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Freight Procurement Must Shift to Continuous Model, Emerge CEO Says

The traditional annual freight procurement cycle no longer works in today's market, according to Emerge CEO Mark McEntire, who brings more than 30 years of shipper-side experience to the role. Shippers have steadily moved from single annual RFPs to quarterly events and continuous mini-bids as market conditions tighten. Procurement speed has accelerated, with bid events now compressing from two months to two to three weeks. McEntire emphasized that rate alone is insufficient in current procurement decisions. Carriers must demonstrate reliable capacity, lane fit, performance history and minimal fraud risk. Shippers now weigh these factors alongside pricing when selecting partners. This shift reflects a broader market evolution where traditional cost-and-service evaluations prove insufficient for building resilient carrier strategies in constrained capacity environments.