Freightgate Inc. has launched the Alliance for Contract Exchange Standardization (
ACES), which will create and promote an industry standard for formats in which freight contract rates are transmitted.
While other supply chain processes are becoming increasingly automated, or at least automation-friendly, ACES says it sees the need to improve the processes and tools used for service contract rates on an industry level.
ACES plans on facilitating the efficiency of the negotiation, maintenance, querying, and presentation of such data, not by providing an association-based system, but by providing an electronic format that will make it easier to get rates into a system.
"We had a very positive response to the invitations we sent to prospective founding members and are excited about bringing ACES to the public," said Freightgate president & CEO Martin Hubert. "We think such an initiative is long overdue."
The ACES website supplies additional information, a form to request more information about membership and members only access to advanced functionality.