ABOUT FPI

Participants

Purchasers

First Point International (FPI) is the global oil & gas industry supplier database that is currently under implementation. The initial phase will involve Drilling Contractors, followed by Engineering Contractors involved in major project management.

FPI will also form the front-end to MSS (a Market Survey System under development by a group of international oil companies) for the one-time data capture of generic RFI information.

FPI will allow International operators and contractors to:

• Search globally for suppliers
• Qualify suppliers for enquiries and tenders
• Avoid repetitive requests for information (RFI)

Further functionality currently under development will soon allow

• Site Verification of supplier capability
• Performance reporting and benchmarking
• Global sourcing via Global Oil & Gas Directory

The Benefits

Suppliers

• Cut wasted effort by using "one time" pre-qualification
• Reduce duplication in tendering - point your clients to FPI
• Standardise information formats
• Gain exposure to the global purchasing community
• Gain powerful marketing tools via assessment, performance reporting and benchmarking

Supplier Challenge:

Calculate the annual costs of preparing and reformatting generic information each time you are required to pre-qualify or respond to tender invitations and compare this with the benefits of "one-time" data input in FPI.

Remember - you will have to encourage your clients to refer to FPI, and you will have to allocate time and resources to maintain your FPI records complete and up to date. Suppliers who use FPI pro-actively can generate savings which far exceed the costs of participation.

Purchasers

• Source international suppliers & contractors
• Replace costly in-house databases which are difficult to maintain
• Leverage the advantages of using the industry data hub
• Provide better supplier data to other internal user groups - HS&E, Projects, etc.
• Reduce duplicate effort via "one time" pre-qualification
• Reduce duplication in tendering - view supplier capability in VISIBLE ASSESSMENT©
• Use the powerful online assessment tools in FPI QUALIFICATION WORKBENCH©
• Improve supplier performance via performance feedback and benchmarking

Purchaser Challenge:

Calculate the cost of maintaining an accurate and up-to-date international database in-house. Add the cost of repetitive effort in requesting, receiving and evaluating generic pre-qualification and tender information. Calculate the costs of assuring supplier capability. Estimate the value of increased focus on technical and commercial factors. Estimate the value of better supplier relationships and improved performance...

Remember -

• You will have to eliminate requests to suppliers for data which is already on FPI - from all groups within your company (share the system benefits).
• You should set up a process to help and support your suppliers if they receive duplicate information requests.
• For FPI to work for you and your supply chain: Prior to issuing an ITT you should require your potential key suppliers to register and be assessed on FPI.

FPI content

Supplier Records

FPI contains corporate and local records. These show details of suppliers (including contractors) who have the capability or intent to supply internationally.

Each FPI supplier registers

Supplier Assessments

FPI Suppliers can also complete an online assessment questionnaire. This contains the generic questions (non-technical and non-commercial) which purchasers normally ask each supplier during pre-qualification or invitation to tender (ITT).

The new VISIBLE ASSESSMENT © feature shows question, supplier answer with any supporting documents, FPI evaluation and graphic capability profile. Suppliers can therefore point purchasers to this data instead of repeatedly providing it in answer to enquiries and tenders.

To maintain confidentiality, access to VISIBLE ASSESSMENT © is under the direct control of the supplier and is only available to purchasers who have specifically requested and been given permission to view.

The FPI QUALIFICATION WORKBENCH © also allows purchasers to conduct their own assessments and directly compare suppliers using objective and transparent criteria. Purchasers can also include sector specific and job specific questions in their assessment, which can then be saved to archive for future reference and audit trail. Own assessments are only accessed by the purchasing company that created them.

The PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK feature will be introduced into FPI in early 2005.

Click here for more information on Performance Feedback in the UK based FPAL scheme.

Global Business Directory

A Global Business Directory is also under development, which will include high-level details on suppliers from all the databases in the First Point International Network. The Global Directory will provide purchasers with a preliminary tool for global sourcing, with further details available from the source databases. The Global Directory will also provide suppliers with increased international marketing exposure.

Click here for more information

Implementation

Initial development of FPI has been focused on the Drilling sector under sponsorship of Shell International (SIEP) and Transocean Inc.

Commencing in Q1 2005, Phase 1 will introduce further operators and drilling contractors to bring a global "one-time" pre-qualification service to the drilling sector.

Commencing later in Q1 2005, Phase 2 will introduce well services contractors, field development contractors, and international suppliers. Added functionality will include performance feedback, benchmarking and the Global Business Directory.

It is also planned to link FPI with other complementary 3rd party database services to provide technical or equipment information, market intelligence analysis and financial reporting.

Industry Support

FPI is directed by a Steering Committee with 12 members who represent International Operators, Service Contractors and Suppliers. Members are sought through an open nomination process and individuals must retire after three years or offer themselves for re-election.

The current FPI Steering committee is a transitional committee for the implementation phase only:

The initial 6 members (UK based) are:

What it Costs

For more information on the FPI cost structure please click here