As you look to 2025, now may be a good time for shippers to conduct an RFP (Request for Proposal) for their transportation needs, especially as the market has stabilized compared to the disruptions of the past few years. Here are a few reasons why it might be advantageous:
Market Stability: The transportation market has become more stable, which can lead to more predictable freight rates and better carrier performance.
Capacity Availability: January is traditionally a slow month for freight, making it a good time to send out bids as capacity tends to be more available.
Strategic Planning: Conducting an RFP allows shippers to align their transportation strategies with their business goals for the upcoming year.
Are you considering conducting an RFP soon? If so, what specific goals are you hoping to achieve?
Conducting a transportation and logistics RFP involves several steps to ensure you find the best partners and rates for your needs. Here’s a general guide to help you through the process:
Define Your Objectives: Determine what you want to achieve with the RFP (e.g., cost reduction, improved service levels, increased capacity).
Gather Data: Collect data on your current transportation needs, including commodity or product information, shipment volumes, lanes, service requirements, and historical costs. Additional data points like freight dimensions, freight classification, and accessorial service needs might also be helpful and will lead to greater rate accuracy.
Develop the RFP Document: Include detailed information about your company, your transportation needs, and the criteria for selecting partners. Specify the format and deadline for responses.
Identify Potential Partners: Research and list potential logistics partners that meet your requirements. Consider factors such as service capabilities, reputation, flexibility, technology, and financial stability.
Distribute the RFP: Send the RFP to the selected companies and provide a clear timeline for responses.
Evaluate Responses: Review the proposals based on your criteria, such as cost, service levels, and capabilities. Use a scoring system to compare the responses objectively. In many cases, it may make sense to interview finalists to ensure there is a good “culture fit” between your organization and the potential partner’s organization.
Negotiate Terms: Engage in negotiations with your top candidates to refine terms and conditions. Focus on achieving a balance between cost and service quality.
Select Your Partner(s): Choose the partners that best meet your needs based on the evaluation and negotiation process.
Implement and Monitor: Finalize contracts and implement the new transportation or logistics arrangements. Continuously monitor performance and maintain open communication to ensure service levels are met.
Review and Adjust: Periodically review the performance of your partner(s) and make adjustments as needed to optimize your transportation strategy.
Are you ready to conduct an RFP? Logistics Plus is a solutions-oriented transportation and logistics provider with a solid reputation for adding value and helping companies be successful.
Contact Logistics Plus if you’d like us to participate in any upcoming RFPs for transportation or logistics solutions.
As the world keeps changing, efficient supply chain management is crucial for businesses to stay competitive. Logistics Plus, a leader in transportation, warehousing, and unique logistics solutions, offers a cutting-edge, tailored Global Transportation Management System (GTMS) called MyLogisticsPlus™. This custom-built, cloud-based portal is designed to meet the unique needs of businesses, providing comprehensive visibility and control over their supply chain operations.
Key Features of MyLogisticsPlus™
Fully Integratable: MyLogisticsPlus™ is tailored to integrate seamlessly with a client’s Warehouse Management System (WMS) or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, offering a user-friendly interface for managing multi-mode parcel, freight, and international orders. This customization ensures that businesses can adapt the system to their specific operational requirements.
Orders Dashboard: The orders dashboard is a power interface allowing users to ship orders across any mode, combine orders, set up multi-stop deliveries, and more.
Real-Time Visibility: One of the features of MyLogisticsPlus™ is its real-time tracking capabilities. Businesses can monitor their shipments at every stage using API and mobile technologies, ensuring transparency and timely updates. This level of visibility helps in proactive decision-making and enhances customer satisfaction. And Logistics Plus specialists are always just a click away to provide expertise and support.
Freight Audit and Payment: The GTMS includes a robust freight audit and payment solution, providing complete invoice visibility, general ledger (GL) coding, and business intelligence reporting. This feature helps businesses manage their logistics costs effectively and ensures accuracy in billing.
Business Intelligence Reporting: MyLogisticsPlus™ offers advanced reporting tools and dashboards that provide insights into various aspects of the supply chain. These reports help businesses identify trends, optimize operations, and make data-driven decisions.
User-Friendly Design: The portal is designed with the end-user in mind, ensuring ease of use and accessibility. Whether it’s scheduling shipments, getting quotes, or tracking orders, MyLogisticsPlus™ simplifies the entire process. Access is permission-based, and the interface can be customized based on the user’s persona.
Benefits of Using MyLogisticsPlus™ TMS
Enhanced Efficiency: By automating and streamlining logistics operations, MyLogisticsPlus™ helps businesses save time and reduce manual errors.
Cost Savings: The freight audit and payment feature ensures that businesses only pay for what they use, avoiding overcharges and discrepancies.
Improved Customer Satisfaction: Real-time tracking and timely updates keep customers informed, leading to better service and satisfaction.
Scalability: The customizable nature of MyLogisticsPlus™ means it can grow with your business, adapting to changing needs and volumes.
Download and Complete our GTMS Questionnaire
Conclusion
MyLogisticsPlus™ GTMS is a powerful tool for businesses looking to optimize their supply chain operations. With its customizable interface, real-time visibility, and comprehensive reporting features, it provides the control and insights needed to stay ahead in the competitive logistics landscape. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, MyLogisticsPlus™ can help you achieve greater efficiency, cost savings, and customer satisfaction.
Next steps? Watch the short video below. Download and complete our GTMS Questionnaire. Then contact us for more information about MyLogisticsPlus™ and how it can benefit your business.
Logistics Plus Selected as a Top 100 3PL Provider by Inbound Logistics for a Third Year
The annual lists recognized the top third-party logistics providers deemed the best of the best by Inbound Logistics editors.
ERIE, PA (July 30, 2024) – Logistics Plus, Inc. (LP), a global leader in transportation, logistics, and unique supply chain solutions, is proud to announce it has been selected as a 2024 Top 100 3PL Provider by Inbound Logistics, a leading supply chain and logistics industry publication. It’s the third consecutive year that Logistics Plus has been named to the list. The Top 100 list appears in the Inbound Logistics July 2024 edition and across all content platforms—magazine, digital, web, and apps.
“Flexibility and scalability are the themes of our annual 3PL edition – and for good reason,” said Felecia Stratton, Editor for Inbound Logistics. “Outsourcing supply chain, logistics and transportation solutions to a trusted partner is never more important than when it’s time to prepare for growth, and the Inbound Logistics Top 100 3PLs deliver.”
“It sounds a little simplistic, but I really think our growth goes back to our culture,” said Jim Berlin, Founder & CEO of Logistics Plus. “We’ve been doing this for 27 plus years now, we’ve grown every year, and we’re debt-free, so I am very proud of what our team has and continues to accomplish together.”
Inbound Logistics (IL) is the pioneering magazine empowering demand-driven enterprises. IL’s educational mission is to guide businesses to efficiently manage logistics, reduce and speed inventory, and neutralize transportation cost increases by aligning supply to demand and adjusting enterprise functions to support that paradigm shift. More information about demand-driven enterprise practices is available at inboundlogistics.com.
About Logistics Plus, Inc.
Logistics Plus, Inc. (LP) is a 21st-century logistics company and a leading worldwide provider of transportation, warehousing, fulfillment, global logistics, business intelligence, technology, and supply chain solutions. LP works in the background to help businesses manage their supply chains in an ever-changing world. Founded in 1996, today LP has annual global sales of over $600M with more than 1,200 employees located in 50+ countries worldwide. LP is recognized as one of the fastest-growing privately-owned logistics companies, a top 3PL provider, a top 100 logistics company, a top freight brokerage and warehousing provider, and a great place to work. With a Passion For Excellence™, its employees put the PLUS in LOGISTICS by doing the big things properly, plus the countless little things that together ensure complete customer satisfaction and success.
Logistics Plus, once again, has been profiled as a top third-party logistics (3PL) company by Inbound Logistics magazine for its annual Logistics Planner. In its 32nd year of publication, the 2024 industry planner helps companies find the right technology solutions and transportation and logistics partners to drive supply chain efficiency. With both print and digital editions, the annual issue is updated with profiles of leaders in transportation, technology, logistics, and more who stand ready to help businesses face upcoming challenges to optimize their supply chains.
U.S.-based companies are increasingly reshoring to Mexico for various reasons, including logistics and supply chain advantages. These reasons point towards a shift in priorities for many businesses. Here are some of the key factors driving this trend:
Reduced Costs and Times:
Proximity: Mexico’s geographical closeness to the U.S. significantly slashes shipping costs compared to distant nations like China. This can be a game-changer, with transportation, warehousing, and inventory management savings.
Faster Delivery: Shorter distances translate to quicker transit times. This allows companies to meet customer demands faster, improve flexibility, and potentially reduce reliance on safety stock.
USMCA benefits: The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) provides preferential trade terms for companies operating within the North American region, reducing the time spent on customs procedures.
Increased Supply Chain Resilience:
Reduced Disruption Risk: Shorter supply chains are less vulnerable to external disruptions like pandemics, trade wars, or political instability. This translates to smoother operations and improved risk management.
Greater Visibility and Control: With production closer to home, companies have improved visibility over their supply chain. This helps in quicker problem identification and faster response to unexpected issues.
Improved Inventory Management: Shorter lead times allow for leaner inventory management, reducing storage costs and minimizing the risk of obsolescence.
Enhanced Operational Efficiency:
Collaboration and Communication: Proximity fosters closer collaboration between manufacturers and vendors in the U.S. and Mexico. This facilitates better communication, quicker problem-solving, and stronger supplier relationships.
Quality Control: Having production closer allows for more frequent and direct quality control checks, potentially leading to higher product quality and customer satisfaction.
Flexibility and Responsiveness: Shorter lead times enable companies to react faster to changing market demands and adapt their production plans more quickly.
Look no further if you are seeking a logistics provider that understands U.S. and Mexico cross-border shipping. Logistics Plus has offices and warehouses across North America, including multiple locations and warehouses in Mexico and dozens more in the U.S., that can assist with virtually any supply chain challenge.
As you look to 2025, now may be a good time for shippers to conduct an RFP (Request for Proposal) for their transportation needs, especially as the market has stabilized compared to the disruptions of the past few years. Here are a few reasons why it might be advantageous:
U.S.-based companies are increasingly reshoring to Mexico for various reasons, including logistics and supply chain advantages. These reasons point towards a shift in priorities for many businesses. Here are some of the key factors driving this trend: