Digital Bidding 2.0: Setting the Standard for Smart Procurement
In a rapidly digitizing economy, the competitiveness of a business depends not only on the quality of its product, but on the quality of its digital representation. If a seller’s offer does not appear in a buyer’s search results, both lose. Artificial intelligence, now embedded into Russian e-procurement platforms, is aiming to change that.
From Data Chaos to Structured Commerce
In June 2025, the Russian e-procurement platform TEK-Torg, part of the St. Petersburg Exchange group, became the first among the country’s eight federal trading platforms to launch a product data management service for automated supply chains. Until now, each company maintained its own product descriptions, creating information barriers, slowing down transactions, and increasing the risk of errors. TEK-Torg tackled the problem at the systemic level.
The platform has implemented standardized product descriptions that match the requirements of major industrial customers — from Gazprom and Rosneft to Rostec and Russian Railways. Every item is now cataloged according to a unified template: clear attributes, classification codes, and metadata ready for algorithmic processing.
This approach enables automated matching of equivalent products based on technical specifications rather than just names. It speeds up procurement by reducing the time needed for approvals and checks, while lowering operational costs for both suppliers and buyers. It also boosts product visibility for customers using automated search systems.
A Strategic Boost for Russia’s Digital Economy
The launch of this product data management service is a key milestone in Russia’s digital transformation. It supports the national “Digital Economy” project, targeting greater efficiency in state and corporate procurement, industrial digitization, and import substitution. By introducing these standards, TEK-Torg is pushing forward the adoption of digital procurement in core sectors — energy, manufacturing, and transportation.
Crucially, the Russian platform offers an alternative to Western ERP and PIM systems, reducing dependency on foreign solutions. Plans are already underway to connect TEK-Torg to international trade systems and partner marketplaces, potentially opening the door to export expansion.
From Marketplace to Digital Trade Ecosystem
Historically, e-procurement platforms in Russia were mainly tools for competitive bidding under federal procurement laws. But sanctions, the exit of Western companies, and an explosion of e-commerce enterprises (over half a million new online businesses since 2020) have reshaped their role.
E-procurement hubs are evolving into universal digital trade ecosystems, competing with traditional marketplaces. They connect government, corporate, and commercial buyers and sellers in one space. Standardizing product information makes it possible to build AI-driven systems based on big data, machine learning, and automation.
Speaking a Single Digital Language
TEK-Torg will first integrate existing suppliers and buyers into the new system. Between 2026 and 2028, the service will expand via integration with ERP and CRM systems, automated price monitoring, industry-specific index creation, and advanced demand forecasting.
By 2028, the platform expects the service to be widely adopted by other trading hubs and corporate procurement systems. Longer term, adaptation to global classification standards such as ETIM or eCl@ss could allow integration with European and Asian trade platforms — potentially creating a unified digital trade zone across the Eurasian Economic Union or BRICS.
