Motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson Inc. will deploy Oracle's Internet Procurement software in an effort to meld all its procurement processes, including domestic manufacturing and nonproduction-related purchasing operations, into a single, automated system used to manage nearly $1 billion in materials and services purchases.

Harley-Davidson, in Milwaukee, is consolidating procurement at its eight U.S. facilities. That includes all domestic manufacturing sites, its maintenance, repair, and overhaul operations, and its parts, accessories, and general merchandise divisions. With the system, Harley-Davidson will streamline procurement, consolidate demand, and reduce costs, says David Cotteleer, planning and control manager of the company's Materials Management Group.

The Web-based system will let Harley-Davidson's 180 procurement managers spend more time on strategic tasks and less on administrative chores, says Cotteleer, and will be used by some 5,000 employees. The application will be rolled out in stages, but Cotteleer wouldn't disclose the project's schedule or cost.