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Supplier Relationship Development for the UK public sector

A half day seminar and briefing developed and run by Ken Cole and Christine Morton setting out how SRD is being used in the public sector as a new source for efficiency gains and risk reduction. This is not theory but actual practice based on first hand experience.

Business Challenge

Supplier Relationship Development / Management (SRD) is a technique practiced in the private sector for many years and is now taking hold in the public sector. It is perfectly legal in the public sector even under the EU Public Procurement Directives. In very simple terms it involves it collaborating with other public sector organisations in order to work with identified contractors in order to improve service quality, remove barriers, and identify areas for cost reduction.

SRD is already practiced in some areas and has been developed specifically in London by the former London Centre of Excellence which has been piloting it for nearly a year now with two leading local government providers in the waste collection and adult social care sectors.

The challenging financial situation faced by the UK public sector, together with the recommendation of the recent Roots Review on local government procurement means that for many collaborative working needs to be a major source of new cashable gains in the coming financial years if serious levels of service reduction are not to be realised. The economic down turn has also made many public sector bodies look at their risk of exposure should a strategic supplier fail. SRD can help in the management of such risks.

Programme Outline

This is a management programme, based on briefing representatives on the background to SRD and how it is being implemented in practice. It requires no technical knowledge, and is highly interactive to maximise the transfer of knowledge to those people attending.  There is lots of practical advice on how to carry out SRD from two leading practitioners that have developed, implemented and championed it over the last three years.

The agenda includes:

• Understanding what SRD is, and its importance to the efficiency process
• Preparing for SRD using 'information arbitrage' and reformatted expenditure analysis information
• The dos and don'ts for taking it forward including the selection of suitable partners
• Dealing with objections and opposition
• Setting up your SRD programme
• Engaging with potential suppliers
• Developing the skill sets to undertake this work
• Identifying the negotiation issues
• Potential supporting technology
• Reporting on achievements and showing results

Who Should Attend

This programme is specifically designed for:

• Chief Officers and service managers responsible for the delivery of efficiency improvements, risk management and cashable savings
• Finance managers wishing to understand how to achieve more for less in a challenging financial climate
• Procurement specialists who want to broaden their knowledge and extend their influence

Benefits to Individuals Attending

This programme will help representatives to:

• Develop their SRD programmes quickly and very effectively without the need for significant external consultancy support
• Provide the basis for accelerating collaboration and delivering results envisaged by the Roots Review
• Identifying likely candidates for SRD pilot projects
• Brief Members and Chief Officers on how SRD works and why they should get involved

Benefits to Employing Organisations

The programme will enable public sector organisations to:

• Target high value / high risk areas as a source of efficiency gains and service improvement
• Develop appropriate strategies from managing risk and contractors
• Respond positively to the new requirements of the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA)
• Learn about first hand experiences of collaborative working including best practice
• Gain knowledge of new techniques and commercial principles
• Acquire information needed to improve the quality of data in their systems and through expenditure analysis.

Book a Place

If you are unable to book online please call 01462 490609 and ask for Conference Registration.

Contact Alison McCreath or Audrey Errington-Svard on 01784 895040 or email info@sps-consultancy.co.uk for more information.