Tenderingis the process of offering a load to a carrier. You can use the powerfultendering features of Sterling TMS to managethe carrier selection process.

For example:

• Your organization can set up Route Guides to control and centralizethe management of the carrier selection process. Sterling TMS uses theseRoute Guide rules to help you select the carrier that should takeeach shipment. Centralizing the tendering process ensures that youalways pay the proper rates and minimizes off-contract expendituresalso known as contract leakage.
• Sterling TMS providesa variety of tendering methods. For example you can tender a shipmentto a single carrier or perform a broadcast tender to multiple carriers.
• Your organization can set up the automatic carrier selection process. Sterling TMS will automaticallytender shipments that meet the criteria your shipper administratordefines.

You can use the following features to manage the tendering process:

Carrier Selection

Use the Carrier Selection page as your workbench for planningthe tender and selecting the carrier for each shipment.

Carriersare sorted based on the Route Guide your shipper administrator setup which helps you quickly choose the best carrier. For examplecarriers can be sorted by:

• Rate
• Volume commitments
• Carrier rankings
• Factored costs which reward superior service and penalize poorservice

You can also compare carriers based on the transit times orsee how the actual rates match your base rates.

Tender Override

You can override the carrier selection plan for a single shipment.You can select a different tendering method or select different carriers.

Forexample the load needs to be picked up soon and you determine thatnone of the contracted carriers listed on the Carrier Selection pagecan make the delivery.

Tender Options

Use the Tender Options page to perform these tasks:

• Change the tendering method for a shipment.
• Choose whether you want to tender to primary secondary or backupcarriers.

Tender Status

Use the Tender Status page to view existing carrier selectionplans and monitor the tendering process for a shipment. You can alsowithdraw a tender.

Mass Tendering

You can tender multiple shipments to the same carrier.

Thisfeature is only available if your shipper administrator enabled themass tendering process.

Forward Capacity

You can search for carriers that are eligible to take a shipmentbased on forward capacity.

To find forward capacity Sterling TMS determineswhether the carrier will have a truck in the vicinity of the shipmentorigin near the departure date. If you select this carrier you mightbe eligible for a continuous move discount.

Tender Confirmation Sheets

You can print a tender confirmation sheet and fax it to a carrier.

Forexample you might want to fax this sheet to a carrier that is notconfigured in Sterling TMS toreceive tenders from your organization.