RFQ (Request for Quotation) tender selection Tool  – Ewals Cargo Care

 Overview

Company Description

Ewals Cargo Care is a fourth-generation family business. With 2400 employees in 17 countries, we are one of the European market leaders in the future-oriented logistics sector. Flat hierarchies, direct contacts, mutual support and a unique family culture characterize our way of working. 

Ewals Logistics Control (ELC) is separate entity within Ewals Cargo Care, responsible for Control Tower solutions in the form of 4PL/3PL/3PL+. ELC executes, optimizes and performs continuous improvement projects in the area of transportation for customers in different industries on a European-wide scale. 

ELC is responsible for Control Tower solutions and also managing the (group) RFQ (Request For Quotation) & Solutions Desk, which handles all multi-country RFQ’s for the whole Ewals Group. 

Check below website (incl. 3 short movies) to get more insights:

https://www.ewals.com/products/controltowers/

Project Description

The (group) RFQ & Solution Desk processes over 1000 RFQ’s per year. Our 4 colleagues do this together with all our offices (approx. 25 people). On less than 30% of these processed RFQ’s we actually win something (Tender Hit Rate), and less than 10% if we look at offered revenue (Revenue Hit Rate) . This means there is big waste of resources and time (between 70-90%) in this process.

Therefore there is a need for a (Artificial Intelligence) tool that can support to get an improved tender selection process and thus increase the hit rate. 

• A tool is needed that can help us (based on data) to assess if it makes sense to participate in an RFQ’s.

• To develop a tool, an assessment should be made which data parameters are of importance (these should still be identified):
  • Customer
  • Industry
  • Importance of customer for the Ewals Network
  • Product Portfolio
  • Etc.

Goals of the Project

Goal is to develop a system in what RFQ’s ELC should participate and create an offer. This system should increase the potential of winning business, which is positively correlated with a higher hit rate-rate (both tender, and turnover wise).

Deliverables

• Insight in which parameters have an effect on Ewals’ hit (win) rates.
• Determine if we measure the right parameters (and in the right ‘way’).
• First outline of an ‘automated’ tool to support the RFQ selection process.

Determine if a tool should be based on AI (Artificial Intelligence) or not.

Essential Student Knowledge

• Business administration
• Programming skills
• Financial and commercial knowledge
• Analytical skill
• Teamwork

 More information: escf@tue.nl