Commissioning and pre-procurement
Market engagement and collaboration
Supplier engagement is essential to allow the market to understand and prepare for developing requirements and this must be undertaken before the procurement process begins. Early engagement with the market can help a buyer understand the current and evolving market capacity, capability and maturity, and the opportunities and risks for sustainable outcomes before starting a procurement process. Market engagement can also be used to support information sharing, leading to innovative ideas. It can also help the buyer learn about the potential suppliers and their supply chains. This may be done by issuing a Request for Information or by organising market events where information can be gathered:
- have you engaged with the market to set out your objectives?
- how capable is the market in delivering these ambitions?
- factor in sufficient time to conduct an effective market dialogue – communicate your intended objectives, outcomes, timescales, and the project business case. This signals your intent to the market (as well as internal stakeholders) and provides a basis for measuring and managing overall performance