In response to the challenges faced by our client, a prominent French life sciences company, we initiated a comprehensive strategy rooted in supplier management best practices to address uncontrolled rogue spend. By blending technology, data, and subject matter expertise, Pontoon enhanced visibility and regained control over the client’s financial landscape. This holistic approach led to the identification of over €200,000 of rogue spend and ensured 7% annual cost savings.
The primary challenge involved aligning governance with supplier management to regain control over the customer’s Statement of Work (SOW) spend. The client’s decentralised supplier network posed difficulties in adhering to local regulations and hindered overall visibility across the programme. This situation highlighted a critical need for supplier management best practices to streamline operations, ensure compliance, and enhance overall programme efficiency.
To streamline supply chain management, we examined the existing setup, implementing the centralisation of labour management under a Vendor Management System (VMS). The integration of Power BI for analytics significantly improved visibility into SOW spend, facilitating informed decision-making.
Conducting a thorough SOW audit uncovered inconsistencies in the structure of existing agreements and across the supplier network. To address this, we deployed a dedicated team of 10 purchasing consultants, meticulously adhering to predefined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs). Furthermore, our team engaged in comprehensive supplier management, renegotiating terms with key suppliers.
Pontoon’s strategic procurement process improvements contributed to €10M in savings by providing improved visibility into customer R&D invoicing and enabling an annual review of SOW purchasing strategy.
Within the initial 12 months, we identified over €200,000 of rogue spend, generating a 7% annual recurring cost savings. Moreover, these efforts facilitated 100% supplier compliance.
We successfully extended SOW best practices to additional business units, demonstrating effective cost-control measures, and enhancing transparency within the programme.
