A purchasing consortium:

a$.$ speeds up the purchasing process, but does not result in price reductions from suppliers.

b$.$ consists of two or more independent$/$separate organizations that combine requirements for materials, services and$/$or capital goods to gain better pricing. service and technology from suppliers.

c$.$ consists of two or more divisions of the same organization that combine requirements for materials, services and capital goods to gain better pricing, service and technology from suppliers.

A hospital within a major city joins a purchasing consortium of different hospitals and health care providers in other major cities. Which of the following is LEAST likely to be an outcome of this membership?

a$.$ Lower prices.

b$.$ Better service level agreements and performance from suppliers.

c$.$ Antitrust issues.

d$.$ Standardization of products.

When done correctly, using a reverse auction will result in all the following benefits EXCEPT

a$.$ Price reduction.

b$.$ Reduced bidding cycle time $($time available for suppliers to submit pricing$)$ compared to a formal hard copy RFP process.

c$.$ Increased revenue for the buyer.

d$.$ None of the above.