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eTrading For Schools
15/02/10
The Welsh Assembly Government’s xchangewales programme has tailored an eTrading product specifically for schools. In its five-year lifespan, xchangewales is tasked with delivering benefits of over £70million across the Welsh public sector.
Part of their eProcurement portfolio, xchangewales eTrading for Schools is an online service allowing individual schools to select goods and services from a range of electronic catalogues through a simple, secure ordering portal. Developed by xchangewales’ private sector partner, ProcServe, it can be integrated with existing schools’ SIMS financial management systems. Ceri Williams, CMC Project Manager, leads this workstream on behalf of xchangewales.
Ceri joined the project in 2008, when eTrading for Schools was going through a limited trial. Building on this success, a second more comprehensive trial was instigated, implementing the portal in local authorities in Gwynedd, Swansea and the Vale of Glamorgan.
As project manager, Ceri places great emphasis on the pre-delivery phase, working with the authorities’ procurement teams to conduct detailed scope and benefits work, developing a business case and ensuring readiness for implementation. Ceri acts as facilitator, working with the participating organisation and ProcServe to ensure successful technology implementation and effective change management. This supports robust eProcurement implementation and ensures that efficiencies / benefits are achieved from ‘go-live’.
Importantly, schools are engaged early in the process. Communication packs, prepared by CMC’s onsite communication manager for xchangewales, are distributed and schools are invited to take part in training and awareness sessions. Onward engagement through a customer user group encourages feedback and discussion.
The trial ended in July 2009, its success leading to all schools in the three participating authorities now working towards implementing the portal. This year Ceri will be working with three other local authorities who will be embarking on their eProcurement journey: “It’s extremely satisfying to see eProcurement make such a difference to schools in Wales. Ordering through the portal allows teaching staff to focus on core activities and administrative staff to take advantage of collaborative framework agreements. This means best value all round in terms of money, resources, time and budget.”
Find out more about xchangewales eTrading here.
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