AAsk the Buyer

Ask the Buyer Corporate Excellence

Procurement expertise at board level — for organisations that cannot afford to get it wrong

Whether you are trying to win more contracts or build a stronger supplier base — Ask the Buyer brings 25 years of senior buyer-side experience to your boardroom table.

25+
Years senior procurement leadership
£8bn+
Contracts awarded across career
£350M
Current portfolio under management

Two types of corporate client

We work with two distinct types of corporate organisation

Some organisations come to us because they want to win more public sector contracts — and they need a systematic buyer-led approach that goes beyond bid writing. Others come to us because they want to build a stronger more diverse supplier base that delivers real social value outcomes and meets their PA23 obligations.

Both need the same thing: someone who has sat at the buying table and understands how procurement decisions are really made.

For Corporate BD Teams

Win more. Win bigger. Win systematically.

You have a BD function. You have capable people. But your win rate is inconsistent — and you are not always sure why you are losing.

The difference between suppliers who win consistently and those who do not is rarely capability. It is almost always how they present that capability to buyers.

  • Inconsistent tender win rates
  • Missing framework windows
  • Bid responses that do not score well
  • No systematic approach to BD
  • Not understanding why you keep losing

Commercial Advisory

Bespoke procurement advisory covering tender strategy, bid positioning, framework access, and commercial planning. Senior buyer perspective applied to your BD pipeline.

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Buyer's Panel Review

Your bid or proposal scored by Adrian as a real evaluation panel would — section by section with written feedback, a score estimate, and specific changes to make before submission.

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Discovery Report

A 45-minute expert session covering your opportunity pipeline, competitor landscape, framework strategy, and a written 90-day action plan. The starting point for most corporate BD clients.

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For Corporate Procurement & Supply Chain

Build a supplier base that delivers — and proves it.

PA23 has changed what good procurement looks like. Social value is no longer a tick box. Diverse and local supplier development is now a board-level conversation — and the organisations that do it well are seeing measurable improvements in supply chain resilience, community outcomes, and corporate reputation.

We design and deliver supplier development programmes for local authorities, housing associations, NHS trusts, and corporate supply chains — drawing on the same buyer-side expertise that has helped suppliers win over £8 billion in contracts.

  • Supplier development targets not being met
  • PA23 compliance and transparency obligations
  • ESG and social value reporting gaps
  • Diverse and local supplier pipeline underdeveloped
  • Supply chain resilience concerns
  • Board needing evidence of community impact

Supplier Development Programme

Includes PA23 compliance review

A structured supplier development initiative designed around your organisation's strategic objectives — combining readiness assessment, capability building, and measurable outcome reporting. Based on the Ready2Supply model delivered across multiple London authorities.

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Commercial Advisory

Strategic procurement advisory for supply chain leads — covering supplier development strategy, social value framework design, and PA23 readiness across your procurement function.

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Why supplier development matters now

Effective supplier development improves corporate outcomes and social reputation

The organisations leading on supplier development are not doing it out of obligation. They are doing it because it works.

Cost efficiency

Developed suppliers deliver better value. They understand your requirements, reduce rework, and price more accurately over time.

Supply chain resilience

A broader more capable supplier base reduces single-source dependency and improves your ability to respond to market disruption.

Social value outcomes

Measurable community impact — local employment, diverse business growth, and skills development that meets PA23 social value requirements and ESG reporting obligations.

PA23 compliance

Demonstrable commitment to SME access, prompt payment, and supply chain transparency — the three areas under increased scrutiny under the Procurement Act 2023.

Corporate reputation

Organisations known for developing their suppliers attract better suppliers, retain them longer, and build a commercial reputation that supports long-term growth.

Relevant experience

Delivered at scale — across public and private sector

Ask the Buyer Corporate Excellence draws on direct experience delivering procurement improvement, supplier development, and commercial advisory at some of the UK's most complex organisations.

London Borough of Lambeth

Commercial Improvement and Contract Management Lead — £350M portfolio under active management.

Transport for London

Category management across a £2.6bn procurement programme.

New Hospital Programme

Wave 1 commercial lead across a £20bn national infrastructure programme.

Ready2Supply

Supplier development programme designed and delivered for London local authorities — helping SMEs become procurement-ready and contract-ready.

Adrian is one of those rare people who combines deep procurement expertise with a genuine desire to help others succeed. His insight into how buyers think and what makes a winning bid is invaluable for any business serious about growing through public sector contracts.
Jenny Garrett OBE

Ready to talk at board level?

Every corporate engagement starts with a conversation. No obligation — just a senior procurement perspective on your specific situation.