Strategic procurement

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Strategic procurement services
for the Eastern Region

ACER is a membership organisation providing specialist

services and development to our member colleges with

the overall aim of improving quality and efficiency. We like to

work closely with our members to provide the professional skills that colleges require. As an exciting addition to our provision, we are pleased to offer a suite of valuable, procurement services – ideal for the small to medium-sized colleges which may not be able to afford a full-time procurement officer and for the larger colleges who may not have access to procurement capability at a senior management level. Offering a personalised consultancy service, delivered in partnership and built on our understanding of your college.

Obtaining goods and services from outside suppliers is an increasingly important area of cost to colleges, and which at the same time is more and more complicated by regulation from both UK government as well as Europe. Colleges generally recognize that procurement is a function that needs professional handling and yet struggle to afford the significant investment required to obtain this at a senior level.

ACER adopts a proactive procurement model by working with your college managers and staff to bring about process change, designed to complement the individual organisation to achieve improvements in value. Additionally, we are supporting the Treasury directive to encourage colleges to collaborate together on the targeted 50% of their overall purchasing expenditure. This requires a significant change in culture which we propose to help facilitate.

Personal procurement service

Our procurement service is provided on a personal level and involves us getting to know your college, working directly with the SMT and understanding your relationships with outside suppliers. Our service adds real value, both saving cost and improving the quality of service from suppliers.

The strategic procurement service is led by Phil White, Regional Procurement Services Manager of ACER. Phil, a corporate member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, has a very successful track record of public sector procurement including FE and HE. Whilst in procurement Phil has made savings for the organisations he worked for of £21m.

Benefits to your organisation

Achieving hard, cash-releasing savings
Measurably improving supplier performance on service and quality
Streamlining college purchase-to-pay processes
Reducing the many risks involved in purchasing from outside suppliers
Ensuring compliance with UK and European regulations

Procurement membership

In order to deliver a personal service, it is essential that college visits and personal contact is developed and maintained. We have therefore designed our service to build in a number of consultant visits.

As a membership service, your college needs to be a member of ACER and needs to buy into the procurement service on an annual basis. VAT is not payable on the annual membership service.

Each college will be entitled to a number of on-site consultancy days per year based on the ratio of one day for every £1 million of non-pay budget spend. The use of the days will be agreed in advance with management to look at specific issues relevant to each college.

In addition to consultancy days, an e-mail and phone helpline and information will be provided on a reasonable basis. Information will be circulated to the members on relevant topics to keep up to date with developments.

As part of this annual service, colleges involved in collaboration working groups will be supported by Phil to ensure that the groups are taken forward and achieve their objectives.

In addition to this membership service package, you can take advantage of some additional, specialist procurement services. Click here for details