Sourcing: Creating Opportunity Postings

Opportunity Postings enable your organization to communicate current sourcing needs or requirements to suppliers. Suppliers can review these postings and respond if their products or services align with your needs. You may choose to make postings visible to all suppliers within the SupplierGateway network or narrow the audience by applying the available targeting options.

To Post an Opportunity - Navigate to the Sourcing module and select Post Opportunity > Create New Posting

Once a posting is published, it will appear in the Opportunity Posting console, where you can view, edit, and manage it using the available action icons. While the posting is active, you can monitor which suppliers have responded and evaluate whether they meet your organization’s requirements. After the posting is closed, suppliers will no longer be able to view or respond, and your team can review the submissions and engage with selected suppliers as needed.

Best Practices

Provide a Clear and Specific Title

Use a concise, descriptive title that clearly communicates what your organization is sourcing.

Example: Request for Proposal: Clinical Cleaning Services for a Multi-Site Healthcare System

Include a Detailed Description

Clearly describe the products or services being requested, including the scope of work, applicable categories, and any relevant background information.

Providing detailed information helps suppliers determine whether they are qualified to respond.

Define Requirements and Qualifications

Identify any mandatory qualifications at the beginning of the posting, such as:

• Required certifications
• Compliance requirements
• Industry experience
• Required documentation

Clearly defined requirements help reduce unqualified responses.

Specify Important Dates

Include all relevant timelines, including:

• Response submission deadline
• Evaluation period
• Expected award date

Providing clear dates helps suppliers plan their responses accordingly.

Attach Supporting Documents

When appropriate, include supporting materials such as:

• Statements of Work
• Specifications
• Pricing templates
• Drawings or diagrams
• Additional reference documents

Supporting documentation helps suppliers prepare more accurate responses.

Target the Appropriate Supplier Audience

Use available supplier filtering options to reach suppliers most likely to meet your requirements.

Targeted postings typically produce higher-quality responses.

Use Clear and Professional Language

Avoid internal terminology or technical jargon whenever possible. Write postings using language that suppliers across industries can easily understand.

Communicate Evaluation Criteria

When appropriate, explain how supplier responses will be evaluated, such as:

• Price
• Experience
• Technical capability
• Capacity
• Certifications

Providing evaluation criteria helps suppliers focus their responses on your priorities.

Keep Opportunity Postings Current

Update the posting whenever requirements, scope, or timelines change to ensure suppliers always have accurate information.

Close Opportunities Promptly

Close the opportunity once it is no longer accepting responses to prevent unnecessary submissions and reduce supplier confusion.

Follow Up with Responding Suppliers

After evaluating responses, communicate next steps with suppliers who meet your requirements. Timely follow-up helps maintain positive supplier relationships and improves the sourcing experience.

The short video below provides an overview of how to create an Opportunity Posting. Please note that the user interface shown is from an older version of the platform, but the functionality remains the same.