The Vancouver Board of Trade (VBOT) has become Canada’s first chamber of commerce to offer an exclusive hub for bidding on contracts.
The Vancouver Economic Development Commission posted the first $100,000 request for proposals on the new Board Business Exchange (BBX) e-marketplace, which was launched Monday.
BBX offers the board of trade's 5,500 members the opportunity to bid on contracts in a diverse range of industries. Alternatively, any company can post its own tender, however small. While posting contracts to reach this target market is a simple online process open to everyone, bidding will remain exclusive to board members.
Members joining the online community can also network on BBX through chats and online discussions. The BBX expands a business association's communications across all the major social media platforms, giving users the option to link to their Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.
It also generates instant alerts on new tenders emailed out to BBX users as soon as they are posted.
VBOT chairman Jason McLean said, “We are the first chamber of commerce in Canada to offer this unique mix of a social business platform, which, with our members' support, is set to grow into a major regional hub for bids with international potential.”
The site was developed by SilkStart, a Vancouver company specializing in web-based membership organization software designed to allow members to connect and communicate across social media networks.
SilkStart co-founder and CEO Daniel Chu said, “This latest technology across multi-platforms will transform the way the board of trade communicates and does business.
“We chose to partner with the board of trade exclusively in the Lower Mainland because it is Western Canada's leading business association and we wanted to customize this technology for a sizable business organization.
“Our mission is to revitalize membership organizations around the world. We believe that an association that is well-equipped with the latest technology, such as the Vancouver Board of Trade, empowers its members and volunteers to easily communicate and connect with one another, enabling them to make a difference.”