Procurement Consultancy

Procurement is no easy feat, and the consequences of getting it wrong can be severe. If you entrust procurement services to a partner, it’s natural to want reassurance that you’re in good hands.

Faithorn Farrell Timms has procured and project managed over £2.5 billion worth of works and services contracts on behalf of registered social landlords, local authorities and other public sector clients. Our experience makes the process smooth, efficient and ensures clients are protected against any unwelcome challenges. We recognise the importance of abiding by legislation and we manage the process in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

If you have an in-house procurement team, we can support your staff in an advisory capacity. See the section Trusted Project and Partnering Advisor below for details.

What do you need to procure?

Whether one-off works or ongoing services, you need a variety of suppliers to help things run smoothly. Below are examples of the kinds of contracts we have helped clients procure:

  • Responsive repairs
  • Void refurbishments
  • Planned maintenance
  • Cyclical decorations
  • Major refurbishment works
  • Design and Build contracts
  • Mechanical and Electrical installations and repair works
  • Facilities and estate management services

If you need something that is not on the list, please do contact us. If we can help, we’d be happy to and if we can’t, then we’ll gladly point you in the right direction.

A full-service and tailored procurement service for clients who want to outsource the process or who require extra support. Over twenty years Faithorn Farrell Timms has procured and delivered many contracts worth millions of pounds.

The five phases of procurement: FFT’s approach

Phase 1 – Understand our clients’ requirements

Your project is unique; no two clients or works are the same. We determine our clients’ needs at the earliest opportunity and tailor our procurement process accordingly, increasing the likelihood of success.

Phase 2 – Undertake a compliant procurement process

FFT manages the process from start to finish, making sure that the procedure chosen aligns with the client’s procurement strategy. We won’t force a square peg into a round hole and you can rest assured that our process is fully compliant.

Phase 3 – Mobilisation services

Clients often ask us to remain involved in the process to ensure that the momentum generated in Phases 1 and 2 is sustained throughout. This ensures that when the ‘go live’ date arrives, all parties are ready to make the contract a success.

Phase 4 – Implementation and trusted project advisor

We support clients in the early stages of contracts in the capacity of Trusted Project Advisor. Our role is to ensure that the processes agreed during the mobilisation phase are suitably implemented.

Phase 5 – Review and lessons learnt

Quality and value are high on clients’ priority list. Clients benefit from our expertise in reviewing contracts at key milestones; by keeping a close eye on supplier performance and value against agreed measures helps keep standards high and the works on track. Where lessons can be learnt, we’ll ensure they are recorded, understood and implemented.

Trusted Project and Partnering Advisor

Your in-house procurement teams are talented, capable and dedicated. And while it’s not always necessary for clients to outsource the entire process, a fresh pair of eyes is often a bonus.

If you have an in-house procurement team, we can offer support in an advisory capacity.

Trusted Project Advisor

A third party with no connection to the project can often see the bigger picture. We’ll challenge each stage of the process, so procurement teams have a chance to correct any PCR breaches, prior to publication. Clients also benefit from our years of experience in the industry. We use expertise gained through extensive training and hands-on experience to guide clients, helping them rise to the obligations of the PCR legislation.

Partnering Advisor

A creative, dynamic and relationship-led approach to projects leads to a successful outcome. We act as Partnering Advisor for a number of our clients. In practice, this means that we facilitate workshops and chair strategic meetings to help all involved establish clear goals and build strong relationships that will allow them to achieve those goals.

Project Management

Procurement is one thing, ensuring that the works run smoothly, on time and on budget is another. As part of the ‘inception to completion’ service we offer, FFT can manage your project for you – professionalism and efficiency guaranteed.

You place a great deal of trust in your procurement and project management partners. We recognise the importance of those relationships and as such all of our qualified Project Managers are members of the Association for Project Management.

Find out more about our Project Management service.

Risk Management

Risk is inherent in any undertaking – carefully managing that risk is the key to a project’s success. But setting up a Risk Register does not eliminate all potential problems. Somebody needs to take responsibility for implementing measures to mitigate risk, and reviewing those measures continually.

We have found that our clients are often keen to have an independent organisation manage risk on their behalf, whether as part of the procurement process, on a construction scheme or during mobilisation. Doing so not only helps to minimise risk, it can ensure that the key elements of a project – namely budget, programme and scope – are not derailed by risk.

Leaseholder Consultation (Section 20) Advice and Management

By law, leaseholders must be consulted before a landlord carries out works above a certain value or enters into any long-term agreement with contractors for works, supplies and services. If leaseholders are not consulted and if legislation is not adhered to, the ramifications for landlords can be severe.

Our procurement specialists work with our clients to offer advice on legislation, sometimes undertaking entire Section 20 processes on their behalf. Compliance is something we take seriously, whether we are managing the process or acting in an advisory capacity.

Learn more about our Leaseholder Consultation services.

Contract reviews

Suppliers offer an organisation many benefits, though they also come with a cost. Periodic reviews of supply chain agreements can help make savings and ensure that the agreements offer good value for money.

There are two main ways we assist our clients in maximising the value of their contracts: audits and process mapping.

Value for Money Reviews and Audits

While organisations are eager to deliver a first-class service, value for money will always remain a key driver, whether at the stage of procuring a contract or in evaluating an existing one. Does the service really represent value for money? Could measures be put in place to improve efficiency? These are the kinds of questions we help clients to answer, by carrying out annual audits, resident satisfaction reviews and reviewing profit share arrangements.

Process Mapping

Suppliers deliver their contracts to the best of their ability and clients receive service in good faith. However, inefficiency and wastage can become an issue, despite the good intentions of all involved.

We liaise with clients and service providers to establish where such problems may occur. Our report captures the issues and suggests ways of working that improve efficiency without compromising the successful delivery of services.