Professional services spend management experts, Constellia, have partnered with goods and works procurement specialists, eXceeding, to enable public sector buyers to the full range of categories under the AEC Neutral Vendor Framework.
Having extensively worked with public sector organisations, we have seen the challenges and constraints experienced by procurement and category professionals.
The most commonly expressed frustrations we hear revolve around timescales, compliance, internal category knowledge, clearly defined requirements, agility and data.
eXceeding’s mission is to overcome these challenges and to create a force for good, bringing together people, processes and technology to create better outcomes through the AEC Neutral Vendor Framework.
A neutral vendor acts as a channel between a contracting authority and accredited suppliers who have been through rigorous pre-qualification and accreditation process to become framework partners.
Similar to fixed frameworks, only accredited suppliers can be appointed on to a neutral vendor framework, however, new suppliers can join at any point during the six-year term.
For the public sector buyer this opens up new opportunities, technologies, solutions and a more dynamic and larger pool of suppliers, and therefore better value for money.
This unique offering now provides buyers with the ability to make entirely compliant, fast and efficient direct awards or run mini competitions under a fully managed procurement process for all elements of professional services, goods and works.
As a contracting authority, this means you can procure many different category requirements through a single channel, potentially with a single supplier, making the process much easier, faster, 100% compliant and more cost effective.
Why is the AEC Neutral Vendor Framework different?
- Speed – You can turn around direct awards in 1-2 days if suppliers are already on the framework, adding a couple of days extra if not.
- No challenge – The framework is 100% compliant and cannot be challenged.
- Choice – Good quality suppliers can be added at any time to match well-defined procurement requirements.
- Supplier-funded – Contracting authorities get to access best practice procurement without the cost or lengthy justification for external support, suppliers pass on savings due to drastically reduced bidding costs and higher win rates.
- Category expertise – A wealth of existing professional service, goods and works category expertise sits within the framework to supplement your existing internal knowledge.
- Visibility – Increase transparency and control of the procurement process for all parties through easy-to-use software platform.
Supporting buyers with their statement of requirements development, this framework ensures that all bidders fully understand the buyers’ exact needs, meaning that submitted bids are always exceptional, competitive and high quality.
Commenting, Managing Director at eXceeding, Steve Rowland said:
“We are delighted at this new association, which enables buyers across the public sector to compliment the professional services expertise of Constellia with eXceeding’s extensive knowledge of goods and works procurement.
“We are absolutely aligned in our passion for enabling best practice procurement, value for money and strong outcomes.
“At eXceeding, we want to help you achieve your strategic and political targets, realise savings and efficiencies and support your social value initiatives, such as engaging SMEs, local suppliers, reaching Net Zero and improving sustainability.
“By working with both buyers and suppliers alike, we will bring the best of commercial procurement into the public sector, create value for money and long-term win-win collaborative relationships.”
Join our webinar to find out more
Join us for our upcoming webinar Driving faster, flexible and compliant procurement in the public sector on Wednesday 14 July at 10:00 GMT to find out more about this unique framework.
For more information, visit www.exceeding.co.uk or contact us on 0330 088 1620.
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