The procurement process itself requires management from top to bottom, however the complexity and demands of the task mean it's easy to become overwhelmed. Without an experienced internal procurement team, it can be difficult to reach a cost-effective solution that is successful, either in the short or long-term. This is where end-to-end procurement outsourcing comes into play; by using an external procurement service provider, companies can gain access to specialised expertise leading to rationalised systems, reduced costs and improved performance.
Outsourcing Considerations
Before jumping into the benefits, we believe it's important to acknowledge that there are considerations to be made when outsourcing procurement services in schools. A concern that will often be raised is the potential loss of control over the procurement process. Institutions may feel reluctant about trusting in a business they don’t have previous relationships with, especially when information about past expenditure and financials are involved.
This is why the best-in-class procurement service providers such as Novatia will work closely with schools to gain a greater understanding of their needs and requirements, where we can demonstrate our decades of experience and expertise in the industry. Case studies will speak for themselves, and these can be the perfect indicator of whether an external provider could be the right fit. Furthermore, we at Novatia offer two types of procurement services, full-service fulfilment and technical assurance, the latter of which is designed for clients who may prefer to run the tender themselves but require our expert support at specific stages of the procurement process.
With that in mind, let’s explore 3 key benefits of end-to-end procurement in schools and MATs…
1. Cost Savings
One of the primary benefits of end-to-end procurement outsourcing is the potential for significant cost savings. By leveraging the expertise of a specialised procurement provider, schools can access preferential pricing from suppliers and negotiate more favourable contracts. In this day and age, it's easy to overpay either at the outset, over the contracted period or for the useful life of what’s being procured. Having third party experts who know procurement like the back of their hands will help to avoid this from happening. Furthermore, outsourcing procurement also eliminates the need for recruiting and retaining in-house procurement teams, therefore reducing overhead costs associated with salaries and relieving the pressure of finding highly qualified staff to carry it out.
2. Improved Supplier Management
Effective supplier management is crucial for schools to ensure the timely delivery of goods and services and maintain high-quality standards. However, managing a diverse supplier base can be challenging and time-consuming. End-to-end procurement outsourcing offers a solution by providing schools with access to a network of pre-vetted suppliers that helps to offset the risk of working with new third-party suppliers.
The value of these established relationships with suppliers helps to ensure access to the highest quality - and most reliable - products and services. As well as this, end-to-end procurement outsourcing enables schools to leverage the provider's expertise in negotiating supplier contracts, identifying opportunities for cost savings or improved operational agreements.
3. Transparency and Compliance
Transparency and compliance are two words that will come up time and time again in negotiations and meetings with external procurement providers. Often this is predominantly due to the reasons discussed earlier regarding hesitation over relinquishing control and the regulatory framework for schools. End-to-end procurement outsourcing from those well-versed in education has transparency at the heart of the service, with providers understanding the importance.
Clear documentation, audit trails, and regular reporting will be established to ensure transparency at every stage of the procurement process. These measures provide schools with visibility into their procurement activities, enabling them to monitor spending, track performance, and demonstrate accountability. Moreover, end-to-end procurement outsourcing ensures compliance with relevant regulations and industry best practices. The provider stays up to date with changing regulations and ensures that schools are fully compliant with procurement policies.
Novatia's Procurement Services
Choosing a procurement provider involves considering many important factors to ensure the right fit. Expertise and experience, supplier network, evidence of previous project success, and alignment with values and objectives are all great areas to initially assess and discuss.
Using our decades of experience, we manage procurement exercises for ICT systems and infrastructure , corporate software, and ICT support services. We can run these as full tenders or call-off competitions using government frameworks such as those run by Crown Commercial Services (CCS) and Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC). Our managed procurement exercises and technical advice is available for the following types of products and services:
- ICT Equipment
- Outsourced ICT Support / ICT Managed Services
- Print/Copy Services
- Broadband
- Telephony
- E-Safety (filtering and firewall solutions)
- Management Information Systems (MIS)
- HR Systems
- Payroll Systems
- Outsourced Payroll Services / Bureaus
- Finance Management Systems / General Ledgers
- Purchase to Pay Systems (P2P)
Working as a neutral third party, we provide schools and MATs with independent technical and procurement expertise. Through stakeholder engagement, our technical experts ensure your requirements are fully understood and clearly specified.
Click the button below to download our Novatia Note ‘Six-steps to successful ICT procurement for your MAT or school’, a PDF that contains up-to-date information from our very own Procurement Specialist.
If you’re interested in hearing more about end-to-end procurement outsourcing and how we can help you, contact us for a friendly chat.
