Building on Success

Acert’s initial work on spend analysis with this London-based private hospitals client had revealed a significant expenditure category in printing and copying.  Further investigation established that current agreements for copiers and printers were over-extended and under-performing. The large number of individual printers in place also indicated large benefit potential from a device consolidation and managed print solution initiative.

We proposed a formal discovery process to scope the opportunity, outline the solution approach, identify the available savings and provide detailed costings for market entry, contracting and transition support.

Phased Approach

Each stage was successfully executed, winning client’s approval for the next phase.  We employed a comprehensive supplier selection, tendering and award process to drive highly competitive offers from the market.  We provided advice and guidance to the client who selected a preferred and reserve vendor.  Retained to manage the contracting phase, we developed and negotiated the service and rental contracts, securing greatly improved commercial terms for the client.  Our engagement was then further extended to project management of the service implementation the following months.

Tangible Savings

Each phase of the engagement ran according to its expected time and outputs. The resulting long-term partnership between the client and supplier successfully delivered the expected benefits from a fully managed, secure, ‘print-anywhere’ environment. As a result of our project, the client made substantial savings from reduced print costs, which easily exceeded the £1m (like-for-like) savings target.

The Challenge for the Client

This private hospitals group provides secure mental health services at its facilities throughout the UK.  With a long-term copier/printer agreement expiring soon the Finance Director and Head of IT were keen to seek savings and capture the benefits of a managed print solution.

Building on Success

Acert had previously saved this client a significant sum on their Telecoms and WAN provision, and at the time were engaged on similar managed print agendas with other hospital groups.  After carrying out some preliminary analysis to assess the scale of the project, we were able to demonstrate a healthy return on investment in our services and lay out the benefits of the proposed commercial and technical solution.

Formal Methodology

We reviewed the market for suitable candidate suppliers and engaged via our standard multi-stage methodology:

• Request for Information – to explain the opportunity and allow us to qualify the candidate list, followed by an evaluation and initial shortlisting
• Request for Proposal – to allow the suppliers to set out their solutions and approaches, and to allow us to distil our requirements and then shape the final short list
• Request for Quotation – to enable final negotiation on a level playing field
• Bid Summit – to allow the suppliers to present their solutions in a series of presentations leading to the client’s decision to award

Contract Development and Negotiation

With the preferred supplier selected, we then took charge of contract development and negotiation alongside the supplier’s own due diligence process, to establish the final scope and commercials.  Upon signature of the agreement we were then retained to programme manage the implementation.

Value to the Client

Through all stages of the project our deliverables were on time and in line or ahead of the client’s expectations.  Projected savings were achieved and the client has gone on to successfully extend their relationship with the supplier, to further benefit the hospitals team and the front-line users.