REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Request for Proposal



Request for Proposal

Executive Summary

Venice Art and Ceramic Titles Company Ltd., which sells works of Art, experiences some problems with current Inventory Management and Database Systems. The database system does not provide an account for those customers who are likely to be interested in a particular exhibition. The system capacity is also a problem since the company keeps enlarging annually with the increase in the number of customers in every branch of the company. This is because the company uses Microsoft Access 2003 whose capacity is limited.

Other weaknesses with system include transactional problems with the sales team. This is because each time a customer company buys works of Art a transaction sheet is completed in the system. The system produces two sheets to the customer and the other remains with the company for filing purposes. In a case whereby the same customer company comes back or orders for the same specific work of art they bought previously, it means that a lengthy search would be carried out since the database design does not contain a categorical display of the various items the company is dealing with. Other issues are nearly as troublesome: inability to send targeted mail shots and lack of information about the database.

This paper proposes to you, as the Managing Director, an effective and proven way of improving current database system. The proposed project is approved by the IT management Board and needs you to consider the viability of this project in terms of cost effectiveness and achievement of desired results that would scale the company to higher heights in profit making.

A proposed solution to this issue is an Inventory Management System which is intended to enhance rather than replace the current system of recording and tracking details of customers as well as maintaining the stock levels of the business. Upon success, the current method of tracking of details of customers would be replaced so that the details are typed into the computer.

The first step of implementation of the proposed project is to develop the Evolutionary Prototyping. This methodology is based on the idea of developing an initial implementation, exposing this to user comments and refining it through many versions until an adequate system has been developed. Prototyping will improve user understanding of the system, its information needs and capabilities. Prototype will also help the users trace the customers' information.

Next, the company should develop an Inventory Control System. Inventory Control System is a package of hardware and software that is integrated and is used for warehouse operations and storage companies. It is used in the monitoring of the quantity, status and location of the inventory together with the related shipping, put-away and picking processes. The term can also be used to refer to software components. Potential RFID tags and barcodes can be used to provide identification of inventory objects automatically. A wireless LAN can assist in transmitting transaction information to the central database. Inventory services provide automation and labor for quick counting and in ...