E-commerce system, method and computer program product

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an on-line registration form;

receiving contracts from customers;

allowing access to the contracts by the suppliers utilizing a network;

receiving bids on the contracts from the suppliers utilizing the network and an online bid form;

automatically informing the customers of the bids;

requiring the suppliers to secure a performance bond relating to the contracts;

receiving payment from the suppliers; and

paying the customers a portion of the payment received from the suppliers.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the payment is based on a percentage of price-related terms and conditions of the contracts.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising paying the customers.

4. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an on-line registration form;

receiving contracts from customers;

allowing access to the contracts by the suppliers utilizing a network;

receiving bids on the contracts from the suppliers utilizing the network and an online bid form;

automatically informing the customers of the bids;

requiring the suppliers to secure a performance bond relating to the contracts; and

receiving payment from the customers.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the payment is based on terms and conditions of the contracts.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the contracts includes a work order for goods or services.

7. A computer-implemented method for procuring business,

comprising:

registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an on-line registration form;

receiving contracts from customers via an on-line form utilizing a network, wherein the contracts are requests for at least one of goods and services, and the network includes the Internet;

allowing access to the contracts by the suppliers utilizing the network;

receiving bids on the contracts from the suppliers utilizing the network and an online bid form;

automatically informing the customers of the bids;

providing a guarantee to the customers regarding at least one supplier with respect to a provision or fulfillment of the bid received therefrom for reducing an associated risk, wherein the guarantee is provided as a function of at least one action by the at least one supplier;

receiving payment from the suppliers; and

paying the customers a portion of the payment received from the suppliers.

8. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an on-line registration form;

receiving goods-related information from customers, the goods-related information being associated with goods;

allowing access to the goods-related information by the suppliers utilizing a network;

receiving offers relating to the goods from the suppliers utilizing the network and an online offer form;

automatically informing the customers of the offers;

providing a guarantee to the customers regarding a qualification of at least one supplier with respect to a provision or fulfillment of the offer received therefrom;

wherein the guarantee is provided as a function of at least one action by the at least one supplier;

receiving payment from the suppliers; and

paying the customers a portion of the payment received from the suppliers.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the goods-related information includes at least one order.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the goods-related information includes at least one contract.

11. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the offers include bids.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the bids are directly related to the goods.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the bids are directly related to an actual cost of the goods.

14. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the guarantee involves a performance bond.

15. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the suppliers are indicated as being bonded.

16. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the action includes securing of a performance bond.

17. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an online registration form;

computer code for receiving goods-related information from customers, the goods-related information being associated with goods;

computer code for allowing access to the goods-related information by the suppliers utilizing a network;

computer code for receiving offers relating to the goods from the suppliers utilizing the network and an online offer form;

computer code for informing the customers of the offers;

computer code for providing at least a partial guarantee to the customers regarding a qualification of at least one supplier with respect to a provision or fulfillment of the offer received therefrom;

computer code for receiving payment from the suppliers; and

computer code for paying the customers a portion of the payment received from the suppliers;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that the at least partial guarantee is provided as a function of the at least one supplier.

18. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an on-line registration form;

receiving goods-related information from customers, the goods-related information associated with goods;

automatically informing the customers of offers from the suppliers for the provision or fulfillment of the goods, the provision or fulfillment of the goods being secured by a performance bond;

receiving payment from the suppliers; and

paying the customers a portion of the payment received from the suppliers;

wherein the customers is at least partially guaranteed that the suppliers are qualified, based, at least in part, on the supplier.

19. A computer-implemented method for procuring business, comprising:

registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an on-line registration form;

receiving contracts from customers via an on-line contract form utilizing a network, wherein the contracts are requests for at least one of goods and services, and the network includes the Internet;

allowing access to the contracts by the suppliers utilizing the network and a secure personalized profile driven network accessible via the Internet, wherein the contracts are represented in a standard form;

receiving bids on the contracts from the suppliers utilizing the network and an online bid form;

automatically informing the customers of the bids;

providing a guarantee to the customers regarding at least one supplier with respect to a provision or fulfillment of the bid received therefrom, wherein the guarantee is provided as a function of at least one action by the at least one supplier;

receiving payment from the suppliers; and

paying the customers a portion of the payment received from the suppliers.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 , further comprising performing a qualification process for determining the integrity of the plurality of suppliers.

21. The method as recited in claim 19 , further comprising limiting the bids based on at least one of a financial disincentive approach and a behavior modeling algorithm.

22. The method as recited in claim 19 , further comprising requiring the suppliers to secure a performance bond relating to the contracts for reducing the risk of the suppliers failing to fulfill the contracts.

23. A computer-implemented method for procuring business, comprising:

registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an on-line registration form;

receiving contracts from customers via an on-line contract form utilizing a network, wherein the contracts are requests for at least one of goods and services, and the network includes the Internet;

allowing access to the contracts by the suppliers utilizing the network and a secure personalized profile driven network accessible via the Internet, wherein the contracts are represented in a standard form;

receiving bids on the contracts from the suppliers utilizing the network and an online bid form;

validating the bids to ensure data values entered are credible;

if a bid is determined to be invalid, returning an error message to the supplier that made the bid, where the error message itemizes at least one error found in the bid;

automatically informing the customers of the bids;

receiving payment from the customer;

sending the payment to the supplier; and

providing a guarantee to the customers regarding at least one supplier with respect to a provision or fulfillment of the bid received therefrom, wherein the guarantee is provided as a function of at least one action by the at least one supplier.

24. The method as recited in claim 23 , further comprising performing a qualification process for determining the integrity of the plurality of suppliers.

25. The method as recited in claim 23 , further comprising limiting the bids based on at least one of a financial disincentive approach and a behavior modeling algorithm.

26. The method as recited in claim 23 , further comprising requiring the suppliers to secure a performance bond relating to the contracts for reducing the risk of the suppliers failing to fulfill the contracts.