为供应商提供公平竞争的环境，并确保竞争供应商提出的系统具有可比性，这些困难往往给公用事业公司、咨询公司和供应商造成了难以维持的局面。替代采购方法可以做到以下几点:避免在公用事业公司、工程师和供应商之间建立敌对关系；为公用事业公司提供机会，利用可能对其有价值的优越功能和技术；在设计和安装系统时节省时间和金钱；营造合作和有益的长期关系的氛围。

The difficulties of maintaining a level playing field for vendors to compete and ensuring that competing vendors are proposing systems that are comparable has often created untenable situations for utilities, consultants, and vendors alike. Alternate methods of procurement are available that do the following: Avoid the creation of adversarial relationships among the utility, engineer, and vendor; Provide an opportunity for utilities to take advantage of superior features and technologies that may have value to them; Save time and money in the design and installation of their system; Create an atmosphere of partnering and beneficial long term relationships.