• July 17, 2008

Aiming to further streamline media-buying, DoubleClick has launched a new platform to automate the request for proposal (RFP) process.

The new proposal exchange platform for Web publishers and agencies is intended to replace the manual exchange of e-mails, spreadsheets and faxes that still defines the media RFP process. More than 70% of agencies surveyed by DoubleClick last year welcomed the idea of an electronic proposal tool.

The platform allows for data exchange between DoubleClick's DART Sales Manager software for publishers and its MediaVisor tool for advertisers. When publishers receive a request directly via MediaVisor, they can check inventory, create a proposal and respond electronically.

Previously, publishers had to manually enter proposals for each advertiser within MediaVisor as well as their own systems. More than 20 publishers are testing the new order exchange system, including BabyCenter.com and Mansueto Ventures, DoubleClick said.

The Google-owned ad technology company also released an adapter for data exchange between DART Sales Manager and Salesforce.com.

--Mark Walsh