FreeMarkets, AMS focus on public sector

FreeMarkets Inc., an online auction marketplace, announced Thursday that

it has joined forces with American Management Systems Inc., to create a

public-sector procurement venture.

AMS, based in Fairfax, Va., provides financial and procurement solutions

to more than 300 state and local governments. Those relationships, combined

with Pittsburgh-based FreeMarkets' online auction capabilities, will allow

public sector procurement officials to make "market-based buying decisions"

on commodities and services, said Dave McCormick, vice president for public-sector

businesses at FreeMarkets.

"Together, we will help transform government procurement by bringing the

efficiency, transparency and savings of FreeMarkets online auction marketplace

to purchasing professionals in federal, state and municipal governments,"

McCormick said in a release.

FreeMarkets has been conducting online auctions for the city of Pittsburgh

for more than a year. The AMS partnership will help the company expand its

public-sector presence.

Under the agreement, AMS will integrate the FreeMarkets online auction capability

into its existing eProcurement solutions for government clients. The two

companies will jointly market and sell the product.