8 January 2009 | Adviser Q&A

I am drafting a five-year procurement strategy for a unitary local authority. I have my own ideas to call on, as well as national initiatives, audit reports and the council's corporate strategies, but are there any templates or methodologies out there that could help? Head of procurement, Greater London

Ian Stewart, senior procurement manager, Cambridgeshire County Council

All strategies must be clear, concise and provide guidance to the intended audience. Strategies are about "how" you will achieve your objectives.

I have seen too many procurement strategies written before the organisational objectives have been defined and agreed. The starting point should be to clearly identify all the objectives and then match how procurement can feed into and support the delivery of them. At times, this may require debate within the organisation over content.

It is surprising when you do this how many objectives are dependent on procurement. Once this is done, create an action plan for each objective, with actions/targets as well as timescales and, from this, the strategies for delivery will flow. There are many procurement strategies posted on public sector websites, many of which are very good and should help you to develop yours.

Brian Rees, director of procurement, Swindon Borough Council

Your strategy should focus on giving advice to customers and developing their commercial expertise. Concentrate on innovative ideas for areas of high spend. Five to include are:

• Customer relationship management: helping customers to get the best value for money, and raising their awareness of commercial options and strategies.

• Supplier relationship management: working closely with key suppliers and helping them to innovate in order to get the best value out of the partnership.

• Improving customer capability and competency: working with customers to improve their skills and behaviour, and providing them with the tools to make the best commercial decisions.

• Broader commercial advice: looking outside the traditional remit of "procurement" (for example, by getting involved at the research and development stage.)

• Legislative compliance: ensuring commercial decisions are made within the EU legislative framework and advising how to balance risk management and compliance.

I'm happy to share templates and ideas with you, contact brees@swindon.gov.uk

Gareth Spencer, head of procurement, Merthyr Tydfill County Borough Council

Ensure you have a clear purpose and stick to it. Your plan should act as a "Satnav" to show where you are and where you are going. You should:

• Provide aims, objectives and a definition of procurement. Cover skills, processes, procedures and an intention to continuously achieve value for money.

• Define which areas procurement will be dedicated to. Identify your internal skills base and any development needed, as well as how to access external public procurement knowledge/expertise.

• Establish dedicated people to manage and take ownership of procurement policy and guidance. This should be flexible and consistent with the overall objectives of the organisation.

• Consider how procurement monitors, measures and reports on performance. Link performance to organisation-wide standards. Have an action plan that sets out how you will deliver on areas such as standardisation of purchasing practices, communication, collaboration and innovation.

Key Points
- The starting point of your strategy is your organisation's objectives, so discuss and agree them first.
- Advise customers and develop their commercial expertise.
- Decide what you will focus on; perhaps five high-spend areas

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* Please note: responses can only be given on this page, represent writers’ personal views and should be regarded as general guidance only. The adviser panel includes experts from a range of disciplines