Future Purchasing Limited

Digital Category Management Implementation

We provide comprehensive advice and support in the implementation of Digital Category Management Plafforms. Including systems implementation planning, the upskilling of staff in both Category Management techniques and the platform functionality. Supporting change and stakeholder management, data migration, systems configuration, running pilots and establishing monitoring and performance management regimes.

Features

• Comprehensive implementation planning, addressing the people needs, process & technology.
• Developing a bespoke change management approach and tailored communication strategies.
• Supporting vendor data cleaning, migration and system integration processes.
• Platform configuration and customisation services, prioritising value delivery.
• Tailored training programmes that target and support effective platform utilisation.
• Managing integration with existing internal and external systems and applications.
• Supporting clients building robust platform performance monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
• Developing a forward-looking approach for scalability and future platform adoption.
• Independent guidance on system governance and compliance requirements.
• Flexible ongoing services and support to meet client evolving needs.

Benefits

• Smooth transition to adoption, minimises operational disruptions.
• A good change management and comms plan facilitates user adoption.
• Ensures data integrity and minimises operational disruptions.
• Optimises platform for specific customer processes and requirements.
• Up-skilling staff and empowers teams to utilise the platform's capability.
• Maintaining platform relevance and effectiveness over time.
• Enables data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Accommodates evolving needs, minimising costly replacements or upgrades.
• Strong governance and compliance will drive operational efficiency and value.
• Flexible support will lower the ongoing support costs.

£500 a unit a day

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Skills Framework for the Information Age rate card

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at mbassington@futurepurchasing.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

326448897129860

Contact

Mark Bassington
07899947880
mbassington@futurepurchasing.com

Planning

• Planning service: Yes
• How the planning service works: Once a Digital Category Management Platform as been selected, we work with the organisation and Platform Provider to agree to a vision for the full implementation, and agree what success will look like and the value to be achieved, by when. ; ; We then develop a comprehensive phased implementation plan covering: Project Kick Off (building the team to be involved, with the Platform Provider), Change Management and Communications Plan (agreeing who needs to know what, when and how), Training and Up-skilling of staff (to decide how we up-skill staff in both Category Management techniques and the platform functionality), Platform Design/Configuration (to agree to any bespoke functionality), Data Preparation and Migration (agree how and when data is prepared for use), Pilots and Phases of Roll Out (across spend categories and organisational divisions), and Establishing Monitoring and Performance Management regimes. ; ; We will discuss the levels of support at each Phase, how Future Purchasing and the Vendor performance would be monitored, how and when resources are transitioned out of the organisation and the use of the Platform becomes owned and managed buy the organisation. We would plan the best ways to continue to provide flexible services and support beyond meeting the implementation targets.
• Planning service works with specific services: No

Training

• Training service provided: Yes
• How the training service works: The Future Purchasing training support provides capability building in the use of the selected platform's functionality and also the off system activities required to deliver a robust strategy including, but not limited to, stakeholder planning, communications, influencing skills, and key workshops required to drive collaboration and co-creation.; ; Our system training comprises of hands-on workshop training on the core system functionality and components supplementing the on-line help available within the tools.; ; In addition to the system training our service includes category coaching for the team(s) developing and implementing category strategy(ies) to ensure that the learning is embedded and the desired outcomes achieved. This training is typically based on the FP best practice toolkit but can be tailored to accommodate Client materials if required.; ; Our training is phased to align with the steps of the category strategy development and implementation lifecycle to ensure that the learning is provided at the appropriate time and then embedded through real category strategy activity to embed the learning. Soft skills training can also be provided.; ; Our capability building process follows the 70:20:10 methodology has been tried and tested over 20 years and proven to deliver an enduring capability.
• Training is tied to specific services: No

Setup and migration

• Setup or migration service available: Yes
• How the setup or migration service works: Through the selection process we will have helped the organisation evaluate the Digital Category Management Platform vendor's set up and migration processes and experience. Identifying points of potential risk or concerns that need to be addressed during implementation and will review and approve the vendor's plans and recommendation to help them mitigate risk or concerns. Thereafter helping the client organisation monitor and report progress.
• Setup or migration service is for specific cloud services: No

Quality assurance and performance testing

• Quality assurance and performance testing service: Yes
• How the quality assurance and performance testing works: We would scrutinise the vendors own quality and performance testing processes and systems. This may include working with the client organisation to test the input data that would be uses, the measures to secure the data security within the Platform, and assessing the accuracy of the output results and performance metrics such as results run time, accuracy, completeness, errors and anomalies.

Security testing

• Security services: No

Ongoing support

• Ongoing support service: Yes
• Types of service supported: Hosting or software provided by a third-party organisation
• How the support service works: We would, within any contractual agreement, agree to the provision of ongoing advice and support in the management of the Digital Category Management Platform vendor. This could include, regular performance reviews or audits. Support for software and/or functionality upgrades, and/or further capability and training support to increase adoption and use of the Platform.

Service scope

• Service constraints: We remain Digital Category Management Platform/System agnostic, and therefore have no constraints to prevent us from working with any potential Platform/System vendor.

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: Within normal business hours Mon-Fri 9-5pm (excluding Bank holidays) we would respond within 4 working hours
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: No
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: No
• Support levels: FP Provide a Technical Account Manager who would be the focal point for service support. ; ; The Technical Support Manager cost is included within the agreed service charges based on the SFIA rates provided or withing the fixed costs depending on the agreed pricing model.

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: Up to Security Clearance (SC)

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: No
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: No
• Other security certifications: No

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Tackling economic inequality
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

  Fighting climate change

  We encourage our teams to reduce their carbon footprint, including working from home to minimise travel when practical to do so, utilising public transport as the default for essential business travel, and use of low emission vehicles. We also encourage use of green energy providers/tariffs for employees utilities provision. We operate digital by default to maintain a paperless office and reduce waste.

  Tackling economic inequality

  1.1 Supporting local communities; As an example of this on a previous client engagement in the Bristol area as part of the contract we required additional programme administrative resource to support the programme. We committed in the tender through our social value response to recruit the resource locally through a Bristol based labour agency with the stipulation that the candidates came from specified local postcodes. We recruited a local candidate on a fixed term contract for the duration of the contract paying a rate significantly in excess of minimum wage. Throughout the period of the contract we fully integrated them into the team and provided coaching and upskilling to help prepare them for future roles. We would be happy to consider similar arrangements for the G-Cloud contracts subject to obtaining required Security Clearances. ; 1.2 Provision of expert business advice to VCSEs and SMEs ; A further example is our work with a Trust Port based in the South West on a voluntary basis, providing non executive board member input and chairing the board of trustees. This has enabled organisational improvements, including a revised marketing strategy, a program of updates to the financial systems and revised approaches to HR. We would be happy to consider providing similar support to local organisations associated with clients under G-Cloud.; 1.3 Support to unemployed people; As an organisation we have also provided free coaching hours to VCSE Organisations in supporting unemployed people into work by providing career mentoring, including mock interviews, CV advice, and careers guidance. We would be happy to consider similar arrangements in collaboration with clients under G-Cloud.; We provide annual charitable contributions, this years charities were Winstons Wish, Doctors Without Borders and British Red Cross

  Equal opportunity

  We are an equal opportunities employer, we consider all job applications through our recruitment partner on the basis of experience alone covering the past 10 years as a maximum. We do not include names or dates of birth to avoid any possible bias. This enables us to shortlist and interview candidates based on their stated experience alone. Our interview process is held with a panel consisting of diverse panel members.; Diversity, ethical procurement and social value in the supply chain – we promote ethical procurement, diversity and social value within our own team and supply chain, obligations on this are included within any subcontracts. ; Diversity training is provided for all staff and subcontractors

  Wellbeing

  We operate flexible working for our employees and sub-contractors where this fits in with client requirements, our flexible working covers both hours and place of work.; We recognise the needs of our neurodiverse team members and make suitable accommodation based on individual circumstances.

Pricing

• Price: £500 a unit a day
• Discount for educational organisations: No

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Skills Framework for the Information Age rate card

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at mbassington@futurepurchasing.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.