Performance Management
With the trend towards the outsourcing of services and a focus on service delivery rather than service provision, the UK local authority sector is a significant procurer of services. In some authorities, however, procurement is fragmented through several departments, several authorities have outsourced their client expertise along with the provision of service, and others have not provided the robust management of the supply chain or contractor which is required. TAS has noticed that, as a result, procurement of fleet and transport services has regularly failed to produce maximum benefit in terms of the price secured, the cost of delivery, or the quality or service levels provided.
TAS believes that within every authority, there should be a robust 'intelligent' client organisation to procure and manage the provision of services, supported by appropriate systems. We have provided assistance across the whole spectrum of procurement and performance management including:
- The entire tendering process, from drafting of specifications and contract conditions, through tender evaluation, discussions with suppliers, contract award and mobilisation.
- Advice on the most appropriate type of relationship with its supplier(s). TAS believes that whatever form this takes, best practice usually follows the features found in successful client/supplier partnerships including:
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- A shared set of mutual objectives. Although some objectives will be mutually exclusive e.g. political issues versus profit margins, there will be common ground on others e.g. improved service performance leading to mutual 'gainshare'.
- A mechanism for resolving issues and problems quickly. The lower down each organisation this exists, the more effectively this will happen. This can achieved through a simple hierarchy of performance review meetings.
- Agreed Key Performance Indicators, against which performance can be measured and reviewed. It is important that KPIs are achievable; that there are only a small number of them, covering the main areas of service delivery; and that they can apply to client, as well as supplier, performance.
- A mechanism and desire to continually improve performance, linking this to some form of 'gainshare', which benefits both parties.
- The provision of access to the relevant data, in the format required. TAS will advise on the role of IT to enable this, and on the most appropriate software to meet the needs of each individual client.