Strategic Sourcing Services

The Doug Williams Group reduces client costs by negotiating more favorable prices with incumbent suppliers, sourcing to alternate "preferred" suppliers, or taking advantage of our group purchasing contracts.  Our fee for strategic sourcing services is based on a
percentage of documented savings realized; no savings, no fee.

A strategic sourcing project requires minimal involvement of client personnel because our purchasing experts analyze client spending, negotiate with suppliers on behalf of our client, research alternative
supply sources, manage implementation of new supplier relationships,
and monitor cost savings.

The expense categories we can impact through our Preferred Supplier relationships include, but are not limited to:

A strategic sourcing project usually incorporates the following steps:

• Development of a Client Savings Estimate – an analysis of historical  spending  (by expense category and supplier) to estimate the range of savings that can be realized through a strategic sourcing project.
• Determination of Project Scope – development of the scope of the strategic sourcing project, which can be limited to selected expense categories and suppliers.
• Gather Requirements and Supplier Information – capture of service requirements, current pricing, and contracts for the expense categories and suppliers within the scope of the strategic sourcing project.
• Negotiation of Sourcing and Suppliers – development and processing of requests for quotations to achieve best-in-market pricing, without any sacrifice of the quality of the product or service.
• Presentation of Proposals – review of cost saving alternatives, with total authority to accept or reject any proposals retained by our client.
• Implementation of Solutions – oversight and assistance to ensure effective implementation of all aspects of accepted alternatives.
• Monitoring of Results – monitoring supplier compliance to ensure that savings are realized, supported by periodic invoice audits to document and report savings to our client.

Our Strategic Sourcing Services help our clients achieve best-in-market pricing by taking advantage of our preferred vendor network and group purchasing contracts, while incurring no risk and only paying for results.

Some examples of results we have achieved for our clients:

• Conducted an analysis of document flow and copier/scanner/printer utilization that resulted in lease, maintenance, and supply cost reduction of 35% per month. In addition to the cost savings, all of the equipment was replaced with more durable and functional devices.
• Replaced a provider of payroll services that was not properly servicing the client with a Preferred Supplier that delivered vastly improved service, improved payroll systems, and reduced the cost of the service by 30% (guaranteed for 3 years).
• Resized waste handling and recycling services to eliminate over servicing of the account, resulting in a 60% reduction in the cost of waste disposal and recycling services.
• Replaced a provider of office supplies to take advantage of aggressive pricing available through one of our Preferred Suppliers. The same office supplies are now conveniently and efficiently purchased on-line, and office supply cost has been reduced by 30%.
• Implemented an Internet-based parcel shipping service for a client with multiple locations to take advantage of volume pricing. Parcel shipping costs were reduced by 40%.
• Strategically sourced commercial cleaning supplies to a Preferred Supplier who now provides the same products at 35% lower cost by sourcing through a group purchasing organization.
• Moved coffee and water purchases to higher quality brands and reduced the cost of a bottle of water by 50%.