ASSIST

Cost Reduction

Whether in distress or stable, cost control and cost reduction and containment is a priority. Our hands-on experience developing strategies for and negotiating thousands of deals is a great asset. We start with a spend analysis, taking a very targeted dive into your spend. We review your AP data, invoices, PO’s and contracts along with category detail inclusive of supplier information (current and potential), sourcing history, market conditions, dependencies, etc. We also take the time to understand your business and the operational nuances impacting each category as well as any potential changes in business requirements. We develop project plans for each category identifying proposed strategies as well as targeted savings and meet with internal teams to finalize the optimal approach. We then implement the strategy. At completion we incorporate a review of the total cost of ownership and overall savings achieved.

We do not take a one size fits all approach with our clients, each is unique in their own way and we recognize and embrace that – developing sourcing strategies that fit your business. Further, we clearly outline risks and opportunities beyond hard dollar – and identify what success looks like – how to audit to ensure savings are realized, how the category will be managed and how performance targets will be achieved.

Our team has hands on business experience reviewing, writing, analyzing and negotiating thousands of deals and subsequent contracts. Our focus is the optimal solution – the right good/service at the right time and place for the best possible price. We look beyond price to ensure it fits – price isn’t everything. Sometimes the lowest cost solution will fail.

Procurement / Supply Chain Transformation

Comprehensive analysis including many elements included here... often begins with a new CPO or COO desiring to understand their procurement and supply chain organization. We dig deep into spend, systems, tools, process and organization, providing a gap analysis and transformation roadmap. Our analysis focuses on what is realistic and achievable for the organization – and the steps and timeline to support success.

Interim Head of Procurement or Category Management Roles

We can provide assistance as you build an organization or as you fill open roles. We often provide this level of support as part of an organizational design – providing support in a leadership capacity as we help you create an organizational framework that supports operations and the value that a procurement division can bring to the organization and the bottom line.

Sourcing Process Development

You have seen at least one sourcing process in your career, probably many… comprised of 5-7+ steps inclusive of a manual or electronic bid process. Ultimately the framework always bears some similarity but what is most important for successful utilization is to lay a foundation that will work within your environment. The systems, tools, policies and procedures that allow the process to integrate and flow. Equally and sometimes more important – internal education and communication to ensure adoption and success.

Purchasing Policy, Process and Procedure Analysis and Implementation

The move to centralized and strategic procurement organizations, along with changes in sourcing technologies has led companies to revise, reinvent and create business processes that enable them to leverage new methodologies. Appropriately developed foundations build profitability, agility and productivity into your business. We focus on ensuring policies and processes are in harmony with business priorities and corporate culture to achieve success.

With our assistance you can improve employee focus on core objectives and drive enterprise wide compliance to corporate policies – implementing process improvement solutions that will provide an immediate return on investment. Our professionals have developed and implemented functional procurement policies, procedures and processes across a variety of companies. We have experience with all types of sourcing methodologies and can document your current process steps or assist in developing and documenting the best possible process to bring your procurement organization to a more robust and streamlined function.

Strategic Sourcing

You may have a large outsourcing project or other significant initiative that you don’t have internal expertise or capacity to research and bid successfully in the timeline required… we can help with the entire sourcing process or in conducting the Request for Proposal.

• Peak Workload. You’re at capacity and are experiencing an unusual peak in project load – it may not make sense to add an FTE, we can step in and assist.
• Major Projects. Significant projects/initiatives require project management and day to day support over a period from 3-12 months, sometimes longer. It can be difficult or impossible to devote the time and effort to see through successfully without a significant negative impact to the entire team and day to day initiatives.
• Key Commodity. Many commodities only require sourcing effort every 3 or more years. You may not have the internal expertise or capacity to handle these specialized sourcing efforts.  

Negotiation Strategy

You may lack internal expertise and need additional support identifying an appropriate negotiation strategy for a infrequently sourced commodity. Our category experts can assist, working quickly alongside your team to obtain a history and understanding of your needs to compile strategic options for your team to implement. We can also continue to mentor through the negotiation.

Implementation / Project Management

We are often involved in the implementations of the initiatives we source… we bring project management and organizational skills as well as category knowledge to ensure what was agreed upon during the negotiation comes through to the end! If you need help running a large scale strategic sourcing effort and implementing the solution… whether due to the impact to multiple locations or some other complexity, we can help to ensure all considerations are taken into account and ensure seamless (and quick!) sourcing and implementation.