects lined up to promote environmental stewardship across their suppliers, customers and associates — http://www.walmartfacts.com/articles/4784.aspx


Last month, riding the momentum of that announcement, Wal-Mart released its plans to migrate from its current Peterbilt 386 big rigs to hybrid versions of the same model by 2009. The goal: to begin reducing the emissions of their fleet (notably, the second largest in the US) and increase fuel efficiency by as much as 25% — http://www.peterbilt.com/index_new_mor.asp?file=2093&archivedate

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