Refine your carrier network for massive freight savings. Our structured RFP and reverse auction process is a proven freight procurement strategy that puts shippers on equal footing with carriers and reveals true market pricing. You stay in control by choosing carriers that fit your business.
Rethink Freight Procurement in a Volatile Market
Tariffs, market volatility, global uncertainty. Today’s environment demands smart freight procurement solutions as part of a broader freight optimization strategy. Shippers need to select the right carriers, negotiate competitive rates, and structure contracts to keep freight moving efficiently and cost-effectively. Unfortunately, most shippers remain locked into contracts based on past market conditions. The conditions have changed but your carriers and contracts haven’t.
Haven’t run an RFP in 2 years?
You could be overpaying for freight without knowing it.
CPC reveals savings your current contracts are missing.
A good freight procurement strategy goes well beyond pricing. At CPC, our freight procurement services encompass these five key areas:
Proposal
Planning
Pricing
People
Project management
Let’s take a closer look at each.
Proposal
Every freight procurement process starts with an RFP. You define your shipping needs and volumes, identify optimal lanes, and use that information to request bids from carriers. The challenge for most shippers is relying on incomplete or outdated information when building proposals or not revisiting contract terms due to limited time and resources. The result: You get locked into contracts that don’t serve your business.
CPC ensures your RFP is built on accurate data and gives you clean, side-by-side bids so you can choose the right carriers with confidence.
Running freight procurement on an internal budget cycle vs. the current market creates a disconnect. Your procurement process should account for market conditions, mode usage, and peer and industry benchmarking—factors most shippers don’t have full visibility into—to identify opportunities for freight savings.
CPC uses market data and benchmarking to time your procurement strategy and avoid locking in rates or commitments that increase your total freight costs.
Most freight procurement strategies focus on getting to the lowest number. But accessorials, contract terms, and freight movement across your carrier network all impact how much you actually pay. Chasing the cheapest option can create inconsistencies and actually drive up costs. You need to look beyond line items and evaluate pricing across your entire carrier network to reduce overall freight costs.
CPC analyzes your full network to identify pricing structures and optimizations that reduce total cost, not just secure the lowest rate.
You’re already running lean. Most shippers don’t have the bandwidth to develop a freight procurement strategy and manage implementation. Having limited resources often means having less time to evaluate carriers, analyze data, or negotiate contracts effectively. Without the right insights and support, it’s easy to miss opportunities to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
CPC supports your team with market insight and strategy while keeping you in control of your carrier relationships.
Carrier selection and rate alignment are only part of the process. You still need to structure the RFP, time the market, negotiate contracts, align carriers to the right lanes, implement decisions, and monitor performance while optimizing along the way. Effective execution depends on strong program and project management throughout the process.
CPC's freight procurement services include everything from bidding to implementation - with guaranteed savings averaging 22%
About 75% of the time, shippers we work with are able to keep their existing freight relationships. We negotiate the savings on your behalf. Get a free evaluation to see how much we can save.
Most shippers rely on a small network of carriers and willingly accept annual rate increases and rule changes. You may think you’re operating in a competitive environment, but without real market visibility, you can’t see where you’re missing out on savings. The carriers set the terms—and you react.
When you bring in CPC Consultants, we help level the playing field. Our reverse-auction model transforms the traditional freight procurement process into a freight procurement strategy that fosters true competition among carriers and ultimately shifts power into the hands of shippers.
The CPC Process and Reverse Auction
Here is the four-step reverse auction process to optimize your freight carrier network and ensure overall freight savings.
CPC works with the shipper to define requirements and build the RFP
In the RFP, we include operational requirements, such as lift gate, inside delivery, clean truck, appointments, certification, and border-crossing credentials, and establish service expectations, such as on-time and claims performance.
CPC distributes requirements to carriers and collects bids
We distribute your requirements to a targeted group of carriers—including incumbents—and manage the bid process. Carriers submit pricing, terms, and service commitments aligned to your lanes and expectations.
CPC reviews and analyzes bids, then presents results to you
Our team reviews all bids but does not select finalists or nominate carriers for awards. We are carrier-agnostic and do not get paid based on carrier selection. We present you with multiple options and help you select which carriers will drive competition in the final round, and most importantly, which will be a good partner for you.
CPC facilitates shipper meeting with finalists and supports carrier selection
Together, we'll meet with the freight carrier finalists to align on requirements and pricing structure. We consolidate final bids so you can easily select the right partners. We further assist with carrier rationalization (selecting the appropriate number of carriers to handle the business) and ensure carrier profiles align with your shipping profile.
The ultimate goal is to drive organic competition among identified finalists, creating a win-win environment in which carriers still meet their minimum ROI, and you achieve significant freight savings.
The CPC Difference
How CPC Redefines Freight Procurement Solutions
Market-based benchmarking
We don’t rely on internal data alone. CPC benchmarks against real, recent RFP outcomes to uncover true savings potential.
If you haven’t renegotiated with your carriers in the last year or two, now is the time. Market conditions have changed drastically and will continue to do so. That said, there are some key moments when it makes the most sense to negotiate freight contracts.
During Budgeting and Annually
Companies often review freight programs during their budget cycle, or at least annually. But it’s good business to review your transportation program at any time, given the rapid market fluctuations that continue to impact your business and bottom line.
When the Business Structure or Network Changes
You should also re-evaluate your transportation program when there is:
A change in product sourcing, such as moving origin points from one country to another
An addition or alteration in distribution points
A merger and acquisition or company restructuring
Fast-paced growth that outpaces your current, potentially loose, carrier arrangements
When Facing Carrier Cost and Rule Changes
Remember, the transportation market is heavily skewed in favor of carriers, who frequently adjust prices to maximize their profits. If you notice carriers:
Implementing new billing rules, such as changes to dimensional weight (dim weight) calculations, that subject a wider variety of package sizes to a higher fee
Passing down annual base rate increases
Adding sneaky fuel surcharges (even when crude oil prices are down)
…it's probably time to re-evaluate and negotiate.
When Service and Internal Resources are Strained
When you’re running lean with fewer staff, there’s a good chance your transportation program goes unchecked. It’s time to re-evaluate your freight contracts when:
You lack the dedicated resources to dissect carrier invoices or negotiate effectively
Carrier service levels are inconsistent or transit times are slipping
Get better value, not just better pricing
Our value-based freight procurement approach focuses on the right balance of cost and service—not just the lowest rate. We stay aligned with your outcomes, helping you select the right carriers and optimize your network to drive down total freight costs.
Freight procurement looks different depending on how and where your freight moves. Each mode—truck, air, or ocean—comes with its own pricing structure, service expectations, and level of complexity. These differences help you make better decisions around carrier selection, cost control, and overall network performance.
LTL/FTL Freight Procurement
Small changes in how you move freight can have a big impact on cost
LTL (less-than-truckload) and FTL (full truckload) freight procurement refers to how freight is transported by truck, based on shipment size and volume. LTL combines smaller shipments from multiple shippers and typically involves more complex, weight-based pricing and accessorial charges. FTL moves a full load on a dedicated truck and is usually priced by mileage. Procurement decisions involve choosing the right mode, structuring pricing (cost per pound vs. cost per mile), and aligning carriers to your lanes to control cost and service.
Key cost drivers include:
Choosing the wrong mode for your shipment size and weight
Shipping partial loads as FTL instead of consolidating into LTL
Overusing LTL for heavier shipments that could move more efficiently as FTL
Inconsistent lanes or shipment patterns that limit pricing leverage
Air Freight Procurement
Small adjustments in service level and routing can significantly reduce air freight costs.
In air freight procurement, rates can change quickly, and pricing often includes dimensional-weight rules that charge based on space rather than weight. Procurement decisions should look closely at service levels, global routing, and contract terms to avoid overpaying for speed you don’t need. It’s also important to re-evaluate your freight procurement strategy when sourcing locations or shipping patterns change, as outdated programs can quickly fall out of sync with current operations.
Key cost drivers include:
Overusing expedited or priority services when they aren’t required
Shipping lightweight but bulky items subject to dimensional pricing
Failing to adjust strategy when sourcing locations or volumes change
Ocean Freight Procurement
Managing contracts and surcharges effectively helps control the true cost of ocean freight.
Ocean freight procurement involves a wide range of surcharges that fluctuate and lack transparency. Procurement decisions should focus on structuring contracts, aligning global terms (such as Incoterms), and consolidating carriers where it makes sense. A structured RFP process helps ensure consistency across regions and keeps pricing and service commitments competitive over time.
Key cost drivers include:
Surcharges that increase total cost beyond base rates
Misaligned Incoterms that shift cost and risk unnecessarily
Fragmented carrier networks that limit pricing leverage
CPC in Action
Freight Procurement Results—Delivered
Here are examples of how we help our clients get the highest quality products at the best prices. Get a freight evaluation to see how we can help you shave shipping costs.
$42.7M in Annual Savings Identified Through RFP
The client lacked visibility into shipment data and pricing across their network. A structured, data-driven RFP uncovered savings across modes, lanes, and pricing structures.
Carrier Base Reduced from 22+ to Under 10
The client relied on too many carriers with inconsistent pricing and service. A structured RFP reduced the carrier base and simplified operations while improving pricing.
$13M in Annual Freight Savings Achieved
The client faced inconsistent global pricing and service after a merger. A structured RFP and reverse auction aligned carriers, pricing, and service across regions to deliver savings.
CPC Consultants stands with shippers. That’s because we were shippers once ourselves, so we understand the challenges. We’re also independent, so we’re not beholden to any specific carrier relationship. Find out more about CPC for freight optimization services.
“Throughout my tenure in this role, I thought I had exhausted all avenues to save on transportation expenses—that was until I encountered CPC Consultants. Brace yourself for the astounding outcome: They saved us a staggering $1.2M (30%) in freight costs over a 12-month period.”
“CPC Consultants became a trusted partner, supporting us at every stage of our growth. Their solutions reduced costs by over 20% while improving transit times and increasing throughput by 10X. CPC was instrumental, providing strategic direction that enabled us to maintain a competitive advantage from launch till our recent acquisition by Nordstrom.”
“Even one year after the project, and over one million dollars in savings, I still receive kudos from upper management. CPC makes me look good.”
“We approached CPC Consultants, asking them to gather competitive intelligence and conduct a benchmark study within an extremely tight timeline. CPC’s team of experts was able to quickly execute and deliver on time and on budget.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Freight Procurement
Most companies should review their freight procurement strategy at least once a year, but in today’s market, even that may not be often enough. If you haven’t run an RFP in the last 12–24 months, there’s a good chance your contracts no longer reflect current market conditions. You should also revisit your strategy whenever your network changes, costs start creeping up, or service levels begin to slip.
Look for freight procurement services that go beyond just negotiating rates. The right partner should bring market benchmarking, a structured RFP process, and the ability to create real competition among carriers. They should also help you select the right carriers, optimize your network, and structure pricing to reduce total freight costs, not just secure the lowest rate.
Freight procurement companies use different pricing models, and not all are structured with the shipper’s best interests in mind. Some tie fees to a percentage of savings, which can shift the focus toward lowering rates rather than building the right carrier network. The best partners stay independent, align their fees with your outcomes, and focus on delivering real, measurable savings across your network.
