ACE Releases Commercial Strategy Guidance

THE ASSOCIATION for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has released a new guidance note aimed at helping its members and their clients to navigate procurement process best practice.

It is hoped that the note will distil existing best practice from both public and private sectors and provide simple advice in relation to the more challenging areas of commercial strategy, the procurement process and contracting. According to ACE, the purpose of this is to provide clients and consultants with a better understanding of each other’s drivers and constraints in order to discuss and agree a balanced way forward.

ACE Commercial Strategy Guidance

The Project 13 commercial handbook has six commercial principles which set out some existing best practice ideals. However, ACE believes it is not always appropriate to aim to include these in each commercial engagement and that bespoke strategic conversations with the market will help prepare both parties to enter a successful procurement exercise.

Through the publication, ACE is offering its members input to commercial strategy development on the following:

• A consultancy industry view on risks to delivery of a project which should be considered in the development of the commercial strategy;
• Convening consultancy businesses to provide feedback on a draft commercial strategy;
• A view on the current market conditions and how this might impact on business appetite to bid e.g. Professional Indemnity at present;
• An understanding of the structure of the market and how to access the right areas of capability the client is looking for.