News & Events

Exciting Aloha eBUYS’ Project Update

January 21, 2025

The State Procurement Office (SPO) is excited to announce significant progress on the Aloha eBUYS Project, which will implement Hawaii’s groundbreaking new e-procurement system! This transformative initiative is reshaping how state agencies manage procurement, delivering efficiency, transparency, and a more user-friendly experience.

 

Here’s what we’ve accomplished together so far:

  • Customization Complete: The system has been tailored and branded for the State of Hawaii.
  • Vendor Registration Underway: Vendors are actively signing up to conduct business electronically through Aloha eBUYS.
  • Converting Contracts: Existing contracts and vendor catalogs have been successfully uploaded, paving the way for seamless purchasing transactions.
  • Hands-On Training: A select group from our pilot organizations—SPO, Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Health (DOH), and Enterprise Technology Services (ETS)—have been trained on system functionality and have tested system configurations.
  • Marketplace Launch: The innovative Marketplace feature is now LIVE for our pilot team, offering a centralized catalog for quick and efficient purchasing.
  • Small Purchases Made Simple: The Bid Solicitation to Contract functionality is rolling out to our pilot team, streamlining the procurement process.

A huge mahalo to our pilot team members from SPO, DOT, DOH, and ETS for their dedication and partnership in bringing this vision to life!

Stay tuned as we continue this exciting journey toward a modernized, efficient, and user-friendly procurement system for the State of Hawaii. Aloha eBUYS is transforming the way we do business!

 

State Procurement Office Launches Aloha eBUYS

January 3, 2024
The State Procurement Office (SPO) kicked off the Aloha eBUYS Project in late 2023, moving Hawai’i one step closer to  its goal of digitizing and streamlining state procurement processes.  In this multi-year phased  project,  the SPO will collaborate with Periscope, a mdf commerce company, to implement the State’s new cloud-based eProcurement solution.  This new solution, Aloha eBUYS, will transform the procurement processes for Executive Branch Departments and empower vendors to do business with the State more efficiently.

Beginning in late 2024, Aloha eBUYS will begin delivering the following:

PHASE I:

SHOP | Providing a Marketplace from which department and state entity buyers can easily browse and purchase from statewide contracts

 

PHASE II:

SOURCE | Streamlining solicitation creation, publication, evaluation and awarding in one easy-to-use platform

CONNECT | Improving insight and automation by connecting vendors and buyers  throughout the procurement process with qualification, performance management and contract negotiation

CONTRACT | Increasing efficiency and transparency with Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) through collaborative contract authoring and performance monitoring

Reminder:  Piggyback Contracts Not Allowed

Periodically, government procurement staff and buyers may receive an email, like the one pictured, inviting agencies to participate in a contract which is available through a cooperative organization such as U.S. Communities.  Unless your jurisdiction complies with HAR Section 3-128 -2, Cooperative Purchasing Subject to Chapter 103D, HRS, these types of “piggyback” contracts are not permitted and shall not be used.

Similar organizations that may contact you include  National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA), National Cooperative Purchasing Alliance (NCPA), and the National IPA to name just a few.  As a reminder, all cooperative agreements are subject to HAR Section 3-128-2.

Current SPO price and vendor list contracts, including cooperative agreements are available on the SPO at https://spo.hawaii.gov/for-vendors/contract-awards/price-vendor-lists/

 

Construction Precluded from Exemption

The SPO wishes to remind all state departments, agencies and jurisdictions that construction is precluded from exemption under Hawaii Revised Statutes 103D-102(b)(4)(L).  For more information, please refer to SPO 15-355.