Vendor management system
A vendor management system (VMS) is an Internet-enabled, often Web-based application that acts as a mechanism for business to manage and procure staffing services – temporary, and, in some cases, permanent placement services – as well as outside contract or contingent labor. Typical features of a VMS application include order distribution, consolidated billing and significant enhancements in reporting capability that outperforms manual systems and processes.
In the financial industry due to recent regulations (see FRB SR13-19; OCC 2013-29 and CFPB 2012-03), vendor management implies consistent risk classification and due diligence to manage third-party risk. A number of institutions have re-classified or renamed their programs to Third Party Risk Management (TPRM) to align with the verbiage used by the regulatory agencies.
The contingent workforce is a provisional group of workers who work for an organization on a non-permanent basis, also known as freelancers, independent professionals, temporary contract workers, independent contractors or consultants. VMS is a type of contingent workforce management. There are several other terms associated with VMS which are all relevant to the contingent workforce, or staffing industry.
A vendor is a person or organization that vends or sells contingent labor. Specifically a vendor can be an independent consultant, a consulting company, or staffing company (who can also be called a supplier – because they supply the labor or expertise rather than selling it directly).
A VOP, or Vendor On Premises, is a vendor that sets up shop on the client's premises. They are concerned with filling the labor needs and requirements of the client. The VOP does this either by sourcing labor directly from themselves or from other suppliers with whom they may be competing. Also, the VOP manages and coordinates this labor for the client.
A MSP, or Managed Service Provider, manages vendors and measure their effectiveness in recruiting according to the client's standards and requirements. MSPs generally do not recruit directly, but try to find the best suppliers of vendors according to the client's requirements. This, in essence, makes the MSP more neutral than a VOP in finding talent because they themselves do not provide the labor.,
VMS is a tool, specifically a computer program, that distributes job requirements to staffing companies, recruiters, consulting companies, and other vendors (i.e. Independent consultants). It facilitates the interview and hire process, as well as labor time collection approval and payment.
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