At first, please send us your application as a supplier to e-procurement@k-plus-s.com.
Please note the following: Write "Application as supplier" in the subject line.
Please send your company presentation as well as your range of products and services by attachment. Your application will be forwarded internally to the buyer responsible for your field. If necessary, we will send you a registration invitation for the SAP Ariba network.
SAP Ariba
The K+S Group is consistently pursuing the goal of driving digitalization. Therefore, we decided to implement SAP Ariba Buying in addition to SAP Ariba Sourcing. The aim is to make procurement processes easier and more efficient with the innovative SAP Ariba solutions and the Ariba network and to further increase collaboration with our suppliers.
SAP Ariba Sourcing and Ariba Buying at K+S
K+S conducts tenders and bids using the SAP Ariba sourcing platform. In principle, we only invite companies that have already qualified as suppliers for K+S or have at least applied. The Ariba Buying is used as a convenient procurement solution for indirect purchasing. As a supplier, you have the possibility to publish catalogues or online shops with your products in the K+S procurement system.
What is the Ariba Network?
The Ariba Network is one of the largest business networks in the world and is a dynamic and digital marketplace. When registering in the Ariba Network, you gain access to a business network of millions of companies. It supports in efficiently expanding your existing customer relationships, identifying business opportunities as well as acquiring future/new customers.
What are the advantages for you as a supplier?
- You have the opportunity to publish catalogues with your products in the procurement system of K+S.
- You can participate in K+S tenders and bids.
- Through increased transparency you can continuously check the entire ordering process and the current status of your tenders.
- You will find all tenders and auctions to which K+S has invited you, including the relevant documents, on one platform.
- You can communicate with the responsible purchaser directly via Ariba, so that the communication can also be tracked at any time.
- There are decreased process and administration costs due to automation and digitalization.
- The participation in tenders and bids via Ariba Sourcing is free of charge for you.
- You can present your company in the Ariba network and get in touch with potential new customers (regional and national).
How do you use the Ariba network?
Registration is required prior to use the Ariba Network. You have to choose between two account types, which are: Standard Account or Enterprise Account. Which account is right for you depends on the scope of your overall business relationship. If you would like to provide K+S with a catalogue or online shop, you need an Enterprise Account. Suppliers who participate in K+S tenders and bids exclusively via SAP Ariba Sourcing, only require the Standard Account. If you already have an account on the Ariba network, you can log in with your existing access data and connect to our K+S account.
Differences between Standard Account and Enterprise Account
Please note that your Standard Account can be upgraded to an Enterprise Account at any time.
What fees do you have to expect?
The Standard Account is free of charge. Therefore the participation in K+S tenders and auctions is also free of charge for you. The costs of an Enterprise Account are made up of transaction-related and subscription costs.
Transaction fees (quarterly billing)
Less than 5 documents* OR less than 43,250 €
|
FREE |
More than 5 documents* AND more than 43,250 €
*only orders and invoices |
Maximum 17,300 €/year per business relationship |
Subscription fees (annual billing)
Number of documents per year
for all customer relations |
Subscription |
Annual fees |
| Up to 4 documents |
Premium |
0 € |
| 5 to 24 documents or < 216.250 € |
Bronze |
45 € |
| 25 to 99 documents and > 216,250 € |
Silver |
670 € |
| 100 to 499 documents and > 216,250 € |
Gold |
2,000 € |
| 500 and more documents and > 216,250 € |
Platinum |
4,900 € |
How does the Ariba integration process work?
The individual steps for connecting to SAP Ariba are described below. Depending on the account, different connection steps are required.
Standard Account:
1. Interactive Mail
When you place your first order/tender, you will receive an e-mail with a registration or logon link for the SAP Ariba Network.
2. Registration
If you have an account on the SAP Ariba network, you can log on with the existing access data. If you are logging on for the first time, you must first REGISTER!
3. Configuration of the user account
Once you have successfully registered and agreed to the Terms of Use and the SAP Ariba Confidentiality Agreement, you can configure your user account.
4. Order confirmation
After successful registration or login you will be forwarded to the current order. You can then confirm this via the SAP Ariba Network or, if necessary, make changes. In addition, now you can participate in the tenders you have been invited for.
Enterprise Account:
1. Information Mail
You will receive an e-mail informing you what further activities are necessary for the future use of SAP Ariba.
2. Supplier information session
Follow the link in the second e-mail to get an overview of our project, an introduction to the Ariba network and a system demonstration.
3. Registration link and configuration of the user account
Afterwards you will receive the registration link from SAP Ariba, which will guide you through the registration process. This is the last step in the configuration process. The team from the SAP Ariba Enablement Helpdesk will support and guide you through the configuration of your user account.
4. Establishment of the trading relationship and providing the catalogue
After accepting our trading relationship request, you will be able to provide us with your catalog or online shop via SAP Ariba.
Ariba FAQs
I have received an invitation to tender from the K+S Group. What happens next?
If you have not yet registered for K+S in the Ariba Network, you will receive a second e-mail with the invitation to tender inviting you to register in the Ariba Network and establish a business relationship with K+S via the network. Please use the link in the registration request to register once in the Ariba Network or to link your existing Ariba Network account to the K+S account. Note: If the network login page opens via the link instead of the registration page, please delete the cookies in your Internet browser and try to open the registration link again.
As a rule, you will receive the registration request from us at the same time as the invitation to the first tender (but in a separate e-mail). Please also check your spam folder. For future invitations you will then only receive the invitations (and no more registration requests).
If you already have an active business relationship with K+S via the Ariba network (e.g. by participating in past K+S Group tenders via Ariba), please click the link to the tender in the invitation. Please register with your existing data, a new registration is not necessary.
How can I tell the difference between the Invitation to Tender and the Registration Request?
Here you can find examples of the Invitation to Tender and the Registration Request. In the invitation to tender you will find a note stating that you may receive a second e-mail (namely the registration request) from us and how to proceed in this case. Please check your mailbox and spam folder to see if you have received a second e-mail and follow the instructions given in our e-mails.
I can't see any K+S tenders in my Ariba Network account. Where can I find the tender(s)?
You may need to switch to the Ariba Sourcing application (see screenshot).
If you cannot see any tenders at this point (like in the screenshot), please check whether you have registered correctly using the registration invitation (see question above).
Who can I contact if I need technical support?
Contact Ariba Support with technical and general questions about Ariba. Because the K+S Sourcing Platform is a cloud solution powered by SAP Ariba, Ariba Support has the knowledge to solve your technical questions and issues.
The Help Center is located on the right-hand side of the screen. There you can research Ariba FAQ articles on your own and contact Ariba Support directly at the bottom.
If you have no experience with tenders on the Ariba platform, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the system in advance. Please use the help center above and the direct contact with Ariba Support, as well as the so-called Supplier Success Sessions (webinars and webinar recordings on various topics) offered by Ariba Support (see screenshot).
Who can I contact if I have questions about the content or conditions of the tender?
Contact the responsible purchaser. You will find the contact details both in the invitation and in the invitation to tender directly on the K+S Sourcing platform.
How is my data maintained in the Ariba network?
Supplier profiles are maintained individually by the business partners, access to all relevant data is available at any time.
If we have multiple customers in Ariba, do we have to pay for multiple subscriptions?
No. You will be assigned a single subscription that applies to all customer relationships.
Order confirmations and/or shipping confirmations do not count as documents. This is especially important for Enterprise Account users, as the number of documents is the basis for transaction fees.
How are order confirmations transmitted?
Order confirmations will still be sent to e-procurement@k-plus-s.com. In summer 2020, the transmission will also be carried out via the Ariba network.
Who can I contact at K+S for assistance?
For any questions arising, please get in touch with e-procurement@k-plus-s.com.
