Sourcing quality: Tips for better value in your procurement process
With purse strings tighter than they have ever been, it has never been more important to ensure your school procurement process is as effective as it can be. No easy task, especially with so many SBMs taking on so many extra tasks in recent times.
But there are some angles that SBMs can investigate to cut costs whilst simultaneously ensuring quality for the staff and pupils of the school. We asked over 200 SBMs about the best ways they have managed to find better value in their procurement processes.
4 tips for improving the value of your procurement process
From establishing contracts with suppliers to taking your procurement online, here are the best tips for sourcing quality and cost-saving supplies for your school from SBMs.
1. Establish contracts with suppliers
For some essential school items, establishing a contract may be a great way to save money whilst ensuring top quality. 53% of SBMs agreed this was the best tip for how to ensure procurement of the best resources at the best price.
The key to contracts is to provide a detailed specification that provides a precise description of what is needed, how it will assist the school, and when by. In addition, ensuring the whole-life cost of the contract is nailed down before anything is agreed upon is important to ensure costs are kept low.
2. Strategic collaborative procurement
Government research suggests that there is evidence that, alongside financial efficiency, inter-school collaboration can result in improved professional development for staff and improving the sharing of good practice. Collaboration between schools must be done correctly for the benefits to show. Effective leadership, structures, processes and relationships all ensure school improvement.
3. Deals and frameworks
Creating competition between suppliers if the tender is larger is an effective way to gain the most in quality and cost. But this can be time-consuming. The DfE created ‘Deals for Schools’ to save time for SBMs.
It’s always worth asking what deals and frameworks a supplier has and if it doesn’t quite fit your needs, ask for it to be adapted. What’s the worst they can say?
4. Check own brands
Own-brand products can result in savings and it doesn’t have to mean a drop in quality. The SBMs we spoke to said that choosing a brand came down to product quality, cost savings, peer reviews, and trust in the supplier. It’s important to take these elements into account when deciding whether to change brand.
You can read the full report, ‘Smarter procurement: a practical guide to improving value and efficiency’ here.
