Supply chain/workflow services in a contract manufacturing framework

1. In a contract manufacturing framework, a method of providing access to services comprising:

providing a database including a request for proposal (“RFP”) mechanism, a nondisclosure agreement mechanism, a plurality of service provider data structures and a plurality of manufacturer data structures, wherein each service provider data structure includes a description of service provided by a particular service provider, and wherein each manufacturer data structure includes a description of offerings of a particular manufacturer;

identifying a particular data structure based on a request for proposal from a user utilizing the request for proposal mechanism, wherein the user is a service provider or a manufacturer;

receiving nondisclosure agreement data from the user wherein the nondisclosure agreement data is based on a nondisclosure agreement initiated with the nondisclosure agreement mechanism that is independently accessible by both the user and a third party using the contract manufacturing framework to initiate the nondisclosure agreement;

storing the nondisclosure agreement data in the database with the nondisclosure agreement mechanism for later retrieval of the nondisclosure agreement data; and

affording network-based project management services to the user based on the request for proposal and the identified data structure, wherein affording project management services includes managing assets in a network-based supply chain, including optimizing use of service provider assets and manufacturer assets and providing maintenance and service of service provider assets and manufacturer assets.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , further including the step of tracking a status of manufacturing processes performed by the identified service provider.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 , further including the step of allowing the user to inquiry service engineers.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 , further including the step of allowing the user to inquiry service chemists.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the database is accessed utilizing the Internet.

6. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for providing supply chain/workflow services in a contract manufacturing framework comprising:

a code segment for providing a database including a request for proposal (“RFP”) mechanism and a plurality of service provider data structures and a plurality of manufacturer data structures, wherein each service provider data structure includes a description of service provided by a particular service provider, and wherein each manufacturer data structure includes a description of offerings of a particular manufacturer;

a code segment for identifying a particular data structure based on a request for proposal from a user utilizing the request for proposal mechanism, wherein the user is a service provider or a manufacturer;

a code segment for receiving nondisclosure agreement data from the user wherein the nondisclosure agreement data is based on a nondisclosure agreement initiated with the nondisclosure agreement mechanism that is independently accessible by both the user and a third party using the contract manufacturing framework to initiate the nondisclosure agreement;

a code segment for storing the nondisclosure agreement data in the database with the nondisclosure agreement mechanism for later retrieval of the nondisclosure agreement data; and

a code segment for affording network-based project management services to the user based on the request for proposal and the identified data structure, wherein affording project management services includes managing assets in a network-based supply chain, including optimizing use of service provider assets and manufacturer assets and providing maintenance and service of service provider assets and manufacturer assets.

7. In a contract manufacturing framework, a method of providing access to services comprising:

logic for providing a database including a request for proposal (“RFP”) mechanism and a plurality of service provider data structures and a plurality of manufacturer data structures, wherein each service provider data structure includes a description of service provided by a particular service provider, and wherein each manufacturer data structure includes a description of offerings of a particular manufacturer;

logic for identifying a particular data structure based on a request for proposal from a user utilizing the request for proposal mechanism, wherein the user is a service provider or a manufacturer;

logic for receiving nondisclosure agreement data from the user wherein the nondisclosure agreement data is based on a nondisclosure agreement initiated with the nondisclosure agreement mechanism that is independently accessible by both the user and a third party using the contract manufacturing framework to initiate the nondisclosure agreement;

logic for storing the nondisclosure agreement data in the database with the nondisclosure agreement mechanism for later retrieval of the nondisclosure agreement data; and

logic for affording network-based project management services to the user based on the request for proposal and the identified data structure, wherein affording project management services includes managing assets in a network-based supply chain, including optimizing use of service provider assets and manufacturer assets and providing maintenance and service of service provider assets and manufacturer assets.