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Staying Compliant Whilst Scaling and Shaping for Growth

As Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) evolve, the transition to centralising contracts and services can often be daunting, especially when scaling and shaping for growth. Not only do Trusts have to juggle multiple procurement projects across multiple schools, but they must also stay informed about the contractual commitments and non-compliant contracts that may be inherited following a merger.

In the ever-evolving education landscape, MATs continue expanding and reshaping how schools collaborate and operate. While this growth brings numerous opportunities, it also presents unique challenges, particularly in procurement and contract management.

Imagine a MAT consisting of multiple schools and growing, each with its own photocopying or ground maintenance services contract, all expiring at different times. The result? A logistical nightmare and potential compliance risk. This scenario is one that many of our clients face as they grow and regularly come to us for advice on.

Published by: Jon Wilson

Sector Lead – Constellia for Schools

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the problem statement

Managing numerous contracts with varying end dates, suppliers, and terms can lead to:

  • Increased Costs: With no consolidated view of contracts, individual schools in a Trust may be speaking to the same supplier, missing out on opportunities to negotiate better terms and leverage group purchasing power.
  • Administrative Overhead: Tracking and renewing multiple contracts is time-consuming and resource-intensive, diverting valuable resources from core educational activities.
  • Compliance Risks: Ensuring that all contracts adhere to legal and regulatory compliance becomes complex, increasing the risk of non-compliance.
  • Operational Inefficiency: Misaligned contracts can lead to disruptions in services and logistical challenges, impacting the smooth operation of schools.

The Solution: Procurement Expertise and Contract Management

Constellia secured a saving on budget of £1.7m, contracting a high calibre service provider and ensured that their delivery plan was aligned to the clients preferred project management methodology. The client procurement team and senior stakeholders were delighted with the procurement process and the significant savings achieved.

Here’s how:

  • Savings: Consolidating contracts enables better negotiation and cost-saving opportunities. The freedom of the Neutral Vendor framework also allows us to negotiate and be much more commercial with bids received to get the optimum solution and best price point. Leveraging our negotiation expertise and extensive benchmarking data, we can secure optimal value, saving you 12-20% per budget.
  • Compliance: Our contract management specialists work with you to compliantly align contract end dates before pursuing Trust-wide contracts in the market. Our Neutral Vendor Solution adheres to Public Contract Regulations, ensuring everything you buy always remains compliant.
  • Free Up Resources: Our procurement team stands ready to support all process stages, addressing schools’ shortfalls in capacity or category subject matter expertise. With three service levels available, you can choose the level of support that aligns with your specific needs for each procurement. Whether it’s supplier identification, premarket engagement, running the tender process or ongoing contract management, we can manage this for you at no extra cost to you, as suppliers absorb fees.

By addressing contract complexities and optimising procurement processes, MATs can redirect resources toward their core mission: delivering quality education and meeting the needs of their pupils and families.

If your school or Trust is struggling with procurement capacity or needs expertise and advice on contract management, let’s have a conversation and explore how Constellia could help.

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Get In Touch

For more information, please get in touch with Jon Wilson at schools@constellia.com or call 0330 320 8020.

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