Introduction
For decades, public administration has faced a structural challenge in materials management: how to guarantee the supply of essential inputs without incurring the high costs of physical inventory, material depreciation, and excessive bureaucracy? The answer emerged with digitalization and logistics innovation: the Virtual Inventory.
This model shifts the logic from “buy to stock” to “request on demand” (Just-in-Time). However, for logistics operators to meet government requirements under this model, technology infrastructure is just as vital as delivery capability.
In this article, we explain how Brazil’s National Virtual Inventory (AVN) works, what public tenders require, and how EASYB2B became the key technology enabling large-scale operations, as seen in the Autopel success story.
What Is Virtual Inventory?
Virtual Inventory is an outsourcing model that replaces an agency’s physical warehouses with third-party, digital management. Instead of a government buying 10,000 pens and storing them in a facility (risking losses and theft), it hires a continuous service that includes:
- Web System: A platform for placing orders.
- Logistics: External storage under the contractor’s responsibility.
- Delivery: Just-in-Time distribution to points of use.
Core Pillars:
- Economic Efficiency: Pay only for items requested and delivered.
- Debureaucratization: Eliminates complex internal stock management processes.
- Traceability: End-to-end control via system, from order to delivery.
Infographic description: Side-by-side comparison. Left: “Traditional Model” with full warehouses, paperwork, delays, and high fixed costs. Right: “Virtual Inventory” highlighting cloud system, fast delivery, variable cost, and zero internal stock.
Government Context and IN SEGES No. 51/2021
In Brazil, the initiative is led by the Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services through the Central Purchasing Office. The National Virtual Inventory (AVN) is governed by strict regulations such as Instruction IN SEGES No. 51/2021.
This regulation requires not only the supply of goods but also the availability of a technology solution capable of integrating agency orders with the supplier’s logistics operation.
This raises the bar for companies competing in tenders: how to provide a system that meets the Federal Government’s requirements for compliance, security, and usability?
Technology as a Competitive Edge: EASYB2B’s Role
To win and operate a Virtual Inventory contract, the contractor needs a “digital brain.” That was exactly the need of Autopel Automação Comercial e Informática Ltda., winner of key AVN tender lots.
Autopel had logistics expertise and products but needed a robust platform to process orders from government agencies. The chosen solution was EASYB2B.
How does the integration work in practice?
EASYB2B acted as the technology partner, adapting its B2B e-commerce platform to support the public sector’s specificities.
- Autopel: Provides logistics operations, materials, and holds the public contract.
- EASYB2B: Provides the system intelligence (the front-end where public servants place orders and the back-end that manages the flow).
Division of Responsibilities in the AVN Model
| Responsibility | Operator (Execution) | Enabling Technology (EASYB2B) |
|---|---|---|
| Product Catalog | Defines the tendered mix and maintains availability | Navigation interface, images, technical descriptions, and smart filters |
| Order Management | Receives, picks, and ships | Multi-level approval flow and order automation |
| Balance Control | Physical stock management | System locks for quota/budget by department or user |
| Integration | Issues invoices and handles delivery logistics | API connecting the online order to Autopel’s ERP |
Success Story: Autopel and EASYB2B-Driven Scale
The EASYB2B–Autopel partnership shows how technology is the critical success factor in executing complex public contracts.
By using the EASYB2B platform, Autopel achieved:
- Tender Compliance: All management, auditing, and control features required by the Central Purchasing Office.
- Scalability: Ability to process thousands of requests from different agencies simultaneously, without failures.
- User Experience: An intuitive interface (similar to modern e-commerce) that accelerates adoption by public servants.
Caption: EASYB2B interface with approval flow, public-sector shopping cart, and SLA indicators for the AVN contract.
For more details on how we transformed Autopel’s operation, see our full case: Read the Autopel Case here.
Why EASYB2B Is Ideal for AVN Tenders
Companies aiming to act as Virtual Inventory suppliers face high technological barriers. Building a proprietary system from scratch is costly, slow, and risky.
EASYB2B positions itself as a ready-to-use, white-label platform for this market, offering:
- Regulatory Compliance: Native features that adhere to public procurement rules.
- Smart Catalog: Complex SKU management with variations and detailed technical specifications.
- Approval Workflow: Configure who requests and who approves within the public agency, essential for transparency.
- Flexible Integration: Easily connects to any logistics ERP used by the tender winner.
Conclusion
Virtual Inventory is not just the future of public procurement; it’s the present. For suppliers, success in this model depends on impeccable logistics supported by cutting-edge technology.
Autopel’s experience proves that combining a solid logistics operation with EASYB2B’s specialized platform is the key to executing government contracts with efficiency, transparency, and profitability.
Is your company joining AVN tenders or corporate supply projects? Discover how EASYB2B technology can be the technical differentiator in your proposal.
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