US Patent 7277865 Information portal in a contract manufacturing framework

The present disclosure provides for affording an information portal in a contract manufacturing framework. First, a database including a plurality of service provider data structures is provided, wherein each service provider data structure includes a description of a particular service provider, and wherein the database further includes a plurality of links to information. Then, a particular service provider data structure is identified based on request data from a user. A particular link is identified based on the request data. The user is then sent the identified service provider data structure and the identified link. Finally, the user is allowed to obtain additional information utilizing the identified link.