Reminiscing about the future

Posted on March 1, 2012 by John Fernau

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to speak to CIPS South West Branch about our procurement journey at the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA). In the normal course of business, we are either heads down on delivery, or heads up and looking forward to future requirements and how to plan for them, so it was a pleasure to take a look back across what we have achieved and how we did it. Continue reading →

Posted in Strategy | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

What should CPOs take note of when it comes to expectations of their purchasing staff?

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Claudine Swiatek

Dear chief purchasing officer,

We, the collective purchasing staff, have collated our thoughts on how you could help us to help you. Here are a few things we hope you will keep in mind: Continue reading →

Posted in People & relationships, Tools & techniques | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Procurement’s Yellow Jersey

Posted on October 26, 2011 by John Fernau

Within the Tour de France there are a number of competitions, such as the King of the Mountains (polka dot jersey), as well as the overall competition (the Yellow Jersey).

At the CIPS Supply Management Awards 2011, I was delighted to go up on stage with the rest of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) team to receive procurement’s equivalent of both the King of the Mountains and Overall Leader jerseys, winning ‘Best Public Procurement’ and ‘Overall Winner’.

This was the first time that a public body has won the overall award and we all feel honoured to have been recognised in this way. Continue reading →

Posted in Operations, People & relationships | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Heading into the cloud

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Alaba Adedayo

As businesses actively consider ‘public cloud’ services – particularly as a vehicle for significant cost reduction – CPOs need to be aware of some of the key challenges associated with this innovation.  Continue reading →

Posted in Tools & techniques | Leave a comment

How to avoid the congested roads

Posted on July 27, 2011 by John Fernau

A few weeks ago I rode the London to Brighton Bike Ride in the company of 27,000 other brave souls.

After the expected congestion of London, the route became even more crowded in the Surrey hills as a result of narrow roads and the combination of increased gravity and rusty machinery (both human and metal).

As I swerved around a cyclist dressed as huntsman, who in turn was chasing another dressed as a fox, I narrowly avoided another dressed as a French onion seller (complete with garlic and odour), who then disappeared into the verge.

I pondered the similarities between my predicament and that of a buyer in a crowded market where demand is high and supply limited. Continue reading →

Posted in Strategy | Leave a comment

The joy of data

Posted on May 25, 2011 by John Fernau

My little bicycle computer tells me that so far this week I have cycled for three hours, covering 42.6 miles at an average of 14.2 miles an hour. It tells me that I need to work on my average speed and the Tour de France is not beckoning.

Data is also crucial to managing companies and organisations; in procurement terms this is normally to track and control spend, for instance, how many suppliers are used and how spend is distributed among them. This allows areas of leverage to be identified and maximised and un-procured vendors to be identified and brought under procurement control and commercial management.

Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Limitations of technology

Posted on April 20, 2011 by John Fernau

As I fixed my second puncture of the day on my cycle to work the other day, I found myself pondering the limitations of technology.

At the Olympic Delivery Authority, we have used e-tendering and e-evaluation for all procurements over £25,000 and this technology has been crucial to us. Continue reading →

Posted in Tools & techniques | 1 Comment

Know your numbers

Posted on February 21, 2011 by Guy Allen

One of the sure signs of a tough economy is the number of cold calls I get, whether from recruitment agencies or fleet management companies promising to slash my fleet cost by 30 per cent, or e-procurement providers that will boldly take my data where no data has ever gone before.

Continue reading →

Posted in Tools & techniques | 3 Comments

A scoping approach

Posted on January 26, 2011 by John Fernau

How do you buy something when you don’t know what you want? We’ve often faced this problem at the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).

Given our fixed deadline for delivery, contractor mobilisation and delivery timescales, and the time required for the procurement process, our programme sometimes forces us to go to market before all of our requirements are fully defined.

The problem is then how to elicit strong commercial offers from bidders and stay within the law without a firm scope or specification?

Continue reading →

Posted in Operations, Strategy | Leave a comment

Chewing over Apple

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Guy Allen

Guy Allen I’ve had cause to rethink my position on Apple a little, following a weekend walking in the Lakes.

Climbing those hills always gives you time to think. When I turned up on Friday night at the house, one of our party – who frankly isn’t the most technically savvy of individuals – was using his iPad to check the weather for the next day’s walk.

Now I have been able to access the net in the Lakes for a number of years – routinely getting out my 3G card, starting my VPN client, entering my password etc, etc . Continue reading →

Posted in Strategy, Tools & techniques | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment