10 Success Factors that Make a Procurement Champion

An effective and efficient procurement regime will secure maximum benefit from an authority’s expenditure on the purchase of goods, works and services. The main objectives are to take a long term view of expenditure that includes future running costs; delivering the best possible quality of product; and securing contractual relationships that avoid wasteful disputes and build on proven teams.

In 2006, and following the success of 'Ten Top Tips', Ken Odgers (pictured left with Roger Latham, Chair of the Local Government Task Force) prepared Ten Success Factors to help local authorities achieve the above objectives and deliver best practice within the procurement environment in which they operate. Hard copies of the document were distributed to all local authorities who were encouraged to examine their procedures to see how close their authority was to being in procurement’s ‘Champions League’.

While written in ‘soccer language’ (it was released at the time of the football world cup that was hosted by France that summer), it can be easily understood by everyone. It encourages organisations to examine their procedures and see how close they are to being in procurement's 'Champions League' by:

 

  • Ensuring everybody knows where they are going, what the rules are and is aware of what is going on;
  • Knowing the field and what you have to play with, looking far enough ahead and planning your steps accordingly;
  • Ensuring all your players are 'match fit', playing fair, and thinking about the risk of losing;
  • Exploring new techniques, learning and developing.