Compare SpendLogic to Other Procurement Automation Solutions

Contractors large and small, desiring to do business with the U.S. Government, are required to have their business systems in order. DFARS 252.242-7005 sets forth the contractor business systems that are of concern. Of particular concern is the Contractor Purchasing System, since it’s this system that ensures that the government’s funds are spent properly.

Until recently, very little in the way of innovation has been focused on contractor purchasing systems and compliance with DFARS requirements. This is in spite of the fact that the DCMA’s Contractor Purchasing System Review (CPSR) is time intensive and consumes significant resources to prepare for. SpendLogic recognizes this and has built tools that automate contractors’ daily documentation so that they pass CPSRs with very little, if any, preparation.

When contractors discover the capabilities of SpendLogic, the typical response is “I wish we had discovered this sooner!”

SpendLogic truly stands in a class of its own. There are reputable companies who may provide a portion of what SpendLogic offers, none offer the comprehensive solution that we do. SpendLogic’s automation of written reports and analyses, simplification of documentation requirements, and streamlining of management and compliance reviews are just a few factors to consider when determining which solution is best for your organization.

CompAnalyst® by Salary.com®, Procurelinx™ Pro, CPSR ProDocs, and ivalua Procure-To-Pay are market offerings that our clients often use as a point of comparison. Below, we distill the pros and cons of each to help with your due diligence.

How to Compare Solutions

First, when contemplating a software solution for your procurement department, keep your goals in mind. Several factors to consider:

- Are you judging various options based on the amount of time employees currently spend performing their duties? There will be a learning curve with any new technology, but the time and cost savings should be readily evident to you.
- When you ask for a demo, can the company demonstrate each and every capability it claims its solution provides? If not, does it have a demonstrated track record of putting promised capabilities into practice?
- Is the company you’re looking at focused primarily on government contracting, or is this a commercial solution that has been retro-fitted for this specialized industry? There are endless nuances in federal contracting that a typical commercial provider may not have insight into.
- Is the solution adaptable enough to meet your company’s current and future needs? Can it be easily integrated with existing systems?

Keeping these in mind, here are three companies that SpendLogic clients sometimes use as points of comparison:

CompAnalyst®

CompAnalyst® by Salary.com is a compensation management solution designed for Human Resource professionals. Since the DCMA prohibits contractors from using GSA data for price analysis (a common CPSR finding,) those who primarily analyze service procurements will sometimes consider CompAnalyst®.

Pros: Provides users with comprehensive information on compensation, benefits, and job market data. Good tool for Human Resource departments and project planning.

Cons: Output is focused on HR duties and is overkill for Procurement. It provides compensation data but procurement will still need to create documentation, including a price analysis report. Because of this, it provides no productivity benefit to procurement users.

ProcureLinx™ Pro

ProcureLinx™ Pro is a “CPSR Procurement Audit Tool” according to their website. This system allows Compliance focals to generate real-time metrics and conduct a mock-CPSR of internal company procurement files.

Pros: Developed based on ProcureLinx’s real-world experience in CPSRs

Cons: This tool is focused on compliance and management review efforts, rather than the needs of the buyers/subcontract administrators. It does not automate or simplify procurement documentation. It cannot be integrated with ERP systems. Note: As of February 2023, it does not appear that the company’s website for this product is continuing to be updated.

CPSR ProDocs

CPSR ProDocs is a Microsoft Office-based CPSR document management software system designed to facilitate the creation of procurement documentation.

Pros: Developed on the basis of J.A. White’s actual CPSR experience.

Cons: Sharepoint-based – most of the industry is moving to more robust database solutions, which are more scalable require less support. “Standard” version generates a list of templates which must then be filled out separately, which is a negligible improvement over downloading each individually. “Enterprise” cannot be demonstrated and requires extensive customization for every client.

iVALUA Procure-To-Pay

iVALUA Procure-To-Pay is a procurement system focusing on streamlining procurement by automating manual processes such as requisition, planning, purchase order placement, invoicing, and payments.

Pros: Replaces and updates old supply chain systems by automating processes and improving visibility into supply chain activities. Helps to integrate vendor-supplier communications.

Cons: IVALUA is not a procurement documentation system and is not focused on the same objectives as SpendLogic. SpendLogic’s objective is cradle-to-grave document automation and CPSR compliance, while iValua’s focus is automating the “order in, order out” aspect of a purchase. SpendLogic and iVALUA are complementary technologies, not competitors. Accordingly, iVALUA has not been included in the comparison chart below.

*This capability is noted in marketing materials, but could not be demonstrated as of February 2023

SpendLogic will automate and improve your company’s purchasing system documentation in a way that cannot be matched by any other solution in the industry. It integrates seamlessly with your ERP and makes use of the documentation templates you’ve already developed (or, if you prefer, you can use ours).

We stand behind every one of these claims and can prove it. Schedule a quick 15-minute demo and we’ll prove it to you.

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