The preparation behind a better negotiation

Procurement is the whole function, including the transactional work of raising orders and paying invoices. Strategic sourcing is the upstream part: deciding what to buy, from whom and on what terms. One is the running of it, the other is the deciding.

You do. We build the evidence and the briefing pack and we will join the call if that helps, but we do not lead negotiations or commit to terms on your behalf. Negotiation needs authority and relationship context that lives inside your business.

Because it would not work well and we would rather say so. We are an offshore analyst team, not senior category consultants. If your category genuinely needs someone experienced across the table, hire a consultancy and pay for that seniority. We are the better answer when you have capable negotiators who lack preparation time.

Building up what something ought to cost from its components: materials, labour, overhead, logistics and a reasonable margin. It changes a negotiation from arguing about a discount to discussing why the price differs from what the inputs suggest.

We will not quote you a percentage before looking at the category. The most recent independent benchmarking we could trace is The Hackett Group's, using 2016 data published in 2018, which put world-class procurement savings at 5.6 percent of spend against 3.3 percent for peers. Modern savings claims in this category are overwhelmingly self-reported, and we would treat confident numbers with suspicion.

No. We charge a fixed fee per category. Gainshare sounds aligned but it quietly shapes advice toward whatever is easiest to measure as a saving, and it makes the baseline an argument. A fee keeps our incentive on doing the work properly.

A fixed fee per category, quoted on how much research the market needs and how complex the cost structure is. A commoditised category with published pricing is cheaper to work than a bespoke one with three viable suppliers worldwide.

Typically six to twelve weeks for the analysis and preparation, depending on how much market research is needed and how responsive suppliers are. The negotiation itself runs on your timetable afterwards.

The market research, the should-cost model, the qualified supplier list, the bid analysis and a negotiation briefing pack. All of it is yours to keep, which matters because the model stays useful the next time the category comes round.

No, and you should be wary of anyone who would. The relationship stays entirely yours. We do research and analysis in the background; suppliers deal with your people.

Indirect categories where the analysis travels well: IT and telecoms, professional services, facilities, logistics, packaging, MRO and marketing services. Highly technical direct materials usually need engineering input we do not have.

Usually yes, and that is a separate service. Sourcing a category you have not measured means guessing at which categories deserve the effort. Most engagements start there, then pick the two or three categories worth working.

Access is scoped by you, granted to named people, and revoked through your own leaver process. We contract on standard clauses, name every sub-processor, and work to GDPR, UK GDPR, PIPEDA, the Australian Privacy Principles and Saudi PDPL. Pricing and contract data is handled under confidentiality terms that survive termination. ISO 27001 alignment is in progress and SOC 2 Type II is on the roadmap.

Sourcing support is project shaped: one category, worked through to a negotiation. Category management support is ongoing: market intelligence, scorecards and savings tracking across a category over time. Most clients start with the first.

Yes, and it is the sensible way in. Pick a category where you already suspect you are paying too much, take the fixed fee, and judge us on whether the briefing pack changed how the negotiation went.