Portt, an Advanced company in partnership with Dunedin City Council, is thrilled to have won the Outstanding Cooperation and Collaboration Award at the 2023 World Commerce & Contracting Innovation & Excellence Awards. This win highlights the benefits of lean agile procurement and emphasises Portt’s commitment to mutually beneficial collaboration.
About the World Commerce & Contracting Innovation & Excellence Awards
The World Commerce & Contracting Innovation and Excellence Awards are in their 10th year in 2023. They recognise excellence in strategic achievement; operational improvement; outstanding cooperation and collaboration; and delivering social and economic benefit.
The World Commerce and Contracting Innovation and Excellence Awards aim to recognise outstanding achievements in commerce and contracting. These awards celebrate organisations and individuals who have demonstrated excellence, innovation, and best practices in areas such as procurement, supply chain management, and contract administration.
Category: Outstanding Cooperation and Collaboration
The Outstanding Cooperation and Collaboration category recognises customer and supplier relationships that have delivered substantial value for both organisations.
This award recognises:
- Relationships that exhibit an understanding of mutual and independent goals champion open communication and problem-solving and foster a trusted environment.
- The winning relationship demonstrates the achievement of value on both sides and highlights how barriers or challenges were overcome, along with the lessons learned.
- The ways in which this successful relationship has laid the foundations for future improvements and collaborations.
LAP, Communication & Relationship Building: Our World-class Collaboration with Dunedin City Council
The Lean Agile Procurement approach allowed us to pitch alongside other software providers in a two-day workshop, cutting out months of traditional tendering and sales processes and resulting in Dunedin City Council signing off on the right partner for their CLM solution in only three days.
This relationship-driven project has been recognised in the Outstanding Cooperation and Collaboration category, reflecting our commitment to fostering genuine, mutually beneficial relationships with our customers.
We worked closely with DCC during the procurement of their Contract Management System. We participated in a Lean Agile Procurement (LAP) approach, dedicating two full days to an offsite LAP event. This approach allowed us to develop a deep understanding of DDC’s needs and foster a level of trust and communication rarely seen in complex software procurement projects.
This investment in relationship building resulted in a solid foundation and a comprehensive understanding of DCC’s needs and a streamlined procurement process that reduced the usual process from over three months to just two days. Here’s how we did it.
The challenge
- Faster RFP Processes. Dunedin City Council (DCC) needed to turn a standard Request for Proposals (RFP) from a marathon to a sprint while making sure they found the right supplier for the task.
- Better Automation. DDC needed a CLM solution to automate activities, streamline approvals and management flows, and capture rich data.
Our Process
A Lean Agile Procurement approach delivers value quickly while promoting continuous improvement and adaptability, with a focus on collaboration between key stakeholders. It involves breaking down the procurement process into smaller, manageable steps and iterations, allowing for faster decision-making and course correction.
The Lean Agile Procurement Process
The DCC team fully embraced the LAP process, and we were able to spend the two days getting to know our team, along with other suppliers tendering for their CLM contract. We wanted DCC to understand our approach to customer collaboration, the importance we place on relationship building and, naturally, the capabilities of our CLM solution.
The importance of relationship building
One of the most important outcomes for DCC was finding a partner they felt they could work with collaboratively to achieve their goals, so we engaged in an open and transparent process through the Lean Agile Procurement approach.
“We found [the lean agile procurement process] a very positive ‘value add’ methodology which ensured we made the right decision for our organisation in a timely manner, but also in a manner where a positive and trusting working relationship with the Portt team was established from day one.”
– Robert West, General Manager, Dunedin City Council
The result
Using the LAP approach, DCC’s evaluation team agreed that Portt Contract Management was the right choice. The LAP approach allowed for open communication and problem-solving, resulting in a collaborative and trusted environment where both parties could build a strong relationship from the outset.
“I’ve awarded many, many contracts, but I’ve never been hugged by a supplier at the end of it, when I told him that he won the contract.”
– Serge Kolman, Procurement and Contracts Manager, Dunedin City Council
The mutual understanding and trust established from the beginning prevented delays and failures often seen in complex technology procurement projects. Even the legal terms were negotiated collaboratively, leading to a streamlined contract process that was signed immediately, overcoming barriers usually seen in standard RFP processes.
"We came away from a two-day intensive process with all the terms of the deal agreed, a signed contract, and a working relationship between Council and Portt staff already established. What more could we ask for? Great result.”
– Robert West, General Manager, Dunedin City Council
Portt, an Advanced company, makes life easier for local government procurement teams.