Procurement
Procurement is the process of acquiring goods or services. It includes the purchase of materials, equipment, and services. The procurement process begins with the identification of a need and ends with the receipt of the goods or services.
There are three types of procurement: direct, indirect, and construction. Direct procurement is the purchase of goods or services from a supplier. Indirect procurement is the purchase of goods or services from a middleman. Construction procurement is the purchase of construction services from a contractor.
The procurement process consists of several steps:
1) identifying a need;
2) finding potential suppliers;
3) negotiating prices and terms;
4) selecting a supplier; and
5) ordering and receiving goods or services.