Rates Scattered Across Documents
Rate sheets, contracts and surcharge schedules were maintained separately, making it hard to confirm which version was current.
LOGISTICS & SUPPLY CHAIN MVP CASE STUDY
Bringing Every Freight Rate And Contract Into One Place
Freight rates, contracts, surcharges and lane pricing were spread across spreadsheets and email threads, making it hard to know which rate applied where or when a contract was up for renegotiation. We built a carrier rate management platform MVP from scratch, giving pricing teams one system to manage rates, contracts and lanes from a single source of truth.
▣ Greenfield MVP From A Blank Slate A new rate management platform was scoped, designed and built around how pricing teams actually negotiate and apply rates.
◇ One Source Of Truth For Rates Contracts, lanes and surcharges are consolidated into a single system instead of scattered documents.
✦ Built Around Negotiation Cycles Every screen is organized around how rates are proposed, reviewed and renewed over a contract's lifetime.
Turning Rate Chaos Into A Single Managed System
When rates and contracts live in disconnected files, teams risk applying outdated pricing, missing renewal windows or losing track of which surcharges apply to which lane. That uncertainty slows down quoting and erodes margin.
This platform MVP gives pricing and procurement teams a structured, centralized way to manage rates, contracts, lanes and surcharges, so the current, correct rate is always the one being used and negotiation history is never lost.
▥IndustryLogistics & Supply Chain
◇ProductCarrier Rate Management Platform
♙AudiencePricing & Procurement Teams
⌁DeliveryGreenfield MVP Build
The Challenge
Missed Renewal And Renegotiation Windows
Without a central contract calendar, teams sometimes let favorable terms lapse or missed the chance to renegotiate in time.
No Existing Product To Extend
There was no prior rate system to build on, so the contract, lane and pricing rule model needed to be defined from zero.
What We Can Identified
A rate management platform built around the pricing rules and contract terms teams actually negotiate on.
Centralized Rate Records
Every carrier rate lives in one system, so teams always apply the current negotiated price instead of a stale figure.
Contract Lifecycle Tracking
Contract start, expiry and renewal dates are tracked centrally, so negotiations start with enough lead time.
Lane-Level Pricing
Rates are organized by lane, letting teams see and manage pricing consistency across origin-destination pairs.
Surcharge Rule Management
Fuel, peak-season and accessorial surcharges are defined as rules, keeping quoted prices accurate and defensible.
Negotiation History
Past rate changes and negotiation notes stay attached to each carrier, giving context for the next conversation.
Rate Change Approvals
Pricing updates move through a review step before going live, reducing the risk of an incorrect rate reaching a quote.
How MVPHUB Built The Rate Management Platform From Concept To MVP
1
◇ Trace The Rate Lifecycle
We mapped how a rate moves from negotiation to contract to daily use, to anchor the platform around real workflow.
2
✎ Model Contracts And Lanes
We designed a data model that could represent contracts, lanes and surcharges consistently across carriers.
3
✦ Design The Pricing Workspace
A focused interface was designed around viewing, updating and approving rates without losing negotiation context.
4
♢ Build & Validate Rules
Our engineers built the platform along with validation logic to catch conflicting or expired pricing rules.
5
⌁ Launch & Monitor Renewals
The MVP launched to pricing teams, with contract renewal tracking informing what to build next.
A rate platform only earns its keep when nobody has to ask which price is actually current.
Engineering Behind The Rate Management Experience
Contract & Lane Data Model
A structured model connects contracts, lanes and surcharge rules so pricing stays consistent across the system.
Rate Validation Logic
Rules catch overlapping or expired rates before they can be applied to an active quote or shipment.
Renewal Calendar
Upcoming contract expirations surface ahead of time, giving pricing teams room to negotiate rather than react.
Built For Iteration
The MVP's architecture leaves room to add automated rate benchmarking as usage and data volume grow.
The Outcome
Before: Rates Spread Across Spreadsheets And Email
× No central record of current rates
× Contract renewals tracked manually or missed
× Surcharge rules applied inconsistently
× No dedicated product to build on
After: One Managed Rate Platform
✓ MVP launched from a clean greenfield build
✓ Rates, contracts and lanes in one system
✓ Renewals tracked well ahead of expiry
✓ Surcharges applied consistently by rule
A Foundation For Disciplined Rate Management
Greenfield MVP build
Centralized rate and contract records
Lane-level pricing visibility
Proactive renewal tracking
From Scattered Rate Sheets To One Managed Platform
Know your current rate without asking around.
This platform did not exist before this engagement — every contract record, pricing rule and renewal view was designed and built from zero around how pricing teams actually negotiate with carriers.
THE MVPHUB PRINCIPLE
“A rate that nobody can find with confidence is not a rate, it's a guess. Build the system of record first, and every negotiation after that starts from solid ground.
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Ready To Get Every Rate Under One Roof?
Bring us your carrier contracts and we'll help you scope, design and build a rate management platform that keeps pricing, contracts and lanes organized, from the first MVP release onward.
AI-accelerated. Expert-verified. Built around the outcome your first release needs to prove.
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