On 22 June 2021, Expo 2020 Dubai announced that it was working with SAP Ariba, a subsidiary of American software firm SAP, to establish a unified digital procurement and payment platform for its suppliers. Mohammed Alhashmi, chief technology officer at Expo 2020 Dubai, explains the details.

1. How is Expo 2020 setting the standards for digital procurement at future mega events and World Expos?

Our decision to implement SAP Ariba solutions stemmed from a desire to truly automate the entire end-to-end ‘procure-to-pay’ process for ourselves and our suppliers. More generally, this decision aligns with where we are in our procurement journey as Expo 2020 prepares to open its doors to the world on 1 October.

Through this collaborative and mobile-friendly platform, registered suppliers can participate in sourcing events, negotiate and sign contracts, as well as submit invoices and track payments in real time.

The most connected place on Earth

With Expo 2020 being the largest event ever held in the Arab world, this solution really is transforming and setting new standards for procurement automation, particularly for projects of this scale.

The data speaks for itself. We have already transacted upwards of AED1.8bn on the platform, showcasing its transformative role at Expo 2020, as well as our ongoing commitment to drive long-term business growth in the region and beyond.

It’s not just about automating procurement. SAP Ariba is also providing our suppliers access to the Ariba supplier portal, through which they can manage all their transactions with Expo 2020. Each supplier can receive and track orders from us in real time, while managing their invoices and payments through a single portal.

2. When were SAP Ariba solutions for Expo 2020 first launched?

SAP Ariba solutions were launched at Expo 2020 in two phases. Phase one went live in September 2020 and included the implementation of two modules. The contract management module allows us to manage the entire contracting workflow, from preparing contracts, managing internal reviews and supplier negotiations to the approval and signing of contracts.

Our decision to implement SAP Ariba solutions stemmed from a desire to truly automate the entire end-to-end ‘procure-to-pay’ process for ourselves and our suppliers.

The commerce module supports the full digitisation of the ‘order to invoice’ process – orders are issued to a supplier via SAP Ariba in real-time, they can submit their confirmation and invoices on the platform, and track their invoice payment status.

Phase two went live in January 2021 and included the implementation of supplier registration and sourcing modules. The supplier registration module enables our suppliers to submit and update their supplier information and bank details at any time.

The sourcing module supports the management of Expo 2020’s sourcing events, including request for quotation (RFQ), request for proposal (RFP) and auction events.

This auction functionality is critical to Expo 2020, as it will support the auctioning of assets during our decommissioning phase after Expo 2020 ends on 31 March 2022.

As of end-June 2021, Expo 2020 has onboarded more than 30,000 suppliers from 179 countries onto SAP Ariba.

Most of these suppliers are based in the UAE, India, the UK, the US and Italy, with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) making up roughly 45 per cent of all suppliers on the platform – a testament to our continued commitment to fostering growth across all levels of the supply chain.

3. What were the reasons behind Expo 2020 partnering with SAP Ariba?

As the Innovative Enterprise Software Partner for Expo 2020 Dubai, SAP is integral to our ambition to host one of the most digitally advanced World Expos ever – helping to deliver a seamless, integrated one-of-a-kind experience for organisers, participants and visitors.

Our decision to migrate to SAP Ariba, and to fully digitise and automate our procure-to-pay lifecycle while enhancing transparency and efficiency across our global supply chain, builds on our pre-existing partnership with SAP – it is a logical extension of a relationship that began in early 2017 when SAP was announced as a Premier Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai.

Working with our other technology partners, we have automated our back-office processes using SAP S/4HANA real-time business suite, which provides us with a proven foundation for financial and HR management, as well as data-driven insights – from visitor preferences to retail spend.

Thanks to the SAP customer checkout solution, event participants and catering, food and beverage, and merchandise retailers will be able to manage their operations across more than 1,000 points of sale during event time.

In line with our commitment to host the most accessible World Expo in history, we have worked with SAP’s UAE-based Co-Innovation lab to co-develop an interactive technology platform called PODway, designed to optimise experiences for people of determination by using SAP’s analytics and experience management technology.

4. How many Expo procurement services have been conducted via the online system?

All new procurement opportunities, contracts and purchase orders are now processed through the platform. With this in mind, almost 100 per cent of procurement services at Expo 2020 have been transacted on the platform since phase two went live earlier this year.

SAP is integral to our ambition to host one of the most digitally advanced World Expos ever – helping to deliver a seamless, integrated one-of-a-kind experience for organisers, participants and visitors.

Further details on how potential and existing suppliers can create an Ariba account, register as a supplier and respond to a particular sourcing event can be found on our website here.

5. Is SAP Ariba used by participating nations as well?

SAP Ariba at Expo 2020 is used only by us and our suppliers. Each international participant has their own procurements policies, procedures and systems, which are mostly government-mandated. It is perfectly possible that some may be using SAP Ariba to manage their own procurement but their Ariba systems have no connection with Expo 2020’s SAP Ariba solution.

6. Is the online market place launched by Expo in 2018 part of the SAP Ariba platform at Expo 2020?

No. Before the implementation of SAP Ariba at Expo 2020, the Online Market Place (OMP), launched in 2018, served as a standalone portal for us to rapidly build our supplier network and create a transparent marketplace of procurement opportunities whereby all businesses including SMEs could interact, network and partner with each other.  

Supporting a small business revolution

However, while opportunities, responses and bid submissions were managed through OMP, there was no integration with our SAP enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, and limited automation of the ‘order to invoice’ process.

As we have moved closer to event time, our focus has shifted towards streamlining our end-to-end procurement processes – ensuring we are lean, fast and agile to meet our rapidly changing procurement needs before and during the event. This is where SAP Ariba comes into play, fully integrating with our SAP ERP systems and automating the entire procure-to-pay process.