Welcome to this week’s edition of the Keystone Column containing business stories and public procurement opportunities that drive the commercial strategy of ambitious companies. This week, we focus on procurement strategy for upcoming frameworks, a framework for managing buyers as part of a procurement strategy and a team of inventors from Cork that have won a prestigious innovation award for life saving maintenance/work platform technology.
Business stories
Updates to the Procurement Frameworks from the Office of Government Procurement
There are some framework contests scheduled that businesses should be aware of in Software Asset Management, ICT Professional Services, Creative & Comms, Design Services, Marketing services, Property Valuation, PPE, Records Management, Fleet Maintenance, Learning & Development services for the Civil Service to name a few. Procurement strategy is important when it comes to considering these frameworks.
Businesses that are too small to bid in their own right can consider forming a consortium to bid. This requires consideration and planning but consortiums can work well if the right effort is put in to make them work.
Alternatively, companies can do one of two things:
- Use the documentation from this process as a benchmark and look to build towards being able to bid when these contracts come up for renewal; or
- Where applicable, seek to become a supplier into one of the companies appointed to the framework.
Philippines pivots defence spending away from the United States
The colourful President Rodrigo Duterte (some would add many other adjectives) of the Philippines has been embroiled in a number of spats since his election in the past year. In the past few weeks alone, he has engaged in some incendiary cat calling of the current President of the United States and in attacking the record of the US as the most recent (and last) colonial overlord of the Philippines. This speech led to the cancellation of a planned meeting with President Obama. The former prosecutor, Duterte is not one to take these kinds of things lying down however. This week, the Department of Defence has announced a shifting in its military procurement strategy to Russia and China (and away from the United States – the vendor of almost everything it has ever purchased up until now). People often underestimate the role of the military-industrial complex in mapping out diplomatic relationships. Military procurement is an entire discipline and sector of its own, but it can often harbour interesting insights into geo-political shifts across the world.
Interesting trends
Managing buyers as part of a procurement strategy
A high performing supplier will manage the relationship with the buyer proactively as part of their procurement strategy. In the words of Gordon Gekko from the film Wall Street, this means getting them information rather than giving them information (which they can get off anyone). In reality, a mix of the two will ensure the Buyer sees a hard-working, professional supplier that is seeking to make the relationship work to the advantage of both parties. It costs a lot more money to win new work that it does to service an existing customer. We recommend focusing reports and engagement with Buyers using a model like the framework we outline in the diagram below.
Note: we are in the sourcing & procurement business. We highlight things we like or that are novel or innovative. Innovators should be encouraged.
New public procurement tenders this week
Visit the Keystone website to view our take on the 500+ active public procurement opportunities with more than five days until their deadline. There are a vast range of services, supplies and construction related to public procurement opportunities in the following sectors (there are many more sectors than the sample list below):
- Construction and related trades,
- Professional & Advisory Services,
- PR, Media, Advertising and related,
- ICT supplies and services,
- Training,
- Property & facilities management,
- Vehicle & automotive,
- Catering and related services,
- Cleaning and related services,
- Waste Management,
- Maintenance and related services,
- Horticultural supplies & services,
- Research & environmental monitoring,
- Printing, office supplies and related services,
- Trades,
- Medical and scientific research, supplies and services,
- A vast range of other services and supplies.
Businesses interested in any of these public procurement opportunities that are unsure of how they can follow-up on these tenders can contact Keystone at any stage. We would be happy to discuss your needs and where they may fit with your business growth plans. These public procurement opportunities are sources of business growth and innovation for companies across the country.
Keystone E-Tenders Report Open YTD as at 1509 (by date of publication)
Keystone E-Tenders Report Open YTD as at 1509 (by sector)
Please note, e-tenders often has public procurement opportunities incorrectly categorised so people relying on e-tender alerts could easily miss out on opportunities if they are dependent on it. E-tenders is only as reliable as the people inputting tenders and mistakes are made very frequently. The Keystone Column includes all live tenders posted on e-tenders since January 4th 2016 that have five or more days until their deadline as at September 15th 2016.
