This IDC study is an analysis of the major procurement business process outsourcing (BPO) contracts signed by U.S. providers since 1997 ? the year in which the first comprehensive procurement BPO contracts were announced. IDC has observed 128 procurement BPO deals that have been signed by U.S. procurement service providers. This study presents these engagements and investigates key adoption trends and drivers, key categories of industries and organizations at the forefront of adoption, and the evolving composition and characteristics of procurement BPO engagements themselves.

"The procurement BPO market has steadily expanded over the years, experiencing growth well above that indicated by publicly known contracts alone," said Shruti Yadav, research analyst with IDC's BPO Services program. "IDC has dissected deal activity and uncovered trends related to the kinds of organizations, vendors, and market dynamics that have contributed to growth over the years."