Best practice procurement documentation
Are you sure that your documentation gets you the best deals available?
Product definition
The development for a client of essential best practice procurement
documentation includes policies, procurement planning framework,
customer guidelines, tools and techniques and contract templates.
Note: ‘Documentation’ refers to both paper documentation
and electronic documentation. Increasingly, procurement related
documentation is stored electronically and made available when required
by procurement staff and others via an intranet or equivalent vehicle.
Deliverables
The suite of procurement documentation is based upon the PMMS best
practice model:
PMMS best practice model
Level 1
Contains the organisation’s
Procurement Policy endorsed at Board level. It will also include
a role statement for procurement together with a statement of procurement’s
remit. It highlights the importance of procurement as a strategic
business process and briefly and clearly describes ‘how we purchase’.
This Level 1 policy related documentation can be made generally available
both internally and externally e.g. to suppliers, MPs, trade associations,
visitors etc.
Level 2
Comprises the Procurement Planning Framework which contains details of procurement
processes and procedures. It provides a structured approach to and
a ‘route map’ for undertaking excellent tactical and strategic
procurement together with guidelines on where to employ the full range
of strategic procurement tools and techniques.
The Procurement Planning Framework is primarily written for
full time purchasing professionals.
Level 3
Tools and Techniques:
Describe in detail both the theory and application of the various
tools and techniques referenced in the Procurement Planning
Framework.
Templates and Proformas:
Include documentation such as standard terms and conditions,
control documentation (e.g. sign-off sheets to record the appropriate
approvals prior to contract award), contract templates and other
proforma documentation required by the procedures incorporated
in the Procurement Planning Framework.
Operational and Admin Procedures:
Contain ‘operating level’ procedures such as how to
use purchasing charge cards, how to input data into the purchasing
system, invoice payment procedures etc.
Client Guidelines:
Look at the procurement process from the perspective of an internal
client or customer (similar in concept to the Procurement
Planning Framework which considers the procurement process
from a buyer’s standpoint). It describes the client’s
role, responsibilities and contribution and how the client and
procurement can best work together to ensure that the client’s
business needs are satisfied. It is easy to read in a user friendly
format in order to provide clients with the helpful guidance
they need rather than a manual of detailed, prescriptive –
and boring – procedures.
The three levels of documentation are completely consistent and mutually
supportive and are developed to reflect the client’s ‘house
style’.
The product will deliver to the client the complete ‘model’
documentation set or selected parts of it to meet the client’s
business needs.
Watch out for: Avoid making any documentation over bureaucratic.
The intent is to provide a route map and helpful guidelines and to
discourage a ‘tick box’ mentality.
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