System and method for enabling and maintaining vendor qualification

Abstract

A computer system and method is disclosed for pre-qualifying vendors for buyers and/or industries using vendor criteria information associated with buyers and/or industries and vendor qualification information associated with vendors. Vendors and buyers enter the vendor qualification information and vendor criteria information, respectively, into a database in a hierarchical and relational manner. The computer system compares entered vendor qualification information to stored vendor criteria information to pre-qualify vendors for buyers and/or industries. The computer system further monitors the stored vendor qualification information and requests updated vendor qualification information from the vendors to maintain vendor qualification on a per industry and/or per buyer basis.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for calculating statistical data associated with vendor qualifications, comprising:
 collecting a plurality of qualification data identifying vendor qualification requirements within an industry, each said qualification data including an industry profile and industry-related data;   comparing selected criteria associated with the vendor qualification requirements for said industry with each said industry profile within each said qualification data to determine matching qualification data; and   calculating statistical data related to said industry-related data included within said matching qualification data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said qualification data comprises vendor qualification information associated with a particular vendor, and wherein said step of collecting further comprises:
 entering said vendor qualification information into a vendor record within a database.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said qualification data comprises vendor criteria information associated with a particular buyer for each vendor doing business with the buyer, and wherein said step of collecting further comprises:
 entering said vendor criteria information into a buyer record within a database.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing said statistical data within an industry record within a database.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of calculating is performed periodically. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said selected criteria is pre-configured, said step of calculating being performed automatically. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving said selected criteria at a web server from a user via a user browser.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said step of receiving further comprises:
 pushing one or more web pages at a time from the web server to the user browser, said one or more web pages including criteria selection data for use by the user in entering said selected criteria.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said step of pushing said one or more web pages further comprises the step of:
 using said selected criteria entered in response to said one or more web pages to determine one or more additional web pages to be pushed to the user browser.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said step of pushing further comprises the steps of:
 storing criteria fields containing said criteria selection data within a database; and   populating said one or more web pages with said criteria selection data from said criteria fields.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said step of storing said criteria fields further comprises the step of:
 storing said criteria fields within said database in a hierarchical and relational structure.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said step of collecting further comprises:
 storing said qualification data within said database in a hierarchical and relational structure mirroring select ones of said criteria fields.   
     
     
         13 . A method for providing statistical data associated with vendor qualifications, comprising:
 storing a plurality of industry records within a database, each of said industry records including industry-related vendor criteria information for an industry, each said industry-related vendor criteria information including at least an industry profile identifying the respective industry and industry qualification data identifying vendor qualification requirements within the respective industry;   receiving selected criteria including at least a requested industry profile from a user;   comparing said requested industry profile with each said industry profile within each said industry record to determine a matching one of said industry records; and   providing at least part of said industry qualification data included within said matching industry record to the user.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said step of storing said industry records further comprises:
 collecting a plurality of vendor qualification data identifying vendor qualification requirements within a particular industry;   calculating statistical data related to said vendor qualification data; and   storing said statistical data as at least part of said industry qualification data within a select one of said industry records associated with the particular industry.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said vendor qualification data comprises vendor qualification information associated with a particular vendor, and wherein said step of collecting further comprises:
 entering said vendor qualification information into a vendor record within a database.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said vendor qualification data comprises buyer-defined vendor criteria information associated with a particular buyer for each vendor doing business with the buyer, and wherein said step of collecting further comprises:
 entering said buyer-defined vendor criteria information into a buyer record within a database.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said step of receiving said selected criteria further comprises:
 pushing one or more web pages at a time from a web server to a user browser associated with the user, said one or more web pages including criteria selection data for use by the user in entering said selected criteria.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said step of pushing said one or more web pages further comprises the step of:
 using said selected criteria entered in response to said one or more web pages to determine one or more additional web pages to be pushed to the user browser.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said step of pushing further comprises the steps of:
 storing criteria fields containing said criteria selection data within a database; and   populating said one or more web pages with said criteria selection data from said criteria fields.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said step of storing said criteria fields further comprises the step of:
 storing said criteria fields within said database in a hierarchical and relational structure.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said step of storing said industry records further comprises:
 storing said industry-related vendor criteria information within said database in a hierarchical and relational structure mirroring select ones of said criteria fields.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said step of storing said industry records further comprises:
 receiving said industry-related vendor criteria information at a web server from an administrative user via an administrative user browser.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said step of receiving said industry-related vendor criteria information further comprises:
 pushing one or more web pages at a time from the web server to the administrative user browser, said one or more web pages including industry selection data for use by the user in entering said industry-related vendor criteria information.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said step of pushing said one or more web pages further comprises the step of:
 using said industry-related vendor criteria information entered in response to said one or more web pages to determine one or more additional web pages to be pushed to the administrative user browser.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said step of pushing further comprises the steps of:
 storing industry fields containing said industry selection data within said database; and   populating said one or more web pages with said industry selection data from said industry fields.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said step of storing said industry fields further comprises the step of:
 storing said industry fields within said database in a hierarchical and relational structure.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said step of storing said industry records further comprises:
 storing said industry-related vendor criteria information within said database in a hierarchical and relational structure mirroring select ones of said industry fields.