Always look on the bright side of tariffs - part 2

 Well, at least with a tariff things are merely (a lot) more expensive.  It may lead to some suppliers dropping out of the market, and some products and services no longer being available....  but in theory they just add cost, inconvenience and drive inflation.

A bigger concern, which I think has been there but just not really a major focus of attention, is that China is not only a key manufacturer but a key source of raw materials.  Which they have tight control on.  Through the belt and road initiative they also exert control on some alternative sources of supply.

A particular choke point may be on rare earth metals (physicists joke that they are not rare, not earth and not even metals... but ignore us).

Controlling access to these essential elements used in advanced materials has long been a key Chinese economic strategy - and now they may just turn off the supply to the USA.  And the EU.

Not being able to get things at any price is a bigger problem than higher prices.

A couple of articles here and here.

Good luck out there.

Always look on the bright side of tariffs - part one

 WELL, we are still in uncertain times.  Tariffs are being introduced, reduced, raised, paused, exempted on what feels like a daily basis.

So, from a Procurement & Supply Chain point of view let's take the positives - our role in the organisation is (currently) critical to success  - maybe even to survival.  So, for once in our lives we are on the main stage (or at the very least, we should be - it may not be happening for you).

And because of the complex nature of some of these tariffs (see below) it is vitally important that we understand the origins and structure of our supply chains.  So, we should be supported in those investigations rather than being told just to get a shipment for Tuesday...

Being less flippant and exaggerated, it is a good reminder of the Covid-19 lesson that unless we really understand our supply chains we are not aware of the risks and opportunities within it.

Good hunting.

Tariffs - wow!

 The world has changed.  It is not the same is it was on 31st March 2025.

I'm not in a position to tell you what to do in response, apart from to suggest that doing nothing is not an option.

The good news for Procurement and Supply Chain professionals is that our organisations now need us, and need us to be on top of our game.

Even if you management has not requested you to do so, I recommend you look hard at your existing supply chains and review your Risk Registers.  Consider what might change and what your options are (if you have any).

The situation is likely to remain fluid for quite some time.  Good luck!

Delivering Against the new NPPS - 27TH March 2025

 Well the new National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) is here.

And 3/5ths of it seem pretty simple to reconcile with procurement.  The other 2/5?

Well that is why you need to come along to PASS Procurement's course on Delivering Against the new NPPS = 27th March 2025 online.  Full details here.

hope to see you there.

What Engineers need to know about Contracts - IChemE online 20/21/22 October 2025 pm to be rescheduled

(We have rescheduled the online event from April 2025)

The ever popular What Engineers Need to know about Contracts course is being run twice by IChemE this year - once online in October 2025, and once face to face in July 2025.

The face to face event is of course limited in numbers, and is getting pretty full already so if you want a couple of days in Rugby better get booking.

The online course is pretty much the same content but 3 half days rather than 2 full days, and of course it is much easier to accommodate any number of delegates.

Full details of the courses are available here.

Hope to see you on one or the other (honestly no need to book both...)

(BTW this is not the highly regarded course that goes into details of the IChemE suite of model contracts, though we do mention them).

National Procurement Policy Statement - NPPS

 The new National Procurement Policy Statement has been published and I will be briefly discussing it at The Procurement Act Live! at the NEC on Thursday 27th February 2025.

Helpfully the NPPS was published about an hour after I had submitted my presentation for formatting (I'm not bitter...) but at least I have been able to update it appropriately.

The key element as I seem them are...

Kickstart Economic Growth

    Opportunities for SMEs (PPN 001 (2025)

    High quality jobs

    Encouraging Innovation

Make Britain a Green Energy superpower

    Accelerating to NetZero

Take back our streets

Break down barriers to opportunity

    Skills gaps

    Removing barriers to entry for young people and under represented groups

Build a NHS fit for the future

The NPPS is of course not QUITE National, as Scotland is not taking part in the PA2023 (yet), and Wales and Northern Ireland have some devolved procurement arrangements.  But nice to know the priorities.

Of the 5 elements I am not convinced that 2 really fit into Procurement Policy (I'm all in favour of taking back our streets, but is this a procurement priority?  And likewise I am a strong believer in [and patient of] the NHS, but surely that point is a government priority not a procurement priority (what is, say, MOD procurement [which is in the news at the moment] going to do to deliver improvements in the NHS?).  Those seem more like government priorities rather than procurement issues.

Of the 3 remaining, they all seem appropriate - but largely reminiscent of the original NPPS from June 2021 under a different administration.

    - Creating new businesses, new jobs and new skills in the UK

    - Tackling climate change and reducing waste 

    - Improving supplier diversity, innovation and resilience.

But that is not a bad thing as these are key challenges and knotty problems.

Hope to see you at NEC to discuss them in more detail (at the seminar or on the BIP Solutions stand)

Happy Procurement Act 2025 Go-Live Day

 Happy Procurement Act 2025 Go-Live Day to all those who celebrate....  on Monday 24th February 2025.

Supplier registrations on the new Central Digital Platform go live now (Monday) though I think I might leave it a day or two to avoid the rush.

You might even wait until after you have visited The Procurement Act Live at the NEC on Thursday 27th Feb 2025 - where I shall be presenting 5 short seminars but more importantly there will be speakers from Cabinet Office and loads of stalls, stands and seminars.

Details are here

Hope to see you there

CIPS - open skills course - Developing Contractual Agreements 3rd March 2025

 I am running the CIPS course on Developing Contractual Agreements online on 3rd March.

Assumes no prior knowledge and is relevant to both Public and Private Sector.  At the time of writing all the delegates are from the UK, but it is also applicable to people in other countries.

Hope to see you there.

Full details are here.

Online Open course - CIPS Procurement Fundamentals 13th Jan 2025

Happy New Year.  

The end of year break has gone past quickly and we are now quickly into the thick of courses and events.  Still looking forward to the Procurement Act 2023 going live on 24th February 2025.

I shall be running Procurement Fundamentals online on 13th January 2025 for CIPS.  A one day course, giving you (guess what?) the fundamentals of procurement (for both public and private sectors, services and manufacturing).

Hope you will join us.

full details here.