eZine, December 2007

Welcome to the future

Welcome to Supplier Forum, our e-newsletter for OGCbuying.solutions suppliers.

As many of you will already be aware, a fundamental change programme is rapidly taking shape at Buying Solutions.

We have drawn back from communicating hard detail about this in recent months because plans for our proposed new way of operating have been very much in a developmental phase.

However, I believe the time is now right to provide you with a progress report on these changes and to give you an outline of Buying Solutions’ future direction, which is founded on the overwhelming need for collaboration in public sector procurement and the principles of category management.

This newsletter summarises the need for change, outlines our new business model, explains collaborative procurement and category management along with details of our new category team structure, reviews our investment in enhanced marketing, highlights the benefits of change for suppliers and customers alike, touches on the future of the Supplier Forum annual conference, records recent successes and previews PS08.

Please click on the relevant links for more on each of these areas.

All the changes represent a great chance for effective suppliers to play a much fuller role in what we do - and to seize major business opportunities - whilst at the same time delivering even better value for money.

Just as Buying Solutions will provide greater support to suppliers in future, we very much need the active support of suppliers during this transitional period. It is in everyone’s interests to make this work.

So we must unite in pursuing one common goal. To provide maximum value for customers and, through them, the taxpayer.

The changes should be in place by January 2008, so our previous way of working is increasingly changing. One practical example of this is that many suppliers’ primary contacts within Buying Solutions will soon be different.

But don’t worry. We will keep everyone fully informed as these details are finalised and put in place. In the meantime if you need to speak to us about any of these issues please call our Customer Service Desk in the normal way.

Stephen Heard, November 2007.