What Part Of Procurement Are We Aiming Ourselves At?

Procurement, the very word conjures up images of long, drawn out processes with people beavering away in locked rooms marking RFPS on an Excel spreadsheet in some sort of XFactor competition. Well it does to many many that we spoke to.

The process of procuring (let's just use the word buying from now on), of buying something, can indeed be long, sometimes many decisions need to be had, lots of information needs to be synthesised and many people need to be talked with. But it doesn't have to be as there is NO one size fits all.

Buying a holiday all your family will enjoy is NOT the same as buying a new pair of shoes (unless the shoes are these, oh yes!)

But how do you know which way to go - is it based on a monetary spend (the holiday is likely to be more expensive than the shoes), is it how many people are involved (family vs you), or is it just because the rules tell you (surely that's not the answer, is it?).

Relationships

Team PUP believe that there are many factors in the buying process but all are built upon a relationship with those with the goods / services that will ultimately meet your outcomes. If you have everyone in a room working together on resolving those outcomes, what a wonderful world - but we'd need a massive room and a change in fundamental human behaviour to get "everyone".

How about, if everyone had a chance to work out WHAT the outcomes were, to discuss how they all believe it should be expressed and then (and only then) would an actual transaction based process take place - wouldn't that naturally leave only those with the skills and experience left in the room? Maybe. maybe not.

Outcomes Not Requirements

All of this takes part before the "classic" / "recognised" procurement process - the writing, dissemination and response to RFPs - this is really the tender process. Before that we need to focus on the relationships that help speed up the tender process, This is our focus, the very beginning.

And the beginning starts with well understood, well articulated and well received outcomes - that's our first 'feature' - hand holding everyone through outcomes (and not requirement) based discussions.

Let's talk about that ...