July 2025, Release Notes

MESH Works

Procurement (SRM)

Reverse Auction- New Feature added for Buyers

We’re excited to introduce the Reverse Auction feature for Buyers, designed to enhance strategic sourcing by enabling real-time competitive bidding among suppliers.

What is Reverse Auction?

A reverse auction allows buyers to invite multiple suppliers to bid against each other in real-time, driving the price downward. Unlike traditional RFQs, the lowest bid wins—or ranks highest—based on pre-configured criteria.

Reverse Auction — Features & Benefits for Buyers

Key Features:

  • Real-Time Competitive Bidding
    Invite multiple suppliers to bid live, driving competitive pricing in real-time.

  • Set Target Pricing and Rules
    Define target price, auction duration, and visibility settings (e.g., lowest bid, rank only).

  • Supplier Notifications & Reminders
    Automated email or in-app alerts to keep suppliers informed and engaged during the auction.

  • Live Dashboard
    Monitor all supplier bids, time left, and rank in a real-time dashboard.

  • Auto-Ranking
    System automatically ranks supplier bids based on price.

  • Audit Trail & Bid History
    Complete visibility into all bid submissions and updates during the auction.

  • Post-Auction Analysis
    Export results and analyze supplier competitiveness and pricing trends.

Benefits for Buyers:

  • Cost Savings
    Drive down prices through competitive supplier participation.

  • Improved Supplier Engagement
    Create urgency and competition that encourages faster and more responsive supplier behavior.

  • Time Efficiency
    Complete negotiations in minutes or hours instead of days or weeks.

  • Transparent Sourcing Process
    Ensures fairness and clarity by giving all suppliers equal opportunity to bid.

  • Better Decision-Making
    Real-time data and analytics help you choose the best supplier not just by price but by responsiveness and engagement.

  • Standardized Negotiation Format
    Structured bidding reduces back-and-forth email negotiations and manual quote comparisons.

How to Use Reverse Auction – Guide for Buyers

Step 1: Create a Reverse Auction

  1. Go to the Procurement module >> Reverse Auction in your dashboard.

  2. Fill in required details like:

    • Part(s) to be quoted

    • Estimated Annual Usage (EAU)

    • Target price

    • Auction timeline

  3. Select “Suppliers” to participate in Auction.

Step 2: Configure Auction Settings

Once Reverse Auction is enabled, configure the auction parameters:

  • Annual Estimated Usage – Initial usage annually.

  • Target Price – What you’re aiming to achieve

  • Auction Duration – Set time limit (e.g. 30 mins, 1 hour)

  • Auto Bid Visibility – Show lowest bid & Show Bid ranking

Step 3: Invite Suppliers

  • Select from your existing supplier list or add new ones.

  • Send invitations — the system will notify suppliers automatically with auction details and access instructions.

Step 4: Monitor the Auction in Real-Time

  • Use the Live Auction Dashboard to track:

    • Number of bids

    • Supplier rankings

    • Time remaining

    • Bid values

Step 5: Review & Finalize

  • Once the auction ends, review:

    • Final bids and rankings

    • Supplier participation

    • Bid history and timing

  • Export results if needed.

  • Select the winning supplier or shortlist for further evaluation.

Invited Auction – Supplier Features & Benefits

With the new Reverse Auction feature, buyers can now invite their suppliers to participate in real-time competitive bidding. This feature introduces a more dynamic and transparent quoting process for both parties.

What’s New for Suppliers?

  • Suppliers can now view all Invited Auctions from their valued customers under a dedicated “Invited Auctions” section in the platform (For Suppliers).

  • This central location helps suppliers quickly identify open auction opportunities and respond within the set timelines.

  • Real-time bidding allows suppliers to compete more strategically and increase their chances of winning business.

Key Benefits for Suppliers:

  • Better Visibility
    Easily track all auctions you’ve been invited to—no more scattered communication.

  • Efficient Bidding
    Submit and update bids instantly through a streamlined interface.

  • Stronger Buyer Relationships
    Timely participation and competitive pricing can help you stand out to key buyers.

  • Direct Invitations from Buyers
    Suppliers receive direct auction invitations from buyers via email or the platform, including auction details and timelines.

  • Secure Auction Access
    Suppliers can log in to a secure portal to view and participate in auctions relevant to them.

  • Real-Time Bidding Interface
    Submit and update bids in a real-time interface with immediate feedback (based on bid rankings ).

  • Bid Visibility Options:

    • View lowest bid

    • View own rank

  • Time Notifications & Auto-Extend Awareness
    Countdown timers and auto-extend functionality help suppliers stay engaged and act quickly.

  • Audit Trail of Bids
    Suppliers can view their own bid history for reference and compliance.

  • User Friendly – Mobile App
    Suppliers can participate from any device, ensuring accessibility even when on the move.

Benefits for Suppliers:

  • Fair and Transparent Bidding Process
    Equal opportunity to compete based on pricing and terms.

  • Increased Business Opportunities
    Ability to win new contracts and build relationships with buyers through competitive pricing.

  • Real-Time Feedback
    Instant visibility into how competitive their bid is, helping refine strategy on the spot.

  • Faster Deal Closures
    Avoid long negotiation cycles — auctions are time-bound and decisions are made quickly.

  • Historical Bid Insight
    Ability to learn from previous auctions and optimize future bids.

  • Build Buyer Trust
    Professional and timely participation can help strengthen supplier credibility and visibility with buyers.

How to Use Invited Auction – Guide for Suppliers

The Invited Auction feature allows suppliers to participate in real-time competitive bidding when invited by buyers. Follow these steps to get started:

Step 1: Access Your Invitation

  • You will receive an email notification or in-platform alert when a buyer invites you to a reverse auction.

  • Go to the “Invited Auctions” section in “For Suppliers” Module to view all Active, Upcoming and Completed auctions.

Step 2: Review Auction Details

  • Click on the auction to view:

  • Part details, Quantity, Target price and special requirements with documents

  • Auction start and end time

Step 3: Participate in the Auction

  • At the scheduled time, click “Auction Tab” from the auction details page.

  • Use the real-time bidding interface to submit your initial bid.

  • Update your bid as needed, keeping an eye on:

    • Your current rank

    • Remaining time

Step 4: Submit Final Bid

  • You can continue bidding until the auction timer ends.

  • Some auctions may have auto-extension if bids are placed in the last five minutes.

Step 5: Post-Auction Follow-Up

  • Once the auction ends, the buyer will review all bids and follow up with the selected supplier.

  • Suppliers will be notified with the Summarized Auction report with your Rank on each part and Lowest Bid Price for each part.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q 1. What is the new Reverse Auction feature introduced in July 2025?

Ans. The Reverse Auction feature lets buyers invite multiple suppliers to compete in real time by lowering their prices. The system ranks bids automatically, offers a live dashboard, and creates a clear, data-driven sourcing process.

Q 2. How does the Reverse Auction help buyers save time and reduce sourcing costs?

Ans. Buyers can complete negotiations within minutes instead of days. Real-time bidding drives competitive pricing, improves supplier responsiveness, and eliminates manual quote comparisons, resulting in faster decisions and lower procurement costs.

Q 3. What tools do suppliers get when participating in an invited Reverse Auction?

Ans. Suppliers can see all active and upcoming auctions in one dashboard. They receive real-time feedback on bid rankings, submit updated bids immediately, and track their entire bid history. This helps them compete effectively and increase their win rates.

Q 4. How do buyers set up and configure a Reverse Auction in MESH?

Ans. Buyers can specify part details, target pricing, auction duration, auto-extend rules, and visibility settings like showing only the lowest bid or rank. After this setup, they invite suppliers and watch real-time bidding on a live dashboard.

Q 5. Can suppliers participate in Reverse Auctions from the mobile app?

Ans. Yes. Suppliers can view live auction activity, see ranking updates, monitor bid movements, and access all invited auctions directly from the MESH Mobile App. Note that bid submission is only available on the web; mobile access is for viewing only.

Q 6. How does the Reverse Auction ranking system work?

Ans. MESH ranks supplier bids based on price automatically. Buyers can select settings like showing the lowest bid or using rank-only mode. This ensures fairness while keeping confidentiality and competitive bidding.

Q 7. What happens after a Reverse Auction ends?

Ans. Once the auction closes, buyers can review final bids, look at participation trends, export results, and create a shortlist or award suppliers. Suppliers also get a summary report that shows their rank and the lowest bid for each part.

Release Notes
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