System for providing business information

Abstract

An apparatus, method and data structure for communicating business information, including outsourcing information. Contractors provide information regarding their products and services into the system. Outsourcing companies search a database containing contractor information to determine which contractors meet a particular search criteria. Selected contractors receive project information and, optionally, a bid template. Bid information is supplied to the database operator. The operator prepares a table of bid information that is sent to the outsourcing companies for review. Evaluation information relating to contractors and outsourcing companies is obtained from both outsourcing companies and contractors and stored on a database. The evaluation information is provided to outsourcing companies and contractors as part of the bid and project information.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of communicating outsourcing information between an outsourcing company and a plurality of contractors comprising: 
 storing contractor information into a database;    searching the database to identify a first subset of contractors meeting specific criteria;    transmitting outsourcing information to the first subset of contractors from the database;    accepting bid information at the database from a second subset of contractors; and    transmitting processed bid information to the outsourcing company from the database.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first subset of contractors comprises the second subset of contractors.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein transmitting outsourcing information to the first subset of contractors further comprises transmitting a bid template.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein transmitting processed bid information to the outsourcing company further comprises transmitting a bid information report.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein transmitting processed bid information to the outsourcing company further comprises transmitting a bid information table.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein transmitting processed bid information to the outsourcing company further comprises transmitting an address location on the database.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising storing evaluations of users on the database.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the evaluations comprise evaluations of contractors.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the evaluations comprise evaluations of outsourcing companies.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein transmitting outsourcing information to the first subset of contractors further comprises transmitting evaluations of outsourcing companies.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein transmitting processed bid information to the outsourcing company further comprises transmitting evaluations of contractors.  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for communicating outsourcing information between an outsourcing company and a plurality of contractors comprising: 
 a server computer having a storage area;    a plurality of contractor computers, each of said plurality of contractor computers communicating contractor information to said storage area of said server computer; and    an outsourcing computer, said outsourcing computer communicating specific criteria to said server computer;    wherein said server computer identifies and transmits outsourcing information to a first subset of said plurality of contractor computers, accepts bid information from a second subset of said plurality of contractor computers, and transmits processed bid information to said outsourcing computer.    
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said server computer accepts performance evaluations from said contractor computers.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said server computer accepts performance evaluations from said outsourcing computer.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said server computer transmits performance evaluations to said contractor computers.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said server computer transmits performance evaluations to said outsourcing computer.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said server computer transmits a bid template to said first subset of said plurality of contractor computers.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said server computer transmits a location in said storage area containing said bid information to said outsourcing computer.  
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for communicating outsourcing information between an outsourcing company and a plurality of contractors comprising: 
 a database;    means for entering contractor information into said database;    means for searching said database to identify a first subset of said plurality of contractors;    means for transmitting outsourcing information to said first subset of said plurality of contractors;    means for accepting bid information from a second subset of said plurality of contractors; and    means for sending processed bid information to said outsourcing company.    
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  further comprising means for accepting performance evaluations by said database.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19  further comprising means for transmitting performance evaluations from said database.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19  further comprising means for transmitting a storage location on said database containing said bid information to said outsourcing computer.  
     
     
         23 . In a system for communicating outsourcing information between an outsourcing company and a plurality of contractors, a computer-readable memory for storing data for access by an application program comprising: 
 a data structure stored in said computer-readable memory, said data structure including information used by said application program and including: 
 a plurality of contractor information fields;  
 a plurality of criteria fields used to search said plurality of contractor information fields;  
 a plurality of first subset fields for identifying a first subset of said plurality of contractors;  
 a plurality of outsourcing information fields for sending said outsourcing information to said first subset of said plurality of contractors;  
 a plurality of bid fields for accepting bid information from a second subset of said plurality of contractors; and  
 a plurality of bid information table fields for placing bid information for review by said outsourcing company.  
   
     
     
         24 . The data structure of said computer-readable memory of  claim 23  wherein said first subset of contractors comprises said second subset of contractors.  
     
     
         25 . The data structure of said computer-readable memory of  claim 23  wherein said plurality of outsourcing information fields further comprises a bid template.  
     
     
         26 . The data structure of said computer-readable memory of  claim 23  wherein said plurality of bid information table fields further comprises a bid information report.  
     
     
         27 . The data structure of said computer-readable memory of  claim 23  wherein said plurality of bid information table fields further comprises a bid information table.  
     
     
         28 . The data structure of said computer-readable memory of  claim 23  further comprising an address field for sending said outsourcing company an address location of said plurality of bid information table fields.  
     
     
         29 . The data structure of said computer-readable memory of  claim 23  further comprising a plurality of evaluation fields to permit evaluation of said plurality of contractors.  
     
     
         30 . The data structure of said computer-readable memory of  claim 23  further comprising a plurality of evaluation fields to permit evaluation of said outsourcing company.