Our client was a global consumer goods company mobilising a €100m+ programme to achieve a major step change in its global information capabilities. The programme was one of the company's top strategic initiatives, not just for IT but for the business worldwide. With such a lot at stake, our client engaged us to provide programme delivery expertise and to help them run a rigorous supplier selection and mobilisation process, appointing the organisations who would ultimately support them in creating a new fit for purpose infrastructure.
We worked closely with the client's own procurement function, making the most of their internal expertise but supplementing that with our strong external experience of delivering similar programmes at other clients, and our specialist knowledge of the products and services being bought.
Bringing together knowledge
With operations across the world, our client's operational processes were struggling to deliver the level of support that the executive team increasingly needed. In particular, business intelligence systems were fragmented across different functions and geographies, and they lacked the capability to handle the substantial growth in volume and sophistication of data required to enable and sustain market leading business decisions.
Mobilising for change
Our client was therefore mobilising a €100m+ programme to deliver a common global information core and advanced capabilities to analyse the wealth of intelligence available across the business. Due to our long-standing relationship with the client, we had already worked closely alongside them, playing a significant role in the early stages of the programme - helping to develop the programme framework and guide it through internal approval. In parallel with our work to create both high level and more detailed programme plans, our client asked us to provide core input to the supplier selection and manage the mobilisation process that would underpin the next phase of work.
Working as one team
Working as part of integrated team from IT (Development and Operations), Enterprise Services and Procurement, we helped develop and run a supplier selection and mobilisation process for the programme.
The joint team worked closely together to define an initial process, and then create an end-to-end delivery methodology which would lead to the best outcome.
Managing the whole process
The joint team created and issued an RFP, researched and engaged suppliers, and we then worked alongside them to evaluate the bids and generate the shortlist. After oral presentations from the shortlisted suppliers, feedback was coordinated from a wide range of stakeholders and the down-select decision reached.
Ensuring a tailored approach
No two projects are the same, and as a result, we strongly believe that in terms of how you approach them, one size very rarely fits all. So as part of our decision making process, we took time to ensure that the BI methodology of our selected Systems Integration supplier was specifically tailored for this particular programme.
A strong contractual foundation
Working hand-in-hand with our client's Procurement and Legal teams, we conducted detailed contractual negotiations with the chosen suppliers, reaching agreement and contract signature in line with the plan. The strong contractual position we established gave our client confidence.
Selecting a partner or third party is not just about getting the best possible commercial deal at that moment in time. It’s about making decisions to work with other people and organisations, sometimes for a period of many years - through thick and thin - and maximising the chances at the start of doing this successfully.”
Transferring valuable skills
As part of the contracting process, we helped strengthen the leadership team’s understanding of how to create robust contracts and frameworks. This has brought them new skills they can take with them to other significant negotiations in the future.
The suppliers were then rapidly mobilised and we handed over the management of them to the client team members that had been appointed as ongoing supplier managers.
The right support in place
The vendor selection process was completed within the set timeframes, successfully engaging three suppliers. We then supported those suppliers as they ramped up the programme to full capacity, and their resources were actively working on the programme on schedule.
Getting the best value
Representing the programme, our detailed contractual negotiations input not only brought our clients the right suppliers and programme methodology, but also delivered significant procurement ‘savings’. For example, our input helped achieve reductions on initial bid price, including rates lower than incumbents’.
Delivering strong supplier management
We put in place an on-going programme supplier management framework, which included quarterly performance reviews with each supplier. We really brought our delivery experience to bear, highlighting the ability to collaborate and work constructively together across the three key suppliers as a key factor underpinning the ultimate success of the programme. We developed a satisfaction payment regime, which was consistent for all three suppliers and based on both individual and group performance. The contracts included an innovative, outcomes-based supplier bonus/ penalty scheme to really drive the right types of collaborative behaviour.
A blueprint for success
We're proud of the supplier selection process we helped create, and the way in which we worked collaboratively to achieve the right result for our client is now considered to be the best practice template for all their major programmes. It was a fundamental factor in setting the programme up to deliver effectively across a wide range of business functions and geographies.
